[nogabebop23]

Why not just boot up the vice emulator and give them a true c64 experience? The CM is a neat project but if you're going for retro seems the worst of both worlds: modern, under-utilized hardware with artificial limitations. To me the later is the goal to force creativity; the hardware in this case seems superfluous.

[djaychela]

Because previously we've spent a bit of time using an arduino to do something, and he enjoyed learning to solder and connect LEDs up. So I think that the experience of building the computer will have him more invested in it.