I have turned some one to the darkside!

[Guyon]

In my opinion if you want to get the safest knife possible, a fixed blade would be your best option. Get her a Mora like the one already posted. GREAT knives to learn with, cheap, if you lose em or break em. who cares! but get permission first

I agree the fixed blade is the safest. But I also would argue that if you learn to use a slipjoint safely (like the aforementioned Vic Farmer), you'll handle knives safely for the rest of your life.
So many times, people here at BFC worry about locks failing or knives coming back on their fingers. However, if you treat every folding knife like a slipjoint and use it responsibly, your worries end there.
When and where I grew up, slipjoints were ubiquitous. I learned with a little tiny Boker, and because of that, I do well at avoiding accidents with folding knives.

That said, a 6-year-old may not have the dexterity yet to open and close the knife properly. For that age, a fixed blade is definitely better for teaching and learning.

 

[sambo.]

i'm reminded of the Terry Pratchett, Discworld novel.... Hogfather.

Death (the Grym Reaper) is masquerading as the Hogfather (Santa) at a department store.

a little girl comes up and asks for a sword.

Death gives the girl a sword.

mother of girl: You can't give a child a sword!
Death: WHY NOT?
MoG: It's Dangerous!
Death: IT'S EDUCATIONAL
MoG: What if she cuts herself?
Death: THAT WILL BE AN IMPORTANT LESSON....

 

[kickplate69]

To those of you worried that this young lady will cut herself with a knife, then she'll be just like us, and we survived. Has anyone not cut themselves ever? Relax. Just be there to supervise, I doubt anything serious will happen that a bandaid cant fix. Seems like the only time I cut myself as a kid was when I wasnt being supervised............Hmmmm

 

[Mark J]

Good on ya! Start them early. My 11-year-old daughter was with me when someone flipped out over one of my knives. Later she commented, "What was wrong with her dad? It was only a knife!" Love that kid.

- Mark

 

[shunsui]

Hell, I've still got a scar from a frozen orange juice can I was opening when I was three or four. The one from the kitchen knife I was using cutting a cantaloupe has pretty much faded away though.