Maybe for the long run, but learning to properly compose photos will be good for my son...give him a chance to learn something outside of the usual 3 Rs.
Composition is more easliy learned with digital cameras - you experiment more, and can produce many comparison shots of the same subject. Film processing costs are intimidating, and a 24 shot roll is a limitation compared to a card that can hold 200 photos.
I learned actual hands-on cut and paste methods for putting together a newspaper ... an archaic skill now. Same goes for film processing unless you are into large format... which is definitely not for beginners.
Look to the future.
Get him a b&W darkroom set-up, as well. It's funnnnnnnnnn, and eeeeeeeeeeezzzzzzzzzeeeeee!