Chances are that the parents have good reasons to so. And even if they don't, someone ranting online probably won't change anything. So try to be at least a little positive and try to help this kid who certainly didn't chose this situation. To be honest it is really hard to know what will interest the child but chemicals that change color are usually fun. Try anhydrous copper sulfate to detect water for example.

If it forces people in public transport to lower the volume of their headphone so the rest of us can't hear the music and thus avoid the tax.