Whilst I understand the nostalgia, I think it's easy to forget that these things were modern and exciting - not so much today. I suggest you take what is here today and use it.
If it were me (and it may soon be) I would get them to make a static (ie with no backend processing) web page. It is easy and can be free to publish it. The basic page can then be enhanced with interaction using scripting almost without limits.
The child can show it off to anyone with a screen. You can control the publishing since it can be built offline.
And before you say JavaScript is terrible, so is Basic!
This is the modern equivalent to what you remember.
Maybe set them up at NeoCities, depending on age, but could also move into CGI and RSS with this. I may be way off, but I feel like CGI could be a bridge between markup and programming.
My sparse knowledge of CGI dates to the 90s, and IANAP(rogrammer).
If it were me (and it may soon be) I would get them to make a static (ie with no backend processing) web page. It is easy and can be free to publish it. The basic page can then be enhanced with interaction using scripting almost without limits.
The child can show it off to anyone with a screen. You can control the publishing since it can be built offline.
And before you say JavaScript is terrible, so is Basic!
This is the modern equivalent to what you remember.