My young daughter watched a video on meshtastic with me and, as we live near her school she really wants me to get a couple so we can message back and forth. I can use my phone to type, but she cant have one. I found some options like meshenger, but it seems to be sold out. Anyone know of a decent option that includes a keyboard and is in stock?

I have done some LORA stuff and I bought a TTgo T-watch with LORA back in 21 and have never even powered it up. Sounds like there is firmware but don't know if it leverages the touch screen for input or if it depends on you having a phone. Hear it has bad battery life, but have no clue. Email is in my profile.

There's not really any kid friendly ones. There's the T-Deck but the battery is separate. You would have to 3D print a case for it. But the interface is a terminal.
https://www.lilygo.cc/products/t-deck

The best interface is to use a phone with a meshtastic device, but then you gotta have your daughter charge that and the phone. Signal may not beam out of the school and if there's no nodes nearby...

It's cheaper to get a cheap phone w/ cheap plan.

The issue is phones not allowed.
I suspect in reality that they allow wifi so could use a regular IM client on some non phone device.