No gerbils, I don't recommend them to kids, they tend to be biters no matter how "tame" they are
I have been breeding gerbils since I was 8 years old, they I would say they are a WAY better choice then hamsters for kids, no normal tempered gerbil bites for no reason, they are very playful, they love people, they tame easy, and they are neither nocternasl nor diaternal, which means kids can play with them whenever they want to play, and they dont have to adust to the animals schedual. they are however as others mentoned, very fast, but once tamed you can let them run around on you or the couch or bed while watcing TV etc.. I have had ones that just run off the edge of the bed, but most are happy to stay with there mommy and and daddy

lol I see I am not the only one who commented on this one hehe