OP - you may want to make a list & set priorities from high to low (size, temperament, handling, caging/husbandry, activeness, cleanliness, smell, prey, feeding schedule/response, etc.) and list the snakes your research proves best under each category/priority.

Prior to buying my kids their first snake I made a similar list and a Dumerils Boa seemed like a winner; however, caging size was one of my top priorities and I didn't want to go bigger than a 3'x2', so we ended up with a male BP. Although he's been great I think the play-doh snakes my kids make move more... And in hindsight I think a BP makes a better 2nd or 3rd snake, at least for me because I hate throwing away F/T prey & wish I had also had a hungry Kingsnake or other to take refusals (should there be a BP hunger strike).

Good luck.