Here is my completely unofficial take on how the different common magics work out, and how that relates to kids being able to use them:
There is that box in the character creation section, by the common magic paragraphs, about "where does this power come from" (or words to that effect). It talks about the runes, and how you've always understood the meaning and power of certain of them, which gives you the magic. It is not clear if this is addressing all common magic or just talents. I take it to mean just talents, but the other reading is certainly reasonable too.
I interpret this to mean that to use your talent you need some expression of the rune. Most people have it written on a scrap of paper, etched into a clay tablet, embroidered on their clothes, tattooed on them somewhere rude, or whatever. I think you would understand the rune well enough that you can sketch it (or whatever) upon need, so you can't easily be deprived of it, but for quick use it is handy to have it somewhere already. This would limit kids magic somewhat, in that adults could take away their rune stones (etc). Which wouldn't stop kids from drawing it in the dirt, but it would slow them down a bit.
Charms need to be made by someone skilled, so would be beyond most kids (story exceptions abound of course). However since charms are always active, they might be the thing most commonly given to children (although parents may prefer to give the "listen to orders" or "put up with being bossed around" type of charms if possible). Alert parents will find unauthorized charms without too much trouble, most of the time.
Spells need a talisman, and I think a rote "spell casting." Crossing your fingers and reciting: "inka-dinka-knickerbocker don't see me" seems valid to me. I could see long standing children's societies developing a common magic spell or two, although probably they'd also have a number of bogus spells—sure magic is visible, but the strength of magic they use would not be particularly visible, so it should be possible to delude yourself that something bogus actually has an effect. Again alert parents may be pretty good at confiscating talismans, although the fact that a talisman could be anything, like a stick that doesn't look unusual at all, or your boots, makes it easier to hide them away. But the rote spell casting isn't too hard to see, and once caught the talisman can usually be found (if only by threatening dire punishments if the kid doesn't cough it up).
Feats require a sacrifice. It isn't mentioned anywhere, but I'd imagine you have to regularly enough repeat that sacrifice, although it may be very minor. It is not at all clear that they need a physical link, but just referencing general Gloranthan magic rules since whenever, I think they do. More precisely, I think you make the original sacrifice, and get the physical link in response. These will be pretty distinctive, and in theistic cultures I think they'd be pretty easily recognized. Clever kids probably hide them, and only pull them out for special occasions.
One addendum, one take on why kids don't get magic:
I think the "children have no magic" rule amongst the Heortlings (and probably most cultures) is largely to protect them. Initiation is pretty grueling and dangerous affair, and you can't get affinities prior to initiation. Further, once you are initiated, all your culture's enemies are yours, and you have to be ready to play all of your cultural roles. So you don't make boys into potential warriors and girls into potential mothers until they are physically, and hopefully mentally, ready for it.
Without knowing the secrets revealed during initiation, however, children don't really understand what is good or bad in the world. Oh, they've heard the stories, may be able to recite the lists, but they don't have that gut level instinct and deeper knowledge. Also, without soul sight they can't tell much about magical beings. Therefore I think they are discouraged from messing with common magic, because they could end up serving bad things without realizing it. It is a little bit like why you don't let a nine year old go into unsupervised chat rooms: they don't have the experience to be very good at telling who only seems nice, and not having a sex drive themselves they are not so apt to realize who may be driven by one.
Initiands are introduced to magic only carefully and under great supervision, while they develop more reason and experience, because they are still too likely to be fooled by false friends (I'm reminded here of one event in King of Dragon Pass where one of the clan's young women is found sacrificing to a spirit in the woods. The clan can more formally sacrifice to it, strengthening it, and it might bless the clan, or curse it, and unless you have very magically adept leaders you can't reliably predict which). One foolish youngster can bring great woe to the entire clan (village, etc), so you try to control and channel their exposure to magic until they are old enough to have some inkling that they aren't immortal and infallible.
Yah, that last part was written with my parent hat on ;-)
--Bryan
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