I have a very interested soon to be 8 year old with his new 55lb anvil and hammer looking for basic classes in forging.  Any help anyone?

Welcome DARRIN, If you put your general location in your profile you might be amazed at how many blacksmiths are in your area. 

You have found the best online resource for blacksmithing info online which is IFI. There is a wealth of vetted info here to get you started. There may be blacksmithing groups near you as well to visit/join, and learn from. Please have fun, Pack a lunch and a cold drink, as they say, and start reading through this forum in the sections that interest you/him and go from there. From what I have heard there have been younger blacksmiths on here so you should be fine. There are also many other parents teaching their kids the skills on here and they would be a wealth of knowledge to learn from. 

My bad, Lombard,IL

It's fine. There are many more way more experienced then I to give advice. in the meantime have a read in sections you are interested in. and the forum is family friendly so he will be just fine reading over your shoulder  

Look for a local ABANA Affiliate to get you in touch with smiths in your area, (even one that's a ways away may know people in your area.  I get referrals for local people from the group that's a 4 hour drive from here for example.)  Especially at that age you want to learn hands on and not remotely!

http://illinoisblacksmith.org/?page_id=15

something I'll suggest that I'm kinda surprised hasn't been mentioned is modeling clay. Get some to practice some of the techniques, and since it moves the same way as metal (well it moves easier) it makes it easy to see how it moves, but this way it doesn't include hot steel, hammers and anvils, etc.. Going back and forth from the modeling clay and hot steel seems like it would be good. Show him the technique with clay, have him do it with the clay, then with hot steel.  

                                                                                                                         Littleblacksmith

A bucket of cool water, burn ointment, band aids, an PPE. Make sure Mom is on board, some times they don't understand that a few scars are part of making an adult.