Hi growyourbrew!
We started with chickens after seeing a friend's little girls interact with her chickens. Little Kira came up to me and asked "Could you get Penguin for me and put her on the swing?" I thought she meant her stuffie, but after some quizzing turned out she wanted me to fetch her Barred Rock named Penguin; I put her next to Kira on the porch swing and swing they did! Adorable!
Her best breeds for the little ones were Bared Rock, an Australorp and a Red Sex-link. But Cochin, Easter Egger and Seabrights not so much.
Of the breeds I have had, my best recommendations for a very friendly chicken are in order of recommendation: 1) Brahmas (I have had Light and Dark) and they will let the little kids come up to them, pick them up and carry them around 2) Salmon Faverolles--exceptionally gentle and friendly breed but can be bullied by the other chickens so best kept with other docile breeds or as a single breed flock-my daughter's favorite 3) Speckled Sussex (I think that's what you meant with the Essexes that you mentioned)-they have been very friendly with people but the 2 I have had were definitely bossy-boots with the other hens 4) Barred Rock-good, solid all around breed and the ones I have had or interacted with have been very friendly.
There are other breeds I have that are nice and friendly, but are more lively than the above and so may not be as suitable for small children including Easter Eggers, Cream Legbars and Welsummers--love the breeds, but not cuddly.
eta-in my limited experience with bantams, they are not as docile as the large breeds.
