If you locate yourself in an hotel near the train station Bologna is a perfect hub for several cities and with fast trains 1.5 hours embrace the most of Northern Italy (Florence is 30 minutes away, to have an idea).
As suggestion, mainly if you have a car, I can suggest you some of the medieval fortress that can be found everywhere in Emilia and Romagna: Vignola, Fontanellato, Vigoleno, Castell'Arquato, San Leo and others. A special castle, not far from Bologna, is Rocchetta Mattei: restored at the beginning of XX century in an eclectic style is like a fairy tale castle.
Another suggestion that usually like teenagers is the labyrinth of Masone. Is near Parma. Is the biggest and made in bamboo. Not so difficult, but wide! In the middle there is even an interesting art museum.
Ravenna is a very nice city and UNESCO World Heritage for the Byzantine mosaics. The problem is that all mosaics are in churches. Maybe combined with the amusement park of Mirabilandia? Ferrara probably could be a better place.
About churches in general, please remember that in Emilia-Romagna you can find something more funny and different from the 20'000 Baroque churches of Rome. More antique ones where there are more funny tale to talk about. Modena and Parma are two example (Romanic style, XII century), but even the Byzantines one of Ravenna.
If you like driving car, probably you like even cars in general. Remember all the car producers of Emilia-Romagna: Lamborghini, Ferrari, Pagani, Dallara, Ducati, Maserati. If like to your children you can do a visit of one of the several museums or you can even visit a factory (Maserati or Ducati or Pagani). Is even possible arrange a test drive with a Ferrari or a Lamborghini.
