Florence with 8yr old and 12 yr old!!

I have only one real suggestion but know you will get more. When there with my grandchildren a few years ago, their parents went to the Uffizi and since we been to the Uffizi a few times already, we took the kids to the Florence food market. WOW, now there was an education for all of us! Plus goodies to sample. It's a quite amazing, engaging experience and a whole lot of fun-for all of us! They were barely 7 and nearly 9 at the time. They also enjoyed the sculptures of the Accademia and seeing all the activity on the Rialto Bridge (if not too busy or overly crowded).

Make sure everyone handles their own luggage. That means, 'travel light.'

they will enjoy http://www.museogalileo.it/en/visit.html if i remember right it's left of the exit from Uffizi towards the water Also the central market so many interesting things to see. make sure you check market hours http://www.mercatocentrale.it/en/

We have taken my two,girls age 10 and 12 last two years and I second Galileo museum as well as the Leonardo Da Vinci museum - it was interactive you see inventions and can try them out and kids thought was cool. Also like wondering the leather markets and Ponte Vecchio. They also really liked seeing David of all the art we viewed. Good luck!

Hi
I took my two daughters to Italy every year from the time they were 3 and 6 until they were 19 and 21! Now they take me! When they were little they had such fun...doing such simple things. I bought them each a small sketch book and colored pencils to copy museum art, street scenes and statues. Some of which I have hung in my home and are so fun to see. I allowed them to collect small things, a pencil from each town we visited and one year a keychain from each town....I always brought 2 jump ropes for them to skip around the palazzos and gardens and they always met other kids and shared....we found school yards in every town and played on the swings and picnic on the tables, in the old days I bought them each a disposable camera to take pics, I had them make address labels at home for postcards and then every night send one to a friend from the hotel. We bought dry cat food and fed stray kitties ( I know not a great idea these days) stayed at agriturismos where they picked lemons and ate berries from the bushes, They got to buy a new piece of fruit or a vegetable they could eat everyday....and a cookie from a small bakery every day. They ate everything and tried a new flavor of gelato almost every day and collected the little spoons.
Clothes I was able to keep simple, tights and little dresses with undershirts/ the tights and undershirts I washed out at night. and a pair of overalls with different shirts....get them good shoes...one pair to wear and one to switch up. Make sure they have ID on them at all times. BTW I never felt unsafe once in all of Italy with my children.
At 12 years old I would think the sketch book would be good and put her in charge of finding the gelato shops on GPS...an 8 year old boy, have him take pictures of gargoyles and lions on buildings.
All I will tell you is now these memories are the best we have and I cherish it all. Have fun relax and most of all stay flexible. DEL

Hello annamarc
I would suggest enjoying the city of Florence and perhaps taking a train to Lucca for the day, it is 1.5 hours away. The walls that surround the town are amazing, really. They can bike and play for hours and you can shop and go to fabulous little trattorias for lunch. Then you get back in train and head over to Pisa for the standard photos of the kids holding up the tower! Also, the campo santo in pisa is well worth a visit (behind the Duomo). Have fun and be flexible as usual with kids that age and everyone should have a great time.
Marie