Kids in Rome...what to do with them?

I Googled:
Fun for kids in Rome
and all kinds of websites came up. I looked at a few of them and they have great ideas for families in Rome.
From my own observations in Rome, be sure to have comfy kiddie transport carts so you can push the little ones around. The amount of walking is a challenge even for adults. And carts with canopies will help shade the kid from the hot sun.
And water or juice bottles with favorite snacks also help.
There are many, many families in Rome, small kids in kiddie carts. Many, many kiddie carts everywhere. You should feel right at home. I just heard one kid fuss, but it was short.
Also, buses don't have Lifts or Ramps like here in the US. At least none I could identify as such. Parents just picked up the kiddie cart, put it on the floor inside at the center door where there is more space. Then they got on.

The Borghese park- huge area to run around and let off some steam. There are a lot of street performers in Piazza Navona and at night in Campo di Fiori and by the Pantheon. I would also think a 4 year old would think the Colosseum is pretty cool. You can buy tickets online to minimize time waiting in line.

If you will be there for several days, you might consider a day trip to the beach. Santa Marinella is about a 30 minute train ride from Termini and it is a very short walk to the beach.

Rick's Rome book has several pages of tips for visiting with children (as do his Venice and Florence books). These details are not in his general Italy book.

In my opinion the best thing you can do is help them understand the amazing things they are about to see. For example, find stories or movies fit for your children's' ages about the places and sights you're going to see. Read them/watch them the night before if you can so the story is fresh in their mind.

Heres some fun things to do that are "hands on"

Rome has a children's museum:
https://www.mdbr.it/

I Burattini del Gianicolo: A puppet theater (in italian but supposedly enjoyable/fun/funny even if you don't understand italian)

Largo di Torre Argentina Cat Sanctuary (Volunteer Cat Rescue sanctuary with hundreds of kitties running around in a plaza) - If your kids like animals

Colosseum is pretty amazing and fun to walk through... and there's always those guys in plastic gladiator costumes out front who will pose for pictures with your kids and act silly. (for a few Euros of course).

I've also heard there's a "gladiator school" where your kids can dress up and be a gladiator for a day. Its geared for elementary school and younger kids. They also have a dinner theater kind of show (not sure if its ok for young kids though) Gruppo Storico Romano I believe the historical reenactors theater/acting group who runs it - they're affiliated with one of the colleges in Rome.

Trevi Fountain - and any of the public fountains throughout the city are pretty cool no matter how old you are. :)

When all else fails. Gelato makes everyone happy. :)

Make them stick their hand in the Boca de Veritas - legend has it that the mouth will bite off their hand if they tell a lie. If there's anything you want to know, this is your chance! My son was about 7 when we first took him there and he thought it was hilarious.
We always used to employ a scavenger hunt format for our son when he was smaller. "How many horses can you count in this painting?", "Say 'Eureka!' when you see the fountain that has the man with the beard", and other such things. It's a great way to keep kids entertained and helps them see details that they wouldn't notice otherwise. It truly kept him busy for hours - you have to make it up as you go and it's a little exhausting but it's better than the alternative of them getting bored! We also bought him a little plastic gladiator sword that was a hit, especially when he got to meet the "real" gladiators at the Colosseum.

Perfect!!!! Thanks so much for the ideas...it sounds like we should be fine but I was starting to get worried. Looking forward to the trip and I think the little men will enjoy it too.

How about Rainbow Magic Land? It's an amusement park just outside of Rome.

How can kids, or adults for that matter, not be wowed by the gelateria near Piazza Navona that has over 150 flavors of gelato snaking through their large shop? So many flavors, such little tummies! Somebody here can probably provide the name and address.