Any specifically fun things to do in Rome with kids? We'll be there for 3 weeks, staying with my in-laws (Roman), with our 4-month old and 3 year old in June. We're planning on taking our 3-year old to fountains, lots of gelato and pizza, etc. Any sights/events that are fun for kids that we have probably missed in the past?

Thanks!

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Don't know what you've covered in the past. There are definitely lots of threads on this, and I have been fiddling with a trip report for our trip in April with our then 20 month old, but have not finished it and don't have my notes here. Here are a few things that spring to mind, though:

the playground in the park around/near the Villa Borghese - we walked up Avenue George Washington (or whatever it is called, near Piazza del Popolo) and came across it there

chasing pigeons in St. Peter's Square

Rome has a kids museum that people seem to enjoy - sounds fun, but we didn't make it there, probably good for the 3 year old

puppet shows on the Janiculum Hill - do some research to find out times

Get Fodor's "Around Rome with Kids - 68 Great things to do together". There are a lot of great ideas.

Check previous posts written by"Grinisa", who eloquently describes her travels in Rome w/kids!

Thanks Weadles! I'm not sure if my trip report "Principesse Tour" is posted on Fodors, but you can find it, and my travel note "Chills and Thrills in the Eternal City" on the Slowtrav.com website. I second the recommendation of the book "Around Rome with Kids" which has lots of good suggestions.

Grinisa, I found your excellent report on Slow Travel a few days ago and cut and pasted a lot for activites for my own kids.

Thanks Missypie! I'm sure your kids will have a great time. The principesse made another tour last summer but unfortuantely, I never had time to write up a trip report about that one. But highlights were:
Swimming! If you are spending time in the countryside, find a hotel or villa with a pool. After a long day of sightseeing in July and August, jumping into a pool can't be beat for cooling down.
San Gimiginano. The girls loved this town with its wall, towers, and Museum of Torture!
Lucca. They burned off some energy climbing the tower to see the ancient tree growing out of the top of it. St. Zita's incorrupt body was also fascinating.
Pisa. More tower climbing. Make sure you get advance reservations to climb the Leaning Tower. They loved browsing all the tacky souvenir stands that line the Piazza dei Miracoli and found some cute, inexpensive gifts for their friends back home.
Livorno. Want to get your kids to eat seafood? Take them to Ristorante da Gennarino and watch as a huge bowl of mussels and two enormous plates of spaghetti con vongole (clams) disappear in minutes. After they eat, they can watch the fish swimming in the aquarium. Order the specialty of the house and receive a free souvenir plate.
Cortona. Another "sleeping beauty"--St. Margaret of Cortona's incorrupt body.
Assisi and Montefalco. Two St. Clares, one in each city for those macabre little girls to see. Plus, in Montefalco, in the church of St.Augustino, the incorrupt bodies of two little girls, the Beata Illuminata and Beata Chiarella, along with an unknown pilgrim can be found.
Rome. The principesse have been to Rome a few times already so we weren't rushing around all the usual sights. We did go out to the catacombs, and wanted to visit San Sebastiano. Unfortunately, as we were waiting for the next tour in English, a big commotion occured, an ambulance pulled up and we saw two men carrying a woman up from the catacombs. A piece of stone had fallen from one of the niches and hit her on the head. They closed the catacomb for the rest of the day so we walked next door to the catacombs of San Callisto. The girls enjoyed it, especially Cecilia, who saw where St. Cecilia's body was first placed. The girls also enjoyed seeing the opera "Aida" performed one night in the Baths of Caracalla. Other than that, Rome was all about eating, shopping and gelato. For some outstanding gelato, try Settimo Gelo, Via Vodice 21, which really is "7th Heaven" for gelato lovers. Try some of the very unusual flavors like carrot or chocolate with pepper. The girls also like the old fashioned ice cream parlor atmosphere of Gelateria Palazzo Fassi and the tiny Doppia Coppia (aka alla Scala)in Trastevere.

Ah, that sounds like the perfect second trip! This time we are doing Rome-Florence-Venice.