Three playgrounds - Younger kids will enjoy three different playgrounds with swings, climbing structures, and bouncy things. Near the playground in the center of the gardens, rent tricycles.

Fun fair - Take a ride on the bumper cars and a carousel with colorful jeeps and cars instead of horses. Close by is the miniature train, the "trenino dei giardini," a pint-size train that's fun for toddlers.

Pony rides - Near the Via Palestro entrance to the park, go for a pony ride, or ride in a carriage drawn by miniature ponies.

Natural History Museum (Museo di Storia Naturale) - When the weather isn't cooperating, go indoors with other local families to the Natural History Museum. The minerals gallery has giant geodes, sulfur from Sicily, gold nuggets from Val d'Aosta, quartz crystal from Tuscany, and pyrite crystals from the Piedmont. fossil and dinosaur exhibits include the fossil of a giant marine reptile found in Italy that lived 235 million years ago. Upstairs, don't miss the super dioramas of animals of northern Italy - deer, ibex, brown bears, lynx, wolves, ermine, marmots, wild boar.

Parco Villa Communale (directly south of the Giardini Pubblici) - This is a park for kids under twelve, plus their parents. It has a small playground, ponds, waterfalls, ducks, and grass where kids can kick around a soccer ball. Bring a picnic (a picnic supper is delightful on a long summer evening).