Kids are allowed in most of the major hotels on the strip (except Belagio which would prefer not to see them except at Cirques O and the fountain shows). Kids are not allowed in the casino or bar areas. Many hotels will have different colored carpets that will show where kids can and cannot be. You can usually find foods the kids will like in the 24 hour cafes or food courts if the hotel has them, and in the buffets (except maybe Sunday brunch buffets with free flowing champagne).
Lots of great shows, O and KA are the best of the Cirque du Soleils for kids, Blue Man Group, Forever Plaid can be fun, Lance Burton is usually family friendly. (You can always ask about whether a show is appropriate when calling the box office).
MGM Grand would be my top pick for place to stay with kids. Tons of fun stuff to do close by. The pool complex has a lazy river and several pools with waterfalls and stuff (no big slides). Theres the lion habitat (not big, but free and if there are cubs it can be really cute for kids, they have kid programs too). Theres a Rainforest Café inside as well as lots of other great restaurants for families and adults. Cirques KA is located there too, as well as various shows and concerts.
MGM is with in walking distance of the Luxor, Excalibur, Mandalay Bay, Tropicana, New York and M&M world (got to go to M&M world
of course its a store, so be prepared). And its also on the monorail line, so its great if youre in Vegas without a car.
The Luxor is fun too. It has a whole floor of family fun. A food court with McDonalds and Little Caesars (at least last time I was there), an Imax theater with fun 3-D films, and a motion simulator ride (bumpier than Star Tours). Its also cool if your kid(s) like Egyptian art. Plus staying in the pyramid could be fun.
Some people like the Excalibur (although its not the most beautiful of the group), but it is fairly kid friendly and its a castle. Still its not my favorite. But the Tournament of Kings show there is family friendly (jousting knights, eating with your hands, etc.).
Mandalay Bay is great if your kid is a fish. Theyve got a wave pool, lazy river. Shark Reef is very popular with kids.
The roller coaster at the New York, New York is big and scary, not for most kids, but the interior is fun.
Mid strip has fun for kids too. Theres the Belagio fountains, The Forum Shoppes at Caesars Palace with talking statues and a really cool FAO Schwartz toy store (gotta go there, its soooo cool). The Dolphin Habitat and mini zoo at the Mirage is great for kids. Kids also like the volcano, and the pirate show at TI (formerly/still Treasure Island). The interior of Paris and the Venetian are magical, the kids could take a ride on a gondola or up the Eiffel Tower. Madame Tussauds at the Venetian is fun too. The hotels mid strip are nice, but not quite as family oriented, but kids love the theme hotels.
Up strip, Im not as impressed with the hotels or attractions. The Sahara has a roller coaster, but youd have to check if your kid is tall enough. I was extremely disappointed with the theme park in Circus Circus, (if your kids have gone to
Disneyland, they wont be impressed at all). And the Stratosphere, although cool for the view, has rides that are waaaaay too scary for most kids (not to mention dangerous, you should see how often the news reports people getting stuck up there on one of the rides.
Other things to check out with kids. Tons of coooool museums around town, like the classic car museums, etc. check out a site like vegas . com for more of it. The Star Trek Experience at the Hilton is cool for some kids (theres a whole thread on the subject). Theres tons of stuff, you can find it all online.
One other place Id like to mention The Orleans, one of my favorite places to stay. Its a hotel off strip thats Mardi Gras all year around. It has big bedrooms with sitting areas, an 18 screen movie theater, a kids place where the kids can go for large chunks of the time (babysitting, indoor playground, movie room, etc.), 100 lane bowling alley, several family friendly restaurants including TGI Fridays and one of the best Mexican restaurants in town, Don Miguels. The pool isnt as cool as the Mirage, Tropicana or Mandalay Bay, but a bit better than some. Ive seen lots of kids there, theres only one real major drawback, it gets smoky in there, cigarette smoke in the casino area is pretty thick, but not bad in the movie theater areas or restaurants. Its also way off strip, and best if you have a car, but tons of free parking and free Valet, so keep it open as an option if youre driving.