Hi Adam,
I think we call them "spoodles" down here? Friends of ours have one - great dog. They don't have young kids but knowing "Sparky's" character I think he would be very good around little kids. He is still young and therefore full of beans but he doesn't have a malicious bone in his body.
We bought a toy schnoodle who is now 6 months old (today!). She is absolutely gorgeous with a beautiful nature. She is still prone to romp around a lot but we wanted a smaller dog who wants to be active. She is robust and doens't mind a little rough stuff from the kids...5 minutes later she will be settled in my Mum's lap for a cuddle... She is a first generation cross between Mini Schnauzer and Toy Poodle. I couldn't speak highly enough of these new crossbreeds as long as they come from the right breeder of course.
If you want to do some more reading and research, check out this website:
www.freedomkennels.com.au. I know these guys are in Aus, but there is a lot of really good info for you and I think some pics of adult spoodles as well as customer reviews of their dogs. May help you make a decision. We bought our little girl from these guys and I was impressed by their honesty and knowledge. The website is a little "clumsy" but the info is all there.
Enjoy your puppy quest
!
Cheers,
Lisa