Italian lakes with young kids

Transportation: Switzerland has an excellent public transportation system. When traveling with young children, it's advisable to get a Swiss Travel Pass or similar travel cards that allow unlimited travel on trains, buses, and boats within a certain period. This way, you don't have to worry about buying tickets every time and can easily move around between different places. For short trips around the city, a stroller-friendly bus or a ferry ride on the lake can be a fun experience for the kids.
Activities:
Visit the lakes: The Italian lakes around Lugano are incredibly beautiful. You can take a boat tour on the lake. The gentle breeze and the clear water will surely fascinate the kids. They might enjoy looking at the ducks swimming by or the beautiful villas along the shore.
Explore parks and gardens: Besides the ones in Lugano, there are also some beautiful gardens around the area. These places are usually filled with colorful flowers and interesting plants, which can be a great opportunity for kids to learn about nature.
Museums for kids: Look for some local children's museums or interactive exhibits. They often have hands-on activities designed specifically for young minds, which can be both educational and entertaining for the kids.
Food: Given the age of your children, it's important to find places that offer simple and child-friendly food. Many Italian restaurants in the area have pizza and pasta on the menu, which are usually popular with kids. You can also look for cafes that serve fresh fruit juices and pastries for quick snacks during the day.
I hope these suggestions help you have a wonderful trip with your little ones in Lugano and around the Italian lakes! Have a great time!

I just did Como with kids last June. It was sublime. We based out of Bellagio and true to your trip format we flew into Zurich and then made our way through the Swiss Alps to the Italian side. Ultimately we went, Zurich>Lauterbrunnen>Murren>Bellagio>Vicenza>Venice, so we flew into Zurich and out of Venice. Sadly I can't comment too much on Lugano as we didn't stop there, but we nearly did transit through Lugano. We rented a car and drop the entire first leg until we hit Bellagio where we return the car and then took a bus to Bellagio (maybe 30-45 minutes).

Our children are older (6 & 7) and we mostly stayed in Airbnb/Apartments booked through booking.com. Bellagio is a place I would highly recommend staying, but not a great place for strollers because most of the streets are staircases. Ground floor apartments will likely be your friend and so will a rental car if you will have a stroller.