Summer camps for children in Lugano and Ticino: types, ages, costs and when to book

When school breaks up in mid-June, many families around Lugano have more than two months of holidays to cover between work and their own time off. This guide explains the summer options for children aged 0 to 8, from residential and day camps to the City of Lugano's summer kindergarten, what the Canton regulates, how to choose and when to book. If you are new to the region, it also translates the local terms you will meet along the way.

What summer options are there for young children?

Summer provision in Ticino falls into five broad types, which differ by age, length of day and whether children stay overnight.

• Nursery. For children aged 0 to 4, the nursery (nido) remains the main option over the summer too. According to the Canton, annual closures range from 0 to 4 weeks depending on the setting, so check them when you choose a nursery.
• After-school centres in the holidays. After-school centres (centri extrascolastici) take children aged 3 to 15, starting from the optional first year of public kindergarten (scuola dell'infanzia). In the holidays they open from 7am to 7pm and work like a day camp, and you can book just a few weeks in summer.
• Municipal summer services. The City of Lugano, for example, offers registered residents a summer kindergarten (asilo estivo), the ViviLugano day camp and a residential camp.
• Day camps. Day camps (centri estivi diurni) are summer camps in the narrow sense: weeks of activities run by associations, sports clubs, museums or cultural organisations, with children going home every evening.
• Residential camps. A colonia (residential holiday camp, the Ferienlager German-speaking families may know) is a stay in the mountains or by the sea, usually for two weeks, led by adult leaders and younger assistant leaders. It is generally for children and young people aged 6 to 18.

Summer options compared

The amounts below are those published for 2026 and give an order of magnitude.

What the Canton regulates

Since 1 January 2026, residential and day camps have been covered by Ticino's new youth and holiday camps act (LGioCo), which replaced the 1973 holiday camps law and, for these activities, applies to children and young people aged 4 to 18. The cantonal office that supports family and youth services (Ufficio del sostegno a enti e attività per le famiglie e i giovani, UFaG) can recognise and subsidise camps run by non-profit organisations based in Ticino; the subsidy goes to the organiser, per day of attendance.

Recognition is a useful signal. It requires an educational plan, enough trained and suitable staff, procedures for emergencies, reports and complaints, suitable premises and at least one preparation day for the team; the minimum leader-to-child ratio is set by cantonal guidelines. As a rule, a recognised summer colonia lasts at least 12 consecutive days, or two sessions of 7; a recognised day camp runs at least two consecutive five-day sessions with eight-hour days.

Plenty of shorter stays fall outside these criteria, so always ask whether a camp is recognised by the Canton. After-school centres come under a different law, the Family Act: they need cantonal authorisation, and UFaG inspects them at least every two years, with announced and unannounced visits.

The Canton publishes a list of organisations that run residential camps: in early October 2026 it counted 57, 26 of them in the Lugano region. A similar list covers after-school centres, 45 in Ticino and 18 in the Lugano region. For day camps, the go-to source is the Tandem – Spicchi di vacanza brochure, supported by the Canton: it collects activities for children aged 3 to 17, reaches every primary and lower-secondary pupil in spring, and its website is updated all year.

Is there financial help for families?

• Universal aid. If your child attends a recognised after-school centre because you work or study, the Canton covers 20% of the fee (excluding meals and transport), up to CHF 200 a month, deducted by the centre; hand in your employer's certificate within 30 days. For nurseries, cantonal aid is explained in our guide to childcare costs in Ticino.
• Municipality and social services. Families in financial difficulty can ask their municipality (Comune) to contribute; people receiving social benefits can contact the cantonal social support office (Ufficio del sostegno sociale e dell'inserimento).
• Tax deduction. Following a Federal Supreme Court ruling, fees for residential and day camps can be deducted from federal and cantonal taxes when they cover childcare for a child under 14 while parents work or study. Only the childcare share counts, not meals or overnight stays; for the 2025 tax year the maximum per child is CHF 25,800 for federal tax and CHF 26,200 for cantonal tax. The tax office decides.

What the City of Lugano offers

The City of Lugano runs a wide summer programme from mid-June to the end of August, open to registered residents only. According to the City, more than 700 children and teenagers aged 3 to 16 took part every week in July 2026.

• Summer kindergarten (asilo estivo). It is only for children aged 3 to 6 who live in Lugano and attend the City's public kindergarten, so children at private, bilingual or international kindergartens cannot join. In 2026 it ran from 22 June to 31 July at five sites, from 8:30–9am to 3:30–3:45pm, with teachers and educators. Children who use the extended-day service during the year enrol in the City's after-school day centres instead.
• ViviLugano. The City's July day camp, 9am to 5pm at five sites, for children who have completed at least the first year of primary school. In 2026 it cost from CHF 120 for one week to CHF 345 for four; lunch is not included and children need an Arcobaleno public transport pass.
• Residential camp in Nante. For primary school pupils, in weekly sessions from late July to mid-August; in 2026 it cost CHF 180 a week.

In 2026, registration for these programmes was online only, from 6 March to 3 May, first come, first served, and binding; families in financial difficulty can ask for a contribution. In early October 2026, dates and fees for 2027 did not yet appear to be published, so check the City's website early in the year. If you live in another municipality, ask whether it runs its own summer programme and who can join.

Summer camps for children under 6

Below age 6, the choice narrows. Residential camps usually start at 6, and the Canton describes them as organised by age group, 6–11 and 12–18. Day camps also lean towards older children: by our count of the 2026 Tandem brochure, about two activities in three set a minimum age of 6 or more, just over one in four accepts children aged 4 or 5, and fewer than one in ten goes below 4.

Under 3, staying at nursery is usually the simplest route. Between 3 and 6, the main options are after-school centres, Lugano's summer kindergarten for those who qualify and some day camps from age 4. At this age, a full day in a new group with unfamiliar adults is demanding: small groups, the same adults all week, a rest time and a visit beforehand all help. The Canton also notes that some after-school centres suggest starting in the summer, so that in September children do not face two new things at once, school and centre.

How to choose: questions to ask

• How many adults are there per group? For recognised activities the minimum is set by cantonal guidelines; ask about the actual ratio, especially for the youngest children and on outings.
• Who are the leaders? Age, training, experience with children of that age and continuity through the week. In residential camps, leaders usually take in-house training and the basic course run by Cemea, an educational movement that trains camp leaders.
• How much time is spent outdoors? Ask about shade, water, sun protection and how children get around.
• How do meals work? Lunch provided or packed, allergies and special diets. Even public programmes differ: Lugano's summer kindergarten includes lunch, ViviLugano does not.
• Which language is spoken? A camp in Italian can be a lovely immersion for a child who does not speak it yet, but ask whether anyone on the team understands your child's language. In a bilingual programme, ask who speaks which language and whether the educators are native speakers.
• How is the activity insured? Have your child's health and accident insurance details ready: some registration forms ask for them, together with the AVS number (the Swiss social security number, AHV in German).
• How does settling in work? For young children, ask about a visit beforehand, a shorter first day and bringing a comfort object from home.
• What does the price include? Meals, transport, outings, materials and admin fees: compare the total cost, not just the weekly fee.
• What happens if your child is ill or you cancel? Many registrations are binding; in Lugano, refunds apply only from the third day of illness, with a doctor's certificate.
• How are additional needs handled? Behavioural or attention difficulties, severe allergies or disabilities should be flagged before you register.

When to book: a timeline

As early as you can. For summer 2027, with school ending on Wednesday 16 June, aim to book between January and March.

1. January: registration for residential camps usually opens early in the year, and places are limited.
2. January to March: organisers publish their programmes; for 2026, Tandem collected them until 8 March and the brochure reached schools in spring.
3. March: the City of Lugano opens online registration for its summer programmes (in 2026, from 6 March to 3 May).
4. Early spring: if you need an after-school centre for the summer only, the Canton advises getting in touch now.
5. Within 30 days of starting: hand in your employer's certificate if you are claiming universal aid.

If you have just arrived, remember that many municipal programmes require residence: our guide to moving to Lugano with children helps you put the paperwork in order.

Holiday programmes at a bilingual school

Schools and private settings also run summer programmes, useful for families who cannot use the municipal offer or want to keep up the language their child uses during the year. Honeycomb School, a bilingual Italian-English setting for children aged 0 to 6 in Muzzano, runs holiday modules and summer camps as part of its after-school service, in small groups and open to children from other schools too. Days combine art workshops, the garden, stories, music and quiet moments, with English lived alongside native-speaking educators. For next summer's dates, ages and conditions, get in touch with the school.

Whatever you choose, the same rules help most: start early, visit if you can and ask for written confirmation of what is included.