Kunming, Lijiang and Da Li trip

Hello there, we are a family with 2 children aged 9 and 11. We are planning to travel to Kunming, Lijiang and Da Li in early August for 2 weeks. We hope to stay away from the crowds as we find it very stressful and hope to enjoy the culture and scenery. We also speak some Putonghua/Mandarin Chinese. What would be the best way to avoid the crowds, though I suppose it will not be easy? Would it be better to skip Kunming? Any comments will be much appreciated. Thank you!