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Expat Children After-school Activities Guide

There are plenty of after-school activities for kids to do in Barcelona. If your child attends an international school, they will probably be able to choose between everything from karate to chess. State schools have sports teams (as well as several other choices) and there are a range of independent associations, some of them English-speaking, but most of them in Catalan.

Listed below are some of the clubs and activities that have been recommended by other expat parents but you can also refer to the following web page for additional activities (such as drama, cooking classes, etc): http://www.mumabroad.com/

Scouts and Guides in Spain

Federacio Catalana d”escoltisme i Guiatge
C/ Mare de Déu del Pilar, 18
08003 Barcelona
(+34) 932 689 113 email: fceg@fceg.cat

The federation of Scouts and Guides in Catalunya based in Barcelona. Contact the head office for information on associations and meetings.

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Ice Skating in Barcelona

  • Ice Skating Barcelona, Palacio de Hielo FC Barcelona, Camp Nou Stadium, Arístides Maillol 12 Tel 93 496 3600 / 3631

Open: Mon-Thurs 10am-2pm and 4pm-6pm; Fri 10am-2pm and 4-8pm; Sat & Sun 10.30am-2pm and 5pm-8pm

Also home to the FC Barcelona Ice-skating School offering ice skating lessons for all ages and levels, anybody from beginners to advanced skater. Courses last three months with one hour lessons every week. Intensive courses are also available in July. Limited places. e-mail: escuela.patinatge@fcbarcelona.cat.

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Roller Skating and Rollerblading

Good places to skate are along the seaside promenade from Port Olimpic to Barceloneta, in the Forum area and in the park by the Arc de Triomf.

Rentals

Price: €5/hr ; €15/day ; €25/weekend

  • Cooltra Motos, Pg. Joan de Borbó, 80-84 (near Beach at Barceloneta) Tel. 93 221 4070, http://www.cooltra.com

Skate rental , scooter rental and tours. Heaps of fun

Roller Skating Lessons

  • Escuela de Patinaje Rodats de Barcelona, Tel. 635 62 9948

Classes at La Marbella Sports Centre near Selva de Mar, in the Parque del Clot and in the Plaza Forum. Some classes may be too late for younger children but private classes can be organized.

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Bowling in Barcelona

Ten pin bowling lanes at the following locations:

  • Bowling Pedrables, Av. Doctor Maranon, 11 Tel. 93 333 0352

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Gymnastics for Children

The following Barcelona centres offer after-school classes for children and are members of the Catalan Gymnastic Federation. Lessons are in Catalan, but teachers are patient.

  • Associació Esportiva Gràcia (4 years +), Perill, 6 Tel. 93 459 2427
  • Club Esportiu La Salle – Gràcia, Pl del Nord, 14 Tel. 93 292 2118
  • Centre d’Esports IPSI – Hospital Clinc (8 years +), Comte Borrell, 243-249 Tel. 93 444 9006

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Water Sports

  • Parc del Forum Dive Centre (Centre de Inmersion), Barcelona Forum, Rambla del Prim, 2 Tel. 902 012 389

Kayak and Speedboat theory class then practical lesson in single seat kayaks followed by a fun speed boat trip from the Forum to Montjuïc then back again. All equipment provided. 3-4 hrs activity – 30 minutes kayaking & 45 minutes speedboat from 22nd June to 31st October (twice daily)

Price: €35.00 (children under 5 free accompanied by adult), maximum of 2 children per family

Sailing classes for children from beginners to more advanced levels starting from age 7 years. Family introductory 2 hours sail and weekend cruises.

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Mini-Golf

  • Golf Central, Maremagnum Centre Comercial Tel.93 225 81 00

18 hole mini-golf course.

  • Pitch and Putt Golf Montjuic, C/Segura (Metro L1 Espana then bus 13) Tel. 902 487 488

A 240 x 120m wide driving range. 50 tees and heating. Also a 9 hole pitch and putt course available on Sundays for subscribers. The course boasts a stream and three lakes. School and summer courses available.

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Golf Lessons

Tel. 654 686 234, jaumem67@hotmail.com. (This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it.)

British Golf Pro James Marshall, gives individual or group golf lessons for children at a Pitch and Putt course approximately 30 minutes from Barcelona.

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Tennis and Swimming

Please refer to our section “Sports” under Health & Beauty

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Climbing for Kids

Courses for young children ages 6 years at this indoor climbing centre near Pl. Espanya. You can also celebrate a Party Time for minimum groups of 10 in an original manner!

  • Children’s Sports Barcelona, Unió Excursionista de Catalunya (sants), Jocs Florals 51 Tel. 93 3325 494, http://www.uecsants.org
  • Rocadrom La Foixarda, Cami de la foixarda Tel. 93 424 9701

Outdoor climbing wall with organised courses on Montjuïc

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Rugby

  • FC Barcelona Rugby, Servei d’Esports de La Universitat de Barcelona, Av. Diagonal 695-701, http://www.fcbrugby.com

Even more popular now that Barcelona has an official club. Kids’ rugby school starts as young as 4 years old.

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Fencing

Fencing club with children’s courses starting at 6 years old.

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Horse Riding in Barcelona

  • Escola Municipal d’Hípica La Foixarda, Avda Montanyans 1, Montjuïc Tel 93 426 1066

Courses on Saturday and Sunday mornings for adults and children hourly plus hourly sessions at €15 for adults and €12 for children.

  • Parc del Castell de l’Oreneta, Avda d’Espassa, Metro L6 from Plaza Catalunya to Reina Elisenda

Pony rides from 10am to 2pm on Weekends for €5. Instructors show kids the ropes then parents are allowed to take them round the circuit themselves. This entrance is 10 min walk from the station where you will find an uphill climb within the park. Look for “horse” on signs. Bring baby slings for an easier time as pram-pushing not recommended!

  • Kids’ Sports, Escola Hipica Collserola, C Sant Cugat, 15, Sant Cugat del Vallès, Tel. 93 589 8989 (Info. Tues to Sat 5.30pm to 9.30pm)

Riding lessons for 6yrs up plus Easter and Summer camp options.

  • Hipic Center Can Caldes, Av. Corts Catalanes s/n. Sant Cugat del Vallès, Tel. 93 553 1183 / 618 815 800

Riding lessons and pony rides for ages 3 yrs upwards.

  • Hipica Linde, Autovia de Castelldefels km 16.5 Castedefels / Gavà Tel. 93 633 1919

Lessons and trekking with or without instructor.

  • Centre Ecuestre de LLavaneres, Cami Can Cabot de Munt s/n. Sant Andreu de Llavaneres, Tel. 93 792 8802

Riding Centre close to the city.

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Activ Natura Adventure Park

Cami de la riera s/n, Santa Susanna, Tel. 679 44 30 95, http://www.activ-natura.com

Outdoor adventure park for kids and adults alike (also offers team building and incentive packages). Other activities include: Quad bikes, mountain bikes, rope climbing, archery and horse riding. Picnic facilities and lockers provided.

Open: 9am to 8pm everyday in July & Aug., 9am to 6pm weekends and public holidays only Sep-June

Horse riding €14.00

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Barcelona Libraries

Joining your local library in Barcelona gives you access to the resources all of the public libraries in addition to an amazing range of discounts which include the Aquarium, Zoo, bookshops, museums, cinemas and theatres.

There is a dedicated children’s library, Lola Anglada, but most libraries have a sizable children’s section and are good places to visit to encourage a love of reading. There are also children’s DVD’s and music CD’s on loan and for older children there is access to computers, games and the internet.

Libraries are currently running interactive and creative story-telling sessions aimed at a young audience. Yes, these are in Catalan, but it is a great way to absorb your child (and you) in the language. The library will also have an extensive range of DVDs in English and novels as well.

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Zoo Barcelona

Tel. 93 225 6780, http://www.zoobarcelona.com

13 Hectares of the Parc de La Ciutadella are dedicated to the city’s zoo which is home to over 4,000 animals from 400 different species. Dolphin shows are run twice daily and there is plenty of shade and picnic areas. There are 2 play parks for younger and older children as well as a petting zoo and pony rides.

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Original Version Cinemas

This will look like ´V.O. Ingles´ and they are the only movie theatres where you can see films that haven´t been dubbed into Spanish. Believe me, this list will be a relief after a few months, when you are all exhausted from speaking your non-native language:

  • Casablanca-Kaplan, Passeig de Gràcia, 115, Gràcia, Metro: Diagonal 932184345
  • Filmo Teca de Catalunya, Avda. de Sarria 33, Eixample Metro: Hospital Clinic 934107590
  • Méliès, Villarroel, 102, Eixample 934510051
  • Renoir Floridablanca, Floridablanca, 135, Eiixample Metro: Sant Antoni or Universitat 934263337, http://www.cinesrenoir.com/
  • Renoir-Les Corts, Calle Eugeni d’Ors 12 Metro: Les Corts. 934905510 www.cinesrenoir.com/index.php
  • Verdi, Calle Verdi 32, Gracia. 932387990 Metro: Fontana

Top Tips

01 Get a bank account: This will be the first thing most utility providers, telecom connectors and employers will require.
02 Get your NIE: This is a ´foreigners number´ and will probably be the second thing that utility providers will request.
03 The government offers free Catalan lessons to foreigners, in order to promote this rare and unusual language, so take advantage of it.
04 Agents in Spain can ask for up to nine months worth of rent as a deposit, ensure you have sufficient funds to pay this.
05 Spain is notoriously bureaucratic, allow between three and ten times as much time as you normally would for administration tasks.

Useful links

Interesting fact

Barcelona’s most popular tourist attraction, FC Barcelona Stadium, is also the biggest stadium in the world, with a capacity for 100,000 people.
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