Kids camps in Spain for children who don't speak Spanish: how to find them

How tourists and expats can find camps in Spain where children without Spanish feel at ease: English-speaking staff, activity camps, half-day options.

Many of the families who use our site are in Spain for a few weeks, or have just moved, and their children do not speak Spanish. The good news is that a camp does not have to be in your language for your child to have a good time. The less good news is that you need to choose carefully: a fully Spanish-language camp can be a wonderful experience for a six-year-old and a tough one for a twelve-year-old. This guide explains how to find camps where foreign children feel comfortable.

What the catalogue shows

In our catalogue of 941 camps, 328 (about a third) are marked as fine for children without Spanish. Of these, 279 also list English as a language of the camp. By format:

• Residential camps: 182
• Full-day camps: 94
• Morning (half-day) camps: 41
• Single days or flexible weeks: 5
• Family programmes: 4, plus 2 afternoon camps

In total, 142 day-format camps, meaning full-day, morning or single days, are marked as fine for children without Spanish. The biggest choice is in Madrid (55 camps marked) and Barcelona (42), followed by Mallorca (25), Castilla y León and Costa Blanca (19 each), the Costa Dorada (18) and the Costa de la Luz and Costa del Sol (16 each). For day camps in particular, Madrid, Barcelona, Mallorca, Gran Canaria and the Costa Blanca have the most. Browse Madrid, Barcelona, Mallorca, the Costa Blanca or the Costa del Sol.

How to use the filter on our site

On the search page, tick the option "OK for children without Spanish" among the filters, then add your place, dates and your child's age. Camps are marked from what the organiser publishes about its languages and staff. Treat the mark as a good starting point, not a guarantee: always write to the organiser to ask how many monitors speak English (or French, German, Italian) and whether there is a monitor assigned to your child's group. The search page keeps your filters while you browse.

Four kinds of camp that work well

• English-speaking and international camps: run by international schools, British or American style academies, and organisers that use English in all activities. The staff and often half of the children speak English.
• Language camps: camps with English or other languages as part of their programme (see language camps in Spain). They are created for children who may not speak Spanish, and some mix Spanish and international children.
• Activity-based camps: sailing, surf, kayak, football, tennis, swimming and climbing depend on showing and doing, not on talking. A child can follow the instructions after watching once. See water sports camps and sports camps.
• Camps in resorts used to tourists: on the Costa del Sol, Costa Blanca, Mallorca and the Canary Islands, staff are used to families from abroad.

Ages: when language matters less

Children aged 4 to 8 tend to adapt best: they play, imitate and pick up words quickly. From 9 to 12 the language matters more, since the activities have more rules and the social side is more complex, so look for a camp with English-speaking monitors or other foreign children. Teenagers who are confident and sporty usually cope, but a language they do not speak can isolate them; for them a camp with an international group is the safest bet. See also camps for teenagers.

Half-day camps during a holiday

A morning camp of around four hours is the easiest way to try a Spanish camp: the child has enough time to enjoy it but does not spend a whole day trying to follow a language they do not know. It leaves the afternoon for the family, and if the first day does not go well, you can stop easily. We have around 185 half-day camps in the catalogue, and 41 morning camps marked as fine without Spanish. See our guide to day camps on holiday for how to plan your week.

What to ask the organiser

• Do the monitors speak English, French, German or another language, and how well?
• Is there an English-speaking monitor in my child's group, or only in the office?
• Are there other foreign children?
• Will the instructions, the timetable and the safety rules be explained to my child in a language they understand?
• Can my child come with a friend or a sibling, and be in the same group?
• Can I stay on the first morning, or visit before the start?

Tips to help your child

• Learn a few words together before the camp: please, thank you, toilet, water, help, "I do not understand"
• Write a short note in Spanish and English with the child's name, allergies and your phone number, and give it to the monitor
• Tell the monitors that your child is new and speaks little Spanish: they are used to it
• Agree a simple signal for "I need help" with your child
• Keep the first week short, with a morning camp before a full day
• Label all clothes and bottles

For longer stays and expats

If you live in Spain, a language-immersion approach has real benefits: after a few summer camps in Spanish, children usually speak and understand much better. A good progression is a morning camp in the first year, a full-day camp in the second, and a residential camp when the child is ready. Many expat families start with a camp where English is used and then move to a Spanish camp after the child has made friends. For help choosing a camp, see our complete guide.

Remember

We do not take bookings: every camp links to the organiser's website, where you register and pay. Use the compare tool to put your shortlist side by side, and check our FAQ for answers about how the site works.