Booking a kids camp in Spain: documents, health and packing checklist
What foreign families need to enrol a child in a Spanish camp: forms, health cover, insurance, payment, and what to pack for day and residential camps.
Enrolling a child from abroad in a Spanish camp is usually simple, but organisers ask for a few documents that may be new to you. Prepare them before you travel and the first morning will go smoothly.
Documents organisers usually ask for
- Registration form (ficha de inscripción) with the child’s details and parents’ phone numbers
- A copy of the child’s passport or ID card
- Medical form (ficha médica): allergies, medication, diet, chronic conditions; for medication, a doctor’s note with the dose
- Health card: the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or, for UK residents, the GHIC; for other countries, travel insurance with medical cover
- Authorisations: who may pick the child up, outings, photos, and for water sports a statement that the child can swim
- For residential camps, sometimes a copy of the vaccination record
Insurance and safety
Camps in Spain must have civil liability insurance and most include accident insurance for participants. Everyone who works with children must hold a certificate showing no convictions for sexual offences. You can ask the organiser about both, as well as the number of monitors per group.
Payment and cancellation
Many organisers ask for a deposit or full payment by bank transfer when you register, with the balance before the start. Check the cancellation conditions and whether there are discounts for siblings or for booking several weeks. On our site every camp links to the organiser’s own page, where you book directly.
What to pack for a day camp
- Cap or hat, sunscreen and a refillable water bottle — essential in the Spanish summer
- Swimsuit, towel and flip-flops for pool or beach days
- Comfortable trainers and a change of clothes
- Mid-morning snack (almuerzo), unless the camp provides one
- Everything labelled with your child’s name
Extra items for a residential camp
- Sleeping bag and pillowcase if the camp asks for them, and a torch
- Clothes for every day plus warm layers — mountain nights can be cold even in July
- Hiking boots or sturdy shoes, raincoat for camps in the north
- Toiletries, and a bag for dirty laundry
- Medication in its original packaging, handed to the monitors
Good to know
Many residential camps limit or ban mobile phones and send news through a blog or messaging group instead. Some camps ask parents to check children for head lice before arrival — a routine request in Spain. Arrive on time on the first day: groups and activities are planned from the first hour.
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