15 summer nature activities for kids near Barcelona

Summer in Barcelona can be long, hot and full of screens. When school ends and the days grow longer, many families look for alternatives that get the kids out of the house and connect them with something real: soil, animals, trees, water.

The good news is that in Barcelona and its surroundings there are dozens of options for enjoying nature as a family during summer. From farm school visits to hiking trails, through nature day camps, community gardens and wild animal activities. In this guide we have selected 15 tried-and-tested activities, organised by age and with prices updated for 2026.

Why nature activities matter in summer

In summer, without school or after-school activities, children’s screen time easily soars: families look for ways to fill the hours and screens are the easiest solution.

But nature activities offer benefits that no screen can replicate:

• Real movement: running, jumping, climbing, walking on uneven terrain develops gross motor skills
• Sensory stimulation: touching soil, smelling plants, listening to birds activates senses that screens ignore
• Independence: navigating a path, caring for an animal or planting a seed builds self-confidence
• Social skills: group activities in nature foster cooperation and communication
• Emotional regulation: multiple studies confirm that contact with green spaces reduces anxiety and improves attention

You do not need to go far or spend much. Many of these activities are within an hour of Barcelona.

Activities for children aged 2 to 5

1. Farm school visit

The first nature experience for the youngest children. Touching a goat, feeding the chickens, seeing a rabbit up close. For children aged 2 to 5, direct contact with farm animals is one of the most impactful and memorable activities.

Where: Granja Natura (Navas, Bages), approximately 1 hour (80 km) from Barcelona via the C-16. Over 30 species and guided visits adapted by age, with safe spaces for the youngest.

Price: 15.90 EUR adults, 13.90 EUR children aged 2 to 14 and 6.95 EUR under 2s (babies under 1 free). Family visits on weekends and holidays, with the guided visit from 11:00 to 13:00.

Age: from 2 years old with an adult companion.

2. Sensory garden with the family

Planting, watering, harvesting. The community gardens of Barcelona (such as those in Collserola Park) and various nature centres organise sensory garden workshops for families with young children during summer.

Where: Collserola Parks, Centre de la Platja, Can Coll (Cerdanyola).

Price: free or 5-8 EUR per family.

Age: from 2 years old.

3. Walk on an adapted path

No demanding route required. Flat, short paths such as the Panta de Vallvidrera, the Riera de Vallvidrera or the Riu Ripoll path in Sabadell are perfect for first outings with a pushchair or children who are learning to walk.

Where: Panta de Vallvidrera, Font del Gat, Riu Ripoll (Sabadell), Torrent de la Budellera.

Price: free.

Age: from when they walk (or with pushchair on adapted paths).

Activities for children aged 5 to 8

4. Nature day camp

Full-week day camps where children do outdoor activities: forest games, insect workshops, gardening, animals, nature excursions. An alternative to conventional urban day camps. Many summer day camps, youth leisure groups and scout groups also organise day excursions to farms and nature centres.

Where: nature day camps at Can Coll, the Collserola Environmental Education Centre and various centres in Sabadell and Terrassa. Many farms like Granja Natura host these groups for day excursions, with group rates (13.00 EUR per person for groups of 15 or more, over age 2).

Price: 120-250 EUR per week (external full-week day camps).

Age: 4 to 12 years (by age group).

5. Birdwatching route

With basic binoculars and a bird guide, a morning outing through Collserola, the Llobregat Delta or the Aiguamolls del Baix Llobregat becomes a fascinating exploration activity for curious children.

Where: Llobregat Delta (Remolar-Filipines), Collserola, Panta de Foix.

Price: free (guided routes from 5 EUR per person).

Age: from 5 years old.

6. Birds-of-prey flight workshop

Flying a Harris eagle or a barn owl from your own hand and discovering the world of invertebrates. The afternoon workshops with birds of prey are an experience that fascinates children and brings them close to wildlife.

Where: Granja Natura runs its afternoon workshop (Taller de Tarda) on weekends and holidays, from 15:00 to 16:15. See the afternoon workshop.

Price: 12.00 EUR per person.

Age: from 5 years old.

7. River water games

When the heat is intense, a trip to a safe river is one of the best summer activities. Searching for stones, building small dams, observing aquatic insects.

Where: Torrent de la Rierada (Molins de Rei), Riu Llobregat (Martorell), Gorgs del Foix, Riera de Vallvidrera.

Price: free.

Age: from 4 years old with constant supervision.

Activities for children aged 8 to 12

8. Family hiking

For children who walk well, hiking trails open up a world of adventures. The Sant Llorenc del Munt Natural Park, Montserrat and the Serra de Collserola offer routes of 2 to 4 hours with spectacular views.

Where: Sant Llorenc del Munt (La Mola route), Montserrat (Sant Joan path), Collserola (Puig de la Creu).

Price: free.

Age: from 7-8 years old (depends on elevation gain).

9. Night astronomy in nature

Stargazing away from Barcelona’s light pollution. In summer, various centres organise family astronomy nights with telescopes and guides.

Where: Montseny Park, Sant Llorenc del Munt, Prat de Llobregat Observatory.

Price: 8-15 EUR per person.

Age: from 6 years old.

10. Forest shelter building workshop

Building a shelter with branches, leaves and stones. An activity that combines engineering, teamwork and connection with the environment. Some educational leisure companies offer guided soft survival workshops for children.

Where: Bosc de Can Deu (Sabadell), Collserola, Montseny forests.

Price: 10-20 EUR per child (guided workshops).

Age: 7 to 12 years.

11. Animal volunteering

For those who want to go beyond the visit, volunteering with animals is a very valuable experience. Most programmes at wildlife centres and farm schools are aimed at young people from 16 years old (under-18s need their legal guardian’s authorisation), so for younger children it is a good goal for when they are older.

Where: wildlife centres and farm schools in the area. See an example of a volunteering programme.

Price: free (advance registration required).

Age: from 16 years old (under-18s with legal guardian’s authorisation).

Activities for teenagers (12-16 years)

12. Nature geocaching route

Geocaching combines hiking with a GPS treasure hunt. There are hundreds of geocaches hidden around Catalonia, many in natural settings. For teenagers who need a gaming element to motivate them to go outdoors.

Where: any natural area (Geocaching app).

Price: free (basic app is free).

Age: from 10 years old.

13. Nature photography

With a phone or a basic camera, a nature photography outing can be the perfect activity for teenagers. Capturing insects, flowers, landscapes, forest textures.

Where: any natural space. Recommended: Barcelona Botanical Garden, Llobregat Delta, Collserola.

Price: free.

Age: from 10 years old.

14. Nature summer camps

For a full immersion experience. Nature summer camps combine 5 to 14 days of communal living with adventure activities, animal care and natural environment exploration.

Where: options in Montseny, the Pyrenees and central Catalan counties.

Price: 350-700 EUR per week.

Age: 6 to 16 years (by age group).

15. Night wildlife outing

Listening for owls, watching bats, discovering the nocturnal life of the forest. In summer, some organisations run guided night outings for families and groups.

Where: Collserola, Can Coll, Montseny Natural Park.

Price: 8-15 EUR per person.

Age: from 8 years old.

How to choose the right activity

Not all activities work for all ages or all families. Some practical tips:

For the youngest (2-5 years): prioritise short activities (1-2 hours), with opportunities to touch and experiment. Farm school visits are ideal because animal contact captivates even the smallest children.

For children aged 5-8: combine guided activities (day camps, workshops) with free outings (rivers, paths). At this age, discovery and unstructured play are very valuable.

For children aged 8-12: look for activities with a challenge or adventure element: goal-oriented hiking, volunteering, shelter building. They need to feel they are doing something “grown-up”.

For teenagers (12-16 years): give them autonomy. Geocaching, photography or camps allow them to explore at their own pace without feeling it is “an activity for little kids”.

Tips for enjoying nature in summer with children

1. Early mornings: in summer, the best hours for nature activities are 8am to noon. In the afternoon, the heat severely limits options
2. Water and hat always: seems obvious, but it is the main cause of outings that end badly
3. Proper footwear: closed, comfortable shoes. Flip-flops are not suitable for nature
4. Sun cream 30 minutes before: applying it in the car at the last minute is ineffective
5. No rush: with children, distances multiply by three. Plan less distance than you think you need
6. Phones in the backpack: at least during the activity. Nature competes poorly with YouTube if the phone is within reach

Discover Granja Natura this summer

At Granja Natura (CAN, Centre d’Apropament a la Natura) in Navas, Barcelona, children can touch, feed and get to know over 30 species: goats, sheep, chickens, rabbits, ducks, geese, peacocks, ponies, the Friesian cow and birds of prey such as the barn owl and the Harris eagle. We offer family guided visits on weekends and holidays, the afternoon workshop (Taller de Tarda) with birds-of-prey flight, birthday parties, group activities (clubs, youth leisure groups and external day camps) and educational programmes for schools, adapted by age. Approximately 1 hour (80 km) from Barcelona via the C-16, in the heart of Bages. Book your guided visit or see how to prepare your booking.