Club d'Esplai Ara Mateix

Learning through play

Club d'Esplai Ara Mateix is a nonprofit in Sant Just Desvern, Barcelona, offering recreation for children and young people. Its approach centers on the educational relationship between group leaders and children and uses play to nurture tolerance, friendship, commitment, and respect for nature.

Groups by age

Activities are organized into five age groups:

• Petits: ages 6–7
• Peketxans: ages 8–9
• Mitjans: ages 10–12
• Grans: ages 13–15
• Joves: ages 16–18

Weekly schedule

Regular activities take place on Saturday afternoons. Group leaders arrive at 4 p.m. to prepare; children are welcomed at 5 p.m., and activities run until 7 p.m. The group then shares a snack and puts away and cleans the materials together. At 7:30 p.m., leaders tell families what the group did that afternoon. Each age group also meets one weekday to plan and evaluate activities, and all group leaders hold general meetings every other Sunday evening.

Outings and camps

The organization plans one outing each quarter:

• First quarter: A weekend snow trip for the whole group, with one night at a youth camp facility.
• Second quarter: Easter break camps, with three nights in tents and age groups split between two sites.
• Third quarter: Summer trips organized by age group, ranging from seven days at a camp facility for Petits to ten days of camps, hiking trips, or volunteer work for older groups.

Location and contact

The center is at Plaça de la Pau, s/n, 08960 Sant Just Desvern, Barcelona. Email: esplai.aramateix@gmail.com. The organization is on Facebook and Instagram.