Weekend Access to Educational Facilities Begins Friday

Starting Friday 2 October 2026, the playgrounds of 86 educational facilities across Barcelona will open outside school hours to serve as free public spaces for neighbourhood residents. The initiative, called Open School Playgrounds, is led by the Barcelona City Council in collaboration with the Barcelona Education Consortium (CEB), the city’s districts, and local educational and social organisations. The programme makes school grounds accessible every Friday afternoon, Saturday, and Sunday, with specific times varying by location. A total of 66 schools, including primary, secondary, and integrated secondary schools, will be open to children, adolescents, families, and all citizens during morning or afternoon slots.

Free Access for Families with Young Children

Twenty municipal nursery schools (Escoles Bressol Municipals, or EBM) will offer weekend access specifically for families with children aged 0 to 6. These facilities will open every Saturday from 10:30 AM to 1:00 PM, beginning 3 October 2026 and running until 27 May 2027. Exceptions are 26 December 2026 and 2 January 2027, when no service will operate. Children must be accompanied by an adult at all times. The spaces include sandboxes, motor skill areas, and storytelling sessions supported by Biblioteques de Barcelona.

The Open School Playgrounds initiative aims to optimise the use of school centres, enhancing their educational and social role by offering safe, local environments for community activities after school hours.

Participating nursery schools include:

  • EBM Casa dels Nens – Carrer Roger de Llúria, 132
  • EBM Germanetes – Carrer Comte Borrell, 159
  • EBM L’Esquirol – Carrer Noguera Pallaresa, 32
  • EBM Cargol – Carrer Mossèn Josep Bundó, 6
  • EBM Pla de Fornells – Carrer Nou Barris, 12
  • EBM La Morera – Carrer Cardenal Tedeschini, 24
  • EBM El Bressol del Poblenou – Carrer Perú, 135
  • EBM Margalló – Carrer Concili de Trento, 249

Additionally, the library at Escola Mercè Rodoreda will be open on Saturdays from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM as part of the programme.

How to Find Open Playgrounds Near You

Each site will have staff present to open and close the playgrounds, ensure proper use, and support positive interactions among children and young people. The full list of participating schools, by district and neighbourhood, along with exact opening hours, is available on the Barcelona City Council's Info Barcelona website. A dedicated PDF with detailed schedules and locations was published by the Ajuntament on 1 October 2026.

Primary sources: ajuntament.barcelona.cat, Barcelona City Council, Ajuntament de Barcelona, barcelona.cat. Reported by diaricatalunya.cat.