This summer, the Rafa Nadal Foundation Centre in Valencia once again becomes a space for learning, inclusion and fun for the 114 children and adolescents taking part in the 2026 Summer School. Under the theme “You’ve Got a Friend in Me”, this year’s educational programme invites participants to reflect on the importance of human relationships, friendship and positive coexistence.
Throughout the six weeks of activities, organised into two three-week groups between 29 June and 7 August, participants will have the opportunity to share experiences with different peers each day, encouraging the creation of new bonds and expanding their circles of friendship.
The Summer School has been designed to help children and adolescents develop essential personal and social skills such as communication, respect, empathy, cooperation and conflict resolution. All of this is achieved through recreational, sports, educational and psychoeducational activities that make summer a meaningful and enriching experience.
An Album to Remember Every Friend
One of the most special features of this year’s edition will be the Sticker Album, an educational and recreational tool created to support the work around friendship and positive coexistence.
Each participant will receive an album featuring all the children attending the Summer School. Every day, they will be given a pack containing five stickers of different participants, which they will place in the corresponding spaces in their album. They will also be able to write down their names and discover positive qualities about each of them.
This activity aims to encourage mutual understanding, promote interaction with peers outside their usual friendship groups and inspire the creation of new friendships. Exchanging stickers will also provide an opportunity to practise values such as dialogue, cooperation and respect, always guided by the educational team.
At the end of the Summer School, each participant will take their album home as a keepsake of the experiences shared and the friendships built throughout the summer.
Activities to Learn, Enjoy and Grow
The Summer School programme combines activities from different areas to provide a well-rounded experience.
From the educational area, participants will take part in activities such as cooperative games, a water gymkhana and the “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” activity, specifically designed to strengthen peer connections and promote positive relationships. As a closing activity, participants will take part in a reflection session where they can share their experiences of spending the summer with their peers.
Sport continues to play a central role, with participants enjoying some of the alternative disciplines that have been most popular throughout the year, such as Flag Football, Fobaskill and Arztikirol, promoting teamwork, participation and enjoyment.
Healthy eating will also have its place through practical workshops in which groups will prepare simple and nutritious recipes such as energy bars, yoghurt and fruit ice pops, and healthy snacks. These activities encourage collaboration, shared responsibility and the enjoyment of cooking together.
Meanwhile, the psychoeducational workshops will focus on developing social and emotional skills through games and participatory activities designed to strengthen positive interpersonal relationships.
A Summer to Share
As every year, the Summer School also includes weekly trips to Las Arenas Beach, where participants can enjoy outdoor activities and moments of togetherness in a different environment.
Beyond the activities themselves, the true goal of this programme is for every child and adolescent to experience a summer filled with positive experiences, feel part of a group and discover the value of building relationships based on respect, trust and friendship.
