Have you heard of the brand Grapat? I had seen the aesthetically pleasing wooden pieces in passing before, but we haven’t owned any until now. Grapat is a family-run company that uses natural wood and paint to create simple pieces that are perfect for open ended play.

Let’s go over a quick run down of some common Grapat lingo (cause I needed it when I first starting thinking about getting some pieces.

• Nins = peg doll

• Nin Tomten and Wizards = peg dolls with top hats or pointy hats

• Nins, Rings and Coins = a great starter (smaller) set in basic colors

• Nins Carla = large set with Nins, coins, and rings in the full color suite

• Mandalas = loose parts in a variety of shapes and colors that can be used for pretty much anything, but especially pattern making, scene creation, or imaginative play with other small toys.

I decided to start with the Nins, Rings and Coins Set and Baby Nins. I dumped out the bag of Grapat goodies and my girls immediately got to sorting. Grapat pieces are great for sorting, pattern creation, and imaginative play. We identified colors, counted pieces, grouped by color, and stacked the coins and rings.

Abby was particularly excited to pair the “mommy and baby” peg dolls and set the little family up in their Maileg Mouse House (more on that another day). Maddy, in true younger sibling fashion, was focused on taking the family pods Abby had set up (LOL).

Toys that facilitate open ended play are always a hit at our house, and it is so fun for me to watch the girls’ imaginations go wild with the little scenarios they dream up. I’m looking forward to adding more Grapat to our toy collection!

 

*Grapat was gifted by A Vintage Childhood Boutique, however all opinions are my own.