Grapat: toys that prescribe nothing
Grapat makes toys that prescribe nothing. No faces, no instructions, no right answer – only shapes, colours and wood. For adults that is irritating at first; for children it is remarkably obvious.
What Nins are
Nins® are Grapat's basic figure: plain wooden cones in muted or bright colours, without a painted face. That is exactly what makes them so versatile – today the red Nin is a mum, tomorrow a firefighter, the day after simply part of a tower. The set Baby Nins contains six smaller figures and a coconut shell that serves as a nest, bed or storage.
The perpetual calendar – in German too
The Perpetual Calendar is the never-ending year calendar: twelve Nins in twelve colours for the months, a round platform with four season segments, two wooden dice for the date and a bowl. Every morning things move on – that quickly becomes a ritual, and time becomes graspable instead of abstract. Important for Switzerland: it comes in German, French, Italian and English. Recommended from 12 months.
Forest worlds and building set
Nins of the Forest takes the figures into a woodland: six classic Nins, three with hats, plus felt pouches, felt caps and wooden shapes such as mushrooms, sticks and coins – all in a bag of GOTS-certified organic cotton, recommended from 12 months. Woodland, by contrast, is an open building set with 18 tube elements and nine wooden bridges that connect them – producing caves, bridges, towers or something only the child can name. Recommended from 10 months.
Why no faces?
A toy with a painted smile is always cheerful. A figure without a face can be sad when the child is sad. That openness is the core of the concept and the reason Grapat is often mentioned alongside Montessori and open-ended play. Anyone wondering why such wooden toys last longer than battery-powered models will find the reasoning there.
Frequently asked questions
From what age is Grapat suitable?
Earlier than you would assume with so many small parts: Woodland is recommended from 10 months, the perpetual calendar and Nins of the Forest from 12 months. For individual sets there is no guidance – there the usual rule applies that small parts belong in children's hands only under supervision as long as everything still goes to the mouth. The sets are properly played with from about three years anyway.
What language is the perpetual calendar in?
German, French, Italian or English – you choose the language as a variant when buying. That covers all Swiss national languages except Romansh.
What can the sets be combined with?
With almost anything. Nins suit building blocks as inhabitants, marble runs as passengers, cloths as landscape. Grapat sets are compatible with each other anyway because they follow the same design language.
How are the pieces cared for?
Wipe with a damp cloth and let dry – do not soak and do not put in the dishwasher. Painted wood loses colour in water, the coconut shell swells, and felt parts do not tolerate wet.
You will find the whole range in the Grapat collection – more in the same vein under wooden toys and creative + discovery. Which toys suit which age is shown in the overview Toys by age.