The Magic Behind the Grapat Advent Celandar
A tale about being lost and found.
AN INTERVIEW
Aida is 38 years old. She is an educator and has worked in various fields of education, eventually specializing in early childhood education. The year her first daughter, Anna, was born, she decided to stop working and devote herself fully to her daughter, sparking an interest in alternative education methods and natural play materials after studying the Montessori and Waldorf methodologies. She is from Terrassa, where she lives with her partner and her two kids: Anna, who is seven, and her younger son, Jordi, who is three. This is where we meet her and her family, at the Masia Freixa Park in Terrassa. We sit on a bench while Moisès, her partner, takes the kids to play in this place full of life.
The Advent Calendar is a product eagerly awaited by both children and parents. While walking through the Masia Freixa Park in the Spanish city of Terrassa, Aida tells me that, at home, she makes sure it is a magical moment. Many times, the calendar has simply “appeared,” as if it came from a faraway land. She speaks of a concept she calls “the veil.” She says, “Anna’s veil hasn’t fallen yet,” referring to a thin, soft layer that wraps around childhood innocence, magic, and shields it from the adult world. When the calendar appeared in the middle of the living room, the environment would turn into a world of fantasy, where surprise, the unexpected, challenges and games filled the space—not just for one day but every day until December 24.
How did you discover Grapat?
I already knew about Grapat before Anna was born. The arrival of Grapat coincided with my personal growth in the field of education. As I became more interested in alternative education methods, I also began exploring different types of non structured materials. At the school where I worked, everything was very rigid, a lot of plastic, boxes of toys with very specific functions. Then, all of a sudden, I discovered a showroom with Montessori toys loved finding material like those from Grapat.
It’s really interesting that you discovered all these materials while also discovering yourself within the educational field. Which I think also strongly reinforces the philosophy behind this kind of pedagogy. When was the first time you encountered a Nin?
Well, the first time I came across something from Grapat, it wasn’t actually a Nin. About six years ago when Anna was very young, I had a bunch of loose pieces and wrote to Casiana to personally recommend materials based on her needs, so we started with the balls and bowls —it was amazing! The pack came with a small bag for carrying the materials and Anna used it to store her dolls. It was later when I discovered the Season Nins. The first box we bought was the winter one. There are many Nins that I keep more for myself—I don’t make them as available to the kids.
Do you keep some just for yourself? Do you play with them as adults?
I’ve used Grapat pieces a lot with a friend who works with systemic pedagogy. When attending training sessions, there’s a clear difference in people’s mood between presentations and materials shown to us on a laptop and those where we’re given bags with natural materials and start building with them. Of course, family life is busy—being a mother of two takes up a lot of time and I don’t have much left to play! But what I truly enjoy is observing while they play, staying in the background. It’s fascinating to see what they discover with the pieces they have. I also use the seasonal box a lot, and there are many pieces, especially from limited editions, that we carefully store on specific shelves. In fact, we’d like to make a shelf like the one you have in the workshop to keep everything in one place, adding beauty and possibilities to our home.
So, for you, these pieces hold a lot of emotional value?
Yes, yes, yes. These are objects that we try to take great care of —and we want the kids to value them too because it’s important to us that these pieces are passed down to the next generation. I’ve told Casiana many times that wood has a special value for me. My father was a carpenter and wood brings me back to my childhood. It’s radically different from plastic—the texture, the temperature… it’s alive!
So you assume these pieces will be passed down as an inheritance, right?
Absolutely. We’re aware that we live in a world that constantly pushes for renewal, but we try to make sure that our educational philosophy is also reflected in the number of things we own and how we care for them. We have few things, so we prioritize ensuring the quality of those things is the best.
Considering that, how have these pieces adapted to your play space?
Play evolves. There are materials that Anna used first, and now Jordi uses them. Some materials we’ve had to put out of reach due to their age. Generally, I try to rotate them based on the seasons and their needs, but I always make sure there are certain toys that are always there. I know there are pieces they may not touch for a month, but it’s important to me that they know those materials will always be there, even if they don’t use them daily—there are certain toys they should always be able to count on.
Earlier, you mentioned your father was a carpenter. What did you play with when you were a child?
I remember spending a lot of time in my grandparents’ garden, playing with tomatoes, peppers… I remember being there with all the produce, carrying them, moving them, discovering everything the earth gave us.
Do you try to pass that down to your children?
I try to. It’s easier to pass these things down when you’ve experienced them yourself, even though not everything is idyllic and magical. Terrassa is a small city, but it’s still very urban and there’s the reality of everyday life, the rush. But yes, I do try to protect their childhood. I love the forest—it’s a refuge that allows for the discovery of a stick, a ladybug, a pinecone… Even though I try to bring my children closer to that world as much as I can, sometimes a toy with batteries finds its way into our home… they make a lot of noise and I try to make them disappear quickly (Aida laughs). I’d like to keep them away from such toys for as long as possible, as well as from video games, which I think children are exposed to too early.
In the end, it’s about creating an environment, a refuge amidst all this chaos, a place where they can grow peacefully, right?
Yes. We’re lucky that the school they attend shares the same philosophy, though not all of our friends do. That’s why we don’t completely rule out plastic toys, but we always prioritize natural materials.
As a mother, what elements—whether Grapat pieces or elements from nature—do you think enrich your children’s play or children in general, given your background as a teacher?
I’m interested in materials that are not overly structured. For example, we went to see a circus performance, and the following week, Anna spent her time building a structure with all the pieces reproducing the trapeze bars, reimagining the entire show through what she had seen the previous week. Only these kinds of toys allow for that, because if I gave her a plastic figure with too much information, like a pirate, it wouldn’t let her think or express what she felt watching that show in her own way. Her own experiences filter through her perspective. These types of pieces allow her to imagine freely, whereas when play is too structured, there are more limitations. It’s a bit like coloring books: if I give her a closed shape to color in, I’m already limiting her. I’m not giving her a blank sheet to do whatever she wants. This is a pedagogical realization that I didn’t have when I finished my teaching degree. I was used to working with worksheets for reading, handwriting and other very specific tasks. But when I became a mother, it was like a wake-up call: everything I had learned at university didn’t quite fit anymore.
Let’s say a friend of yours becomes a mother: Since you realized all this more radically after becoming a mother,—what would you gift her?
I’ve given Grapat pieces as gifts, but the most useful thing I’ve ever given is food containers… It’s the best thing when you’ve just become a mom! (Aida laughs)
Suddenly, Anna comes over and sits with us on the bench.
(Adressing Anna) Your mother told me she loves watching you play! What do you like doing the most?
Anna is currently really into making mandalas, but what she loves most is creating little theater scenes. She uses the Nins a lot and she’s also really fond of the Ostheimer animals. She lays out a cloth and starts inventing her own stories.
Anna nods shyly, says she’s excited to use this year’s Advent Calendar and that she loves ice cream. “You have to go to Orxateria Ribera and get a two-scoop chocolate ice cream! Or three, or four!” Sitting on the bench, I ask for some photos. Anna shows me how to make funny faces, and naturally, we wrap up the interview. —