Grapat Mandala Pieces & Mathematical Thinking

The first time I placed a basket of Grapat mandala pieces on the table, I honestly wasn’t sure what would happen. Would the children just scatter them everywhere? Would they get bored after a few minutes?

Within moments, little hands began to sort, line up, and arrange the tiny treasures. One child carefully placed the red flames in a circle, another made a rainbow line, while a younger one was happily scooping and pouring them between bowls. And then, something beautiful happened – the older children began showing the younger ones how to make patterns. Before I knew it, everyone at the table – including myself – was leaning in, adding to the growing mandala.

That’s the magic of Grapat pieces. In our home, family day care, and homeschool environment, they’re one of those rare resources that captivate everyone – toddlers, school-aged children, and even adults. What begins as play quickly unfolds into mathematics in action: counting, comparing, noticing shapes, experimenting with symmetry, and even dividing collections equally.

The learning looks different for every age. A 3-year-old might proudly announce, “Look, I have more than you!” while a 7-year-old figures out how many pieces will fit in each section of a circle. And for the older ones, complex ideas like fractions, multiples, and angles slip naturally into their play as they design intricate mandalas. Even as an adult, I often find myself drawn in – there’s something deeply calming about arranging those little shapes into patterns that grow and transform.

This is why I keep coming back to Grapat mandala pieces. They’re not just beautiful loose parts; they’re a gateway to mathematical thinking that grows with children, supporting everything from the EYLF in the early years to the ACARA curriculum right through Year 6.

Why Grapat Mandala Pieces Support Learning

When you sit and watch children with Grapat mandala pieces, it’s easy to see why they’re so much more than “just toys.” They offer children space to explore at their own pace, while gently weaving in skills that support both learning and wellbeing.

✋ Fine Motor Skills

Each time a child picks up a tiny piece, whether with fingertips or tongs, they’re strengthening the pincer grip they’ll later need for holding pencils, scissors, or cutlery. I’ve seen younger children practice over and over – lining pieces up, moving them from hand to hand, stacking, balancing. What looks like “just play” is actually building the muscles and control that underpin writing and everyday independence.

🌸 Focus & Calm

There’s something rhythmic about creating a mandala – piece by piece, children place objects down in a flow that slows their breathing and steadies their minds. I often notice children who struggle to sit still in other activities completely immersed for long stretches of time. For some, it’s a form of mindful play, offering a moment of calm in an otherwise busy day.

🎨 Creativity & Expression

No two mandalas ever look the same. Some children arrange by colour, others experiment with symmetry, while a few tell stories with their designs: “This is a flower garden,” or “This is the dragon’s treasure.” Through Grapat play, children learn that there’s not just one right way to create – and that’s where their imagination shines.

♾️ Accessibility

One of my favourite things about Grapat pieces is their inclusive nature. They don’t come with instructions, rules, or a single “right way” to play, which means children of all ages, abilities, and developmental stages can engage. Neurodiverse learners often find comfort in the predictability of patterns, while others use the pieces as tools for storytelling or problem-solving. Everyone is invited in, and everyone finds a way to make meaning from them.

I remember one morning when I set out a basket of Grapat mandala pieces on the rug. Addy wandered over first, kneeling down and carefully pinching up each tiny raindrop to make a neat line across the weave of the mat. Her little fingers worked slowly, and I could see how much concentration it took – the kind of fine motor practice no worksheet could ever provide.

Soon after, one of the older children joined her. Without a word, they began building outward from the line, turning it into a circle. Piece by piece, the mandala grew. The atmosphere shifted as they worked – the room seemed to settle, calm and quiet, with everyone drawn into the rhythm of placing each piece down.

A few minutes later, another child fetched more colours from the basket: “This is the flower’s garden,” she explained, tucking yellow tulips around the edges. A story started to take shape, and suddenly the mandala wasn’t just a pattern – it had meaning, a shared narrative that connected their creations.

What struck me most was the way each child engaged differently, yet meaningfully. The younger ones were practising grip strength and learning to match one piece to one space. The older ones experimented with symmetry and storytelling. One of our neurodiverse learners joined in by sorting all the green pieces into a pile beside the mandala, fully absorbed and content. Every child had an entry point, and every child found success.

That morning reminded me why I keep these pieces close at hand. They don’t demand a particular outcome, but they always offer rich opportunities – for learning, for calming, for creating, and for connecting.

That simple moment on the rug held so many layers of learning. What looked like a quiet playtime with a basket of wooden pieces was, in reality, a powerful example of how children build skills across the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) and into the ACARA Mathematics Curriculum.

👶 EYLF Connections

• Outcome 4: Children are confident and involved learners – The children were experimenting, problem-solving, and showing persistence as they carefully arranged and re-arranged their pieces. They weren’t just “making pretty patterns” – they were testing ideas, predicting what might happen, and learning through discovery.

• Outcome 5: Children are effective communicators – The storytelling around the mandala (“this is the flower’s garden”) showed how symbols and patterns become a language. The children used mathematical terms in context – words like more, circle, next to, and around – laying the foundation for later numeracy.

🔢 ACARA Connections

Foundation – Year 2

• Counting, ordering, and matching numbers to quantities (one piece = one space).

• Subitising small groups (recognising 3 or 4 pieces without counting).

• Sorting and classifying by colour, shape, or size.

• Early addition and sharing concepts through building mandalas together.

• Creating and continuing repeating patterns.

• Recognising shapes and exploring early symmetry.

✨ Example: The younger children building a line of raindrops were working on one-to-one correspondence and counting – ACARA outcomes for the early years.

Years 3 – 4

• Exploring multiplication and division through equal groupings and arrays.

• Modelling unit fractions (halves, quarters, eighths).

• Extending number patterns and sequences.

• Creating symmetrical designs and investigating angles through rotation.

✨ Example: When 12 drops were placed evenly around the circle, children were exploring division, fractions, and radial symmetry – key Year 3–4 concepts.

Years 5 – 6

• Exploring factors, multiples, and prime numbers through grouping.

• Representing fractions, decimals, and percentages with physical pieces.

• Investigating rotational symmetry and transformations.

• Measuring and constructing angles (a mandala divided into sixths = 60°).

• Plotting arrangements onto grids and connecting them to the Cartesian plane.

✨ Example: A 36-piece mandala divided into 6 equal sections supported division, multiples of 6, and understanding 60° angles – exactly what Year 6 children are working towards.

In just one shared play experience on the rug, every child – regardless of age – found their own way to explore mathematical ideas. And for us as educators, these moments become rich documentation opportunities, linking children’s play directly to the learning outcomes in both EYLF and ACARA.

Practical Ideas for Educators

Grapat mandala pieces are versatile, but sometimes it helps to have a few prompts or ideas to spark learning and engagement. Here’s how we use them in our home, family day care, and homeschool environments:

• Provide loose parts prompts: Instead of directing play, offer gentle challenges like, “Can you make a pattern that repeats every 3 pieces?” or “What happens if you make a circle with 12 pieces – can you divide it equally?”Prompts like these encourage children to explore number patterns, sequencing, and early fractions while keeping the play open-ended.

• Encourage children to share collections: Turn mandala play into a social maths moment. Ask, “If we each have 5 gems, how many do we need altogether?” or “Can we split this set evenly between us?” Children practice counting, addition, and division, all while negotiating, collaborating, and problem-solving with peers.

• Use mandala pieces for group maths games: Make play interactive with activities like estimating how many pieces will fit into a circle, timing sorting races, or creating number stories with pieces. These experiences allow children to apply maths in a playful, hands-on context while building cooperation and communication skills.

• Link mandala play with literacy and storytelling: Encourage children to narrate their creations. A mandala might become a dragon’s treasure trove, a flower garden, or a whole imaginary town. As they describe it, they naturally use descriptive language, sequencing words, and spatial terms – blending creative thinking with mathematical reasoning.

• Observe and document: Mandalas make excellent documentation opportunities. Take photos or notes of children’s arrangements, patterns, or problem-solving strategies. These observations can be linked to EYLF outcomes and ACARA content descriptors, giving meaningful evidence of learning in action.

Cost, Pros & Cons, and Where to Buy Grapat Mandala Pieces

One question I’m often asked by educators and families is: “Grapat pieces look amazing, but are they worth the cost?”

Pros of Investing in Grapat Mandala Pieces

• Open-ended learning: Supports maths, creativity, storytelling, fine motor skills, and focus.

• All ages: Toddlers to upper primary, including neurodiverse learners.

• Durability: Made from natural, untreated wood that lasts for years.

• Flexible use: Can be used on rugs, tables, outdoors, or in group and solo play.

• Curriculum-aligned: Supports EYLF outcomes and ACARA maths from Foundation to Year 6.

Cons / Considerations

• Initial cost: Grapat sets are more expensive than basic loose parts or DIY alternatives.

• Limited quantity per set: You may need multiple sets for large groups.

• Storage & care: Wooden pieces need to be kept dry and occasionally checked for damage.

Weighing it up: Think of the cost not just as a purchase, but as an investment in long-term learning. One well-loved set can engage multiple children over years, grow with their skills, and support curriculum outcomes in a way that cheaper toys often cannot.

Where to Buy Grapat Mandala Pieces

These sets are available from trusted retailers in Australia, often specialising in quality wooden toys and educational resources:

• Milk Tooth – great selection, often early childhood educator-friendly.

• Lime Tree Kids – carries a variety of Grapat loose parts and open-ended toys.

• Oskar’s Wooden Ark – specialises in natural wooden toys, including Grapat sets.

• Toy Park – a more general toy retailer with Grapat items available online.

✨ Tip: Compare prices across retailers and consider shipping costs. Some sets come in starter bundles, while others allow you to expand over time. Sharing with colleagues, playgroups, or rotating sets in a home/day care environment can also make the investment more manageable.

The Big Picture

Grapat mandala pieces bring maths to life in a way that is hands-on, playful, and deeply meaningful. They support children in building confidence with mathematical concepts while also fostering creativity, focus, and wellbeing.

The beauty of mandala play is its flexibility across ages and stages:

• For toddlers and preschoolers, it might be counting, sorting, or matching by colour.

• For lower primary children, it becomes pattern-making, symmetry exploration, and simple fractions.

• For upper primary learners, mandalas can introduce complex ideas like multiples, division, angles, and even plotting coordinates.

In every case, children are learning through play, discovering maths in ways that feel natural and engaging. For educators and parents alike, mandalas are a gentle but powerful tool that connects creativity with curriculum outcomes, from the EYLF in the early years to ACARA outcomes up to Year 6.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this blog! I’m Rachel from The Educators Well — a passionate early childhood educator with 20 years of experience, an award-winning educator, and a homeschooling mum. 🌿 I love exploring ways to connect hands-on learning, creativity, and mathematical concepts, and sharing practical ideas that you can use in your own setting or at home.

👉 If you’d like to dive deeper, check out our Facebook group for downloadable resources to accompany this blog post, plus tips, inspiration, and a supportive community of educators like you!