We were delighted to sit down this month with Mounia Hasnaoui, Director of Peekaboo, a lovely international nursery, ludoteca and kids’ party venue in Sarrià-Sant Gervasi!
Where are you from originally?
Belgium
How long have you been living in Barcelona?
4 years
Tell us more about your background and experience. I’ve always been a foodie and loved to cook, so it was pretty clear to me, as a teenager, that I wanted to study to become a chef. After having worked as a chef in France and Belgium for several years, I came to the realisation that my other passion, working with kids, was something I had neglected and wanted to focus on more. I got my teaching degree and combined my knowledge in the food and hospitality industry with my studies to teach teenagers how to cook. I always wanted to move abroad – and after a road trip in Spain – I decided to take a leap of faith and moved to Barcelona, the city I fell in love with. Not speaking Spanish was a big disadvantage to continue working as a teacher, so I got thrown into a sales role for a local multinational, like so many other expats. As much as I learned from this new work experience, I realised after a few years that while my job was good, it wasn’t my passion. When I saw the opportunity to take over Peekaboo in September 2020, I took a chance, even though it was in the middle of the pandemic. Combining the daycare with events is perfect, as I can use my creativity in both aspects of the business.
When did you decide to take over Peekaboo? How long has the business been open? I always had an entrepreneurial spirit, it runs in the family, so when I saw the ad from Peekaboo in September 2020, I knew it was a perfect fit. My own business, where I can combine my passion for teaching with my love for food!
What activities/services do you offer? We offer daycare services from Monday – Friday and birthday parties and events in the afternoons and on weekend at our location in Sarrià-Sant Gervasi. The birthday parties we organise can be tailor-made, and we offer personalised food options as well. We also organise summer camps and recently began a new multilingual babysitting and nanny service.
What is your teaching philosophy? What sets your business apart?
I really believe that the people, the Peekaboo-family, make the difference. Each and every one of us is incredibly passionate about the little ones we care for, we are really a tight-knit family. Every week we choose a theme and think of creative ways to approach this theme, no one activity during the school year is the same. We have a very personalised approach, and this shines through, not just in the daycare, but we also bring this creative, personalised and detail-oriented approach to birthday parties.
- Website: www.peekaboo-center.com
- Instagram: @peekaboo_bcn
- Hours: The daycare is from Monday to Friday; afternoons and weekends are dedicated to birthday parties
- Ages: 10 months – 4 years old for daycare, up to 7 years old for birthday parties
- Language: English, Spanish, French, Dutch and Arabic
- Address: Carrer de Santalo 130 (Sarrià-Sant Gervasi)
