Tinkergarten outdoor classes are new to Oakland

Tinkergarten is a new series of little kids’ classes set in the outdoors. These classes offer children the chance to learn problem-solving, tenacity, and more through thoughtfully-designed, guided play. At Tinkergarten, independent exploration, risk taking, and getting dirty are encouraged.

Outdoor classes and activities for kids that are fun, simple, and designed for learning.

My kids and I went to a free demo class in Golden Gate Park called Magic Petal Potions, potion-making using found ingredients (flowers, grasses, dirt!) combined with others from the teacher’s kit (colorful powders, smelly spices, water!). For me, participating in the class reminded me of how wonderful it is to let my children be creative and drive the activities themselves. As a total (recovering?) Control Freak, I seldom give them these opportunities. (See also Outside Kids!)

Sponsor

As of September 2015, you can find East Bay classes in Rockridge’s Frog Park for 18 month-olds through 5 year-olds. More may be added depending on interest from our community.

Founder Meghan Fitzgerald is a parent and educator who was searching for the kind of experiences that she created for us in Tinkergarten. When she is with her three daughters, Meghan plays along in mud, dances in the pouring rain, and builds a darn good snow igloo with her bare hands. She lived in the Bay Area for a bunch of years before returning East and developing this class series in Brooklyn.

[Photos of our class provided by Tinkergarten; photo of their postcard and my potion are by Heather Flett; all rights reserved]