I’ve been seeing ads for Tinkergarten on Facebook and Instagram recently. The philosophy is intriguing — get kids outside to learn skills like empathy, collaboration, and problem solving. When I had the opportunity to try a class with my daughter in Arlington, I jumped at the chance.
It turns out those marketing algorithms are spot on, because I LOVED the class. Oh, and my daughter? Yeah, she loved it too.
Class took place at the edge of an open clearing in Menotomy Rocks Park in Arlington. With forest behind us and a pond to our right side, we started class with two songs. The first welcomed everyone to Tinkergarten, and the second encouraged us to turn on our senses. My daughter and I learned we had missed mud play the week before, but this week we would be learning how to make paint from things found in nature!
We made red by crushing cherries and blackberries with rocks. Yellow came from mixing turmeric with water. Another mom/child pair made green from grass. Different colored flowers gave us pink, orange, more yellow, and purple. We used paintbrushes and stamps made from beets to make designs on our “science bags,” which our leader, Victoria, provided.
Mud play and paint making are just two examples of what a Tinkergarten class might offer. Each week the instructor presents a new play-based activity that is thoughtfully designed to challenge each child.
When I was little I spent most of my afternoons outside after school. We had a large outdoor space set back from the road, and my surrounding neighbors were my family. Most Boston-area neighborhoods aren’t set up this way and, for better or worse, times are different now. Kids have after-school activities that keep them busy, and they don’t spend as much time outside. It also seems that they often need to be taught how to play.
Tinkergarten gets kids outside and guides them as they make exciting discoveries in nature when they get there. Sign me up for more of that!
Tinkergarten is offering a special discount to Boston Moms Blog readers who sign up for a class! Use promo code BOSMOM for 10% off your class session.
