What we offer

We understand that families, especially those with young explorers, have to miss live sessions of Tinkergarten from time to time. That's why we always provide a 7-10-minute pre-recorded Tinkergarten lesson featuring a dynamic Tinkergarten Leader. Watch a sample recorded lesson here. If you have to miss your live session, you can watch the recorded lesson from anywhere, anytime that works for you. So, even if you have to miss a live session you never have to miss Tinkergarten! 

Summer 2022 Flex Policy: As many families return to pre-pandemic summer schedules, we’re offering additional flexibility for families with existing scheduling conflicts. Families enrolled in the Summer 2022 season can request an account credit for up to two missed summer sessions. Read more about our In-Person program policies here. 

Tinkergarten classes follow a predictable structure designed to build a strong sense of community, connect participants to nature, and introduce lessons that support our 8 core skills. You can read more about them in this article or sign up for a free trial to see for yourself!

Our approach to safety in all of our in-person Tinkergarten programming is informed by CDC guidance, has been tested for multiple seasons, and aims to ensure that everyone has as engaged, joyful, and safe an experience as possible. Read about our safety approach here.

Our program is designed for children ages 18 months to 8 years old. Leaders take time to get to know each child and adapt our approach to best fit the child's interests, strengths and needs. In our At Home (digital) classes, to make sure that the live session and additional resources are as engaging as possible, we also tailor our program towards two different age groups: 2 to 5 and 5 to 8. Read more here about how the classes differ by age group.

Yes, all of Tinkergarten’s In-Person programs take place in delightful, outdoor settings. As part of the program, families receive coaching on both the gear and the mindset that make outdoor play fun, healthy and joyful all year long. 

In the rare case that weather conditions are unsafe at the time of your live session (e.g. lightning, too cold), your Leader will either reschedule your in-person class session or will welcome you to utilize the pre-recorded class content and resources while you play safely at home.

As is stated in our approach to health and safety, Tinkergarten does not require that attendees wear masks. We do recommend wearing face masks for people who are not vaccinated, over the age of two and are not otherwise exempted from wearing masks. In some cases, the location at which Tinkergarten class meets does require attendees to wear masks. Before your class starts, we will clearly communicate by email and on our My Tinkergarten (parent dashboard) if there is a mask requirement at your location.

Yes! Our mixed-aged classes are the perfect experience to enjoy with siblings. Siblings under 12 months of age may join at no cost. Siblings over one year should enroll in the class, and a 25% sibling discount is automatically applied at checkout.

Leaders set up the outdoor classroom each week, so families just need to bring water bottles and seasonally appropriate layers. Read more about how to dress for outdoor learning here. To help you plan, enrolled families can also download a Season Program Overview from their My Tinkergarten (parent dashboard). The Overview includes a preview of the learning you'll be doing each week!

Each week, in addition the live session, families are given access to: at-home activities which build on the live lesson; a video read-aloud of a related book-of-the-week; a pre-recorded class session; and a "Just for Grown Ups" video or article designed to help parents and caregivers facilitate their kiddos’ play at home (and laugh a little, too).

We love to play in (nearly) all weather at Tinkergarten. But, in the case of unsafe weather, your Leader will update families at least 90 minutes prior to class by email and text message. Families will either be offered an alternative time to meet during the same season or will be welcome to utilize the prerecorded lesson content available in their My Tinkergarten (parent dashboard). If more than 2 sessions need to be canceled, families will be eligible for a refund for those additional sessions. Read all of our in-person class policies here.

Click here and enter your zip code at the top to see if classes are available in your area. We'll continue to expand our reach in seasons to come.

Join our Tinkergarten At Home program! All you need is a connected device to participate in live, online sessions any day of the week. Classes are led by an expert Tinkergarten Leader, and you'll receive resources to continue the outdoor play all week long. You can also nominate someone in your community who would make a great Tinkergarten Leader (or apply yourself!).

Please note that we gradually expand our in-person classes each season, and will continue to expand our reach in seasons to come.

You can click here to view sample activities. Be sure to toggle to see samples from each season. Or, visit our Curriculum page to download samples of the Curriculum Overviews we provide to parents or Season Maps that kids can use to track their progress through each unique seasonal curriculum.

Yes! Families can apply for 50% or 100% off the cost of one child's full season fee in either format, At Home or In Person, via tinkergarten.com/grant. The online application takes under 1 minute to complete and includes no ask for financial information—if a family takes the time to apply, they qualify for our support. We reserve 3% of all spots in our classes nationwide to award as grants and award them on a first-come-first-served basis. Once you apply, you should hear back from our team within one week. If a grant is still available when you apply, we will send you a code to receive the grant when you register. 

If you need any assistance or have questions, please write to us at support@tinkergarten.com. 

Tinkergarten In-Person sessions are designed for grown-ups and child(ren) to experience together. To provide for the safety of all enrolled, children attend along with an adult from their own household or pod.

Numerous studies link exposure to nature with enhanced physical, social and cognitive outcomes for kids. And because nature is both calming and stimulating for kids, it provides an ideal environment for learning!

Tinkergarten At Home combines a live, online session facilitated by a certified (and amazing) Tinkergarten Leader with additional resources that parents and caregivers can use to keep kids playing and learning outdoors all week long. The program, which is designed by education experts, engages children in play-based activities that foster a sense of joy and wonder, all while developing essential skills.

Each live session follows a structure that includes community building, songs, movement, learning about nature, guided play time, and a closing community share time. We also have tools families can use to upload photos of the play that continues at home between live class sessions so Leaders and the whole class community can celebrate your child and family's play!

Every Tinkergarten lesson is designed to inspire open-ended exploration and play through which kids actively engage in imagining, exploring, and/or problem solving.

While each lesson is designed by Tinkergarten and guided by a trained Leader, the children decide how to play in response to the lesson's play scenario, and the children's interests play the leading role in shaping the way play unfolds. To kids, it's pure and joyful fun.

For details on our policies for In-Person classes, click here. The policies for At-Home classes can be found here.