WHY
We do it.
Tinkertown empowers children and families to explore, build, and play, fostering creativity, confidence, practical skills, teamwork, problem-solving, and a lifelong love of learning through hands-on play.
What is Tinkertown?
Tinkertown began in July 2016 as part of the summer festival Archi-Fringe in Pollokshields, Glasgow. What started as a pop-up den-building adventure, inspired by the original Adventure Playgrounds, gave children and families the freedom to create, build, and play using real tools, pallets, and scrap timber. The first event ran for four days, welcoming around 40 participants each day.
Since then, Tinkertown has grown into a festival favourite. We’ve taken Tinkertown all over the UK—from Kinross to Kent and everywhere in between. Every event is a chance for children to explore, experiment, and build their own creations, while learning practical skills, teamwork, and problem-solving along the way. It’s hands-on, it’s fun, and it’s entirely theirs to make.
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At Tinkertown, children and families design and build their own dens and structures using scrap timber and other materials, supported by trained staff to use real tools safely. Participants explore creativity, experiment with ideas, and learn by doing, all within a free-flowing, family-friendly environment. The experience encourages collaboration, fosters practical skills in construction, planning, and problem-solving, and gives children the satisfaction of creating something entirely their own. Tinkertown celebrates the “lost art of den-building” in a modern, community-focused context, offering a playful, educational platform that connects children, families, and communities while inspiring lifelong learning and creativity.
The Mission.
On the surface, Tinkertown is a hands-on way for children to explore architecture, engineering, planning, and construction at a level suited to them. But it’s much more than that. We aim to:
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Encourage children and families to reflect on the child’s place in the city and in public spaces
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Highlight the importance of legitimising children’s play and creativity
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Equip children with practical, life, and employability skills, including problem-solving, creativity, teamwork, and confidence
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Promote the value of risk-based, active play in child development
We believe it’s not our role to govern what children do, but to shape their environment, provide opportunities, and let them learn, discover, and develop in their own way. By doing so, we prepare them to adapt to an ever-changing world and nurture skills they may carry into adulthood—whether as innovators, creators, or engaged citizens.
Value Propositions.
Tinkertown brings value to a wide range of people:
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Children: gain independence, confidence, creativity, problem-solving skills, social interaction, and physical and cognitive development
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Families: enjoy shared experiences, quality bonding time, and opportunities to support children’s learning
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Communities: see under-used spaces activated and stronger local connections formed
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Volunteers and students: develop experience in community engagement, play facilitation, and design-for-play principles
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The key benefits of Tinkertown are:
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Learn principles of architecture, engineering, and construction
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Build physical, social, and cognitive skills
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Engage in active, creative, and risk-based play
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Develop practical skills using real tools
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Boost confidence, teamwork, patience, and adaptability
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Promote emotional wellbeing, self-discovery, and socialisation
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Support healthier lifestyles through physical activity
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Encourage creative thinking and problem-solving
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Promote reuse and recycling of materials
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Give children freedom to shape and adopt spaces in their community