WHAT
WE OFFER
Described as reviving “the lost art of den building”, Tinkertown offers children and families the platform to learn, build & Play!
WHO WE WORK WITH.
Tinkertown is a playful place-making event supporting children and families to design and build their own structures from scrap timber. Visitors are provided with training and tools and are free to play, learn and discover while developing their creativity and construction skills.
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If this sounds like your idea of fun and you are a Community Group, School, Nursery, College or Event/Festival Organiser , GET IN TOUCH and start creating memories! We are open to working with anyone who feels as passionately about children's play as we do!
Know of a derelict or under utilised site within your community? Often wondered what it could be used for? TinkerTown is a great temporary event that can be used to generate discussion about the form of child friendly public spaces within the community by connecting people with under-used public space.
What better way to spend your day at school. Allow children to learn by doing, by going at their own pace and investigate their imagination and ideas, learn about risk (within a managed situation), build physical and social skills and produce a piece of work which is inhabitable, autonomous and of their own making.
We can provide an unique, practical, hands on educational experience for students studying childcare. Working in collaboration with children from a local Primary School, your students can understand the benefits of risky play in a fun and safe environment.
We love working with other creative people! Who doesn't? That's why we love taking TinkerTown to festivals all over the UK. Get in touch to see how we can work together.
TinkerTown is for people of all ages! We can tailor the event to little ones too, whether this be scaling down the event or facilitating a mud kitchen build with a small group of children. Let us know what you need!
WHY WE DO IT.
On the surface #TinkerTown is an opportunity for children to passively learn about architecture, engineering, planning and construction at a level suited to them through physically building their own dens and play ‘village’. However, we aim to use this platform to encourage reflection and critical thought on the child’s place in the city; the places where their presence and play is legitimised; their individual competencies and capabilities; and to highlight to parents and practitioners the role we must all play in ensuring our children have access to a plethora of play based learning experiences necessary to develop the skills to respond to the challenges of their future. In essence we are introducing children to the professions of Architecture, Engineering, Urban Design & Planning and vice versa.
We also aim to instil the confidence to use tools, build and fix things in our visitors; giving children and adults the opportunity to learn valuable life skills, and even promote employ-ability skills not only in construction but creativity and problem solving.
However, the main and direct beneficiaries of the project are the children, families and communities of the areas in which our events will take place. We estimate/ target participation numbers of 200+ per day. To support our events we aim to engage volunteering networks and/ or play worker students as volunteers to give them experience in community engagement, occupational and spatial analysis, data collection, and knowledge of design for ‘play’.
" What a great idea! Give kids (of all ages) a hammer, a saw, a bag of nails and a pile of wood and watch. Some amazing constructions. Great fun! Well done everybody! You must do this again. "
Colin Beattie MSP @ SCOTTISH NATIONAL PARTY
PARTNERS.
It takes tons of effort and community spirit to make #TinkerTown happen. That's why we love working in the heart of your community, ensuring we provide a platform not just for you but with you. Below are just some of Client's and collaborators we have worked with over the years.
