Come to Tinkergarten!

Let's play outside together!

Tinkergarten

with Miss Monica

Tinkergarten helps families get outside

to make the most of their kids' early learning years.

our play-based outdoor curriculum guides parents in raising

healthy, confident, and capable kids.

How it works

Outdoors is the classroom

We have no walls. Creatures are our teachers, mud and sticks are our tools.

Every lesson connects us to nature.

Irresistible invitations to play

Open-ended, child-led

Kids learn best when they lead the way.

We also help grownups support their child.

Irresistible invitations to play

Each lesson is engineered to engage kids in play that they simply can’t refuse!

Meet Miss Monica

Hey, y'all! My name is Monica. I am a mom of two, and live in Hampton. I've earned a BA in Interdisciplinary Studies and a MA in Early Childhood Education. I have experience as an elementary school teacher, as well as many years within the education system (from toddler age Montessori education to collegiate level). We are an outdoor family, always on a hike or bike ride! With a military background, we have lived in various states- further motivating us to get out and explore the area we live in currently. Learning opportunities are all around us, and I love what nature has to offer! With a little guidance and lots of play, I would love to share our outdoor learning space with YOU! We believe in providing a nurturing learning environment that encourages opportunities for growth and excitement. I hope to inspire confidence and creativity in the best classroom setting available! Let's go play outside!

Work with me

COME TO tinkergarten

at sandy bottom nature park

This Spring, we will focus on creativity—the ability to imagine original ideas or solutions to problems and bring them to life.

We'll help kids develop creative mindsets and strategies they can use throughout their lives to invent new things, solve problems, express their ideas and feelings, and to nurture relationships. We’ll do it all through enriching, outdoor play!

The series lessons follow a steady progression and are organized into three units. First, will be Building Blocks- focusing on breaking, bending and blending.

In our Creative Thinking unit, we use pretending to explore divergent thinking and discover many possible solutions to problems.

We’ll finish our series with a Creative Expression unit, where we explore how we can express ideas and feelings through art, music, and movement.