Tinkergarten classes are held in green spaces in all types of weather and are only canceled under extreme conditions
Kristina Quigley spent her finals days of summer at Echo Lake Park in Mountainside with her 1-year-old son, Christian, surveying the resources that nature had to offer.
The Garwood mother took her time mapping out the grassiest, and muddiest, parts of the outdoor expanse, trying to figure out where her young charges could sit without ruining their clothes.
The park, after all, would be their classroom.
Quigley is a leader with Tinkergarten, a startup founded in Brooklyn, that offers play-based outdoor classes to children -- ages 18 months to 8 years old -- in all types of weather. Its target is the "Mommy and me" crowd.
Tinkergarten is not a school, as such. The curriculum, which is reviewed by a board of educational advisers, includes hands-on activities, such as making mud pies and creating art using items found outdoors such as leaves, berries and sticks. Class is held in green spaces and are only canceled under extreme conditions.
While outdoor programs are not a new concept, Tinkergarten is the newest in its evolution. The parent-child program starts at an earlier age than most.
"What Tinkergarten seems to promote is more than tinkering, it situates activities in nature to develop a connection between the child and the natural world," said Sumi Hagiwara, associate professor in early childhood and elementary education at Montclair State University.
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Experts say this form of experiential teaching provides children with the cognitive skills to develop self-reliance, creativity and the ability to problem solve. It is not intended to replace a traditional classroom education.
Tinkergarten was founded in March 2012 by husband-and-wife duo Brian and Meghan Fitzgerald. Brian Fitzgerald has spent his career in the tech industry, working for Yahoo, Audible, Amazon and Knewton. Meghan Fitzgerald is a former teacher and elementary school principal.
The Fitzgeralds said they didn't go into this hunting for a business opportunity, they were simply looking for an alternative to traditional play dates for their children.
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"By being outdoors, children's inherent curiosity and imagination about the natural world can foster a sense of place, belonging and identity," Hagiwara said. "When these skills are used to solve problem-based projects that are situated in the outdoors, children can form deeper, contextualized understandings of what they know about their world."
Each Tinkergarten class ranges from an hour to one-and-a-half hours and opens with "circle time," during which participants sing songs and share greetings. This is followed by a main activity determined by the season. In the fall, for example, children might create a bird feeder or make musical instruments out of materials found in the park. Messiness is not only accepted -- it is encouraged.
Kristina Quigley, a Tinkergarten instructor, and her son, Christian Leonardelli, at Echo Lake Park where she holds classes. (Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)Ramona White attended a trial class of Tinkergarten with her 2-year-old daughter, Zuri, and 4-year-old son, Ezra, at the beginning of summer.
"My expectation was to just have a good time, let the kids get some fresh air, and keep them busy on a day where I had nothing planned," White said.
By the end of the class, she enrolled both children in the summer session.
On rainy days, the group will construct a temporary shelter in the park with a large tarp, bungee cords and rope tied to poles.
The Fitzgeralds have turned their side project into a business platform, allowing others to receive training and host their own classes. Tinkergarten is expanding nationally with programs in the tri-state area, Massachusetts, Oregon and Northern California.
Tinkergarten made its way to New Jersey in the spring, with Quigley at its helm. The Garwood mother teaches at Echo Lake Park in Mountainside. Classes are also offered in Brookdale Park in Montclair and Wilde Memorial Park in Glen Rock. The program will debut in Hudson County next month.
Each child is accompanied by a parent, family member or caregiver during the classes, which cost $20 to $30 per session. Instructors are allowed a maximum of 12 children per class. Families are required to sign up for a season which typically meets once a week and lasts six to 12 weeks.
The program fosters observation skills, critical and divergent thinking, problem solving and experimenting, experts say.
"While these skills can be honed indoors, it is refreshing to see a program that capitalizes on building these skills outdoors," said Jody Eberly, an associate professor and coordinator of early childhood education at The College of New Jersey. "While you can bring nature inside a classroom, it's a totally different experience to see it in its natural environment."
For more information visit Tinkergarten.com.
Janelle Griffith may be reached at jgriffith@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @janellefiona. Find NJ.com/Entertainment on Facebook.