The children have been enjoying tinkering at the tinker table……here are some of their creations.

The learning process of the creation is so much more important than the final product. Although as adults we want something to look aesthetically pleasing, the skills that the children gain are by far more important, for example their design process thinking about shapes, size, measurement, problem solving, what do they need, how they are going to make it and also risk assessing what they are doing. The children are supervised at all times and are in what’s called a ‘safe bubble’ which will protect them and others from harm. I told my 80 yr old dad that the children would be working with real tools – he was outraged a young child would hurt themselves. Given that responsibility children learn to keep themselves safe and develop their self confidence when they see their finished product. Feeling proud at what they have been able to achieve with as much or as little support as they need.

These are some of the tools the children choose when at the tinker table.  Using tools help hand eye co-ordination and fine motor skills. The tinker table is ideal for creative play, children are developing their ideas as to how things are made and enables children to have focussed, unstructured time to explore and test ideas.

Tinkering provides so much more than just the finished result.
On our next stay and play, why don’t you come and have a go at our tinker table.