TinkerWild is a monthly outdoor loose parts play event for kids ages 5–12. We bring the materials. They bring the ideas. No curriculum. No instructions. Just play.
Children today are more scheduled, more supervised, and more anxious than any generation before them. The research is clear: unstructured, child-directed outdoor play is one of the most powerful things we can give them back.
TinkerWild shows up to a park on the first Saturday of each month with a van full of open-ended materials — rope, cardboard, tires, sticks, fabric, tools — and invites kids to do whatever they want with it.
Adults are asked to sit together and resist the urge to help.
We announce the location each month on Instagram. First Saturday, 10am–1pm, Oakland.
No registration, no waiver, no sign-in. Just bring your kid and come as you are.
Materials are laid out. Kids take over. Play stewards are nearby for safety — not facilitation.
This part is harder than it sounds. We'll be right there with you. Resist the urge to help.
Everything is open-ended. Nothing has a right answer. All of it can be combined, broken apart, rebuilt.
Help us build the kitWe source everything through community donations. If you have cardboard, lumber scraps, rope, fabric, or any open-ended materials you want out of your garage — we want them.
Donate MaterialsPlay stewards show up, help set up materials, and hold a light safety perimeter. No ECE experience needed — just a calm presence and a willingness to let kids do their thing.
We run on donated loose parts. Cardboard, rope, wood scraps, fabric, tires, tools — if it's open-ended and you don't need it, we probably want it. Drop-off or we can arrange pickup.
Schools, parks organizations, businesses, and community groups are welcome to co-sponsor events. We're also seeking a fiscal sponsor to support our first year of operations.
TinkerWild is brand new and growing. Whether you want to bring your kids, donate a pile of cardboard, volunteer, or explore a partnership — we'd love to hear from you.
Hello.TinkerWild@gmail.com