Tinkergarten was an education technology company and outdoor learning program that developed curriculum, trained and equipped educators to lead outdoor, early childhood, play-based learning experiences for families. Founded in 2014 by Brian Fitzgerald and Meghan Fitzgerald, Tinkergarten grew to serve families across all 50 U.S. states. In 2023, Tinkergarten was acquired by Highlights for Children.

Background and founding

Tinkergarten was conceived by husband-and-wife team Brian Fitzgerald and Meghan Fitzgerald. Meghan brought a background as a school principal and lifelong educator, while Brian had spent his career building consumer education technology products and businesses. Their complementary expertise shaped the organization's dual identity as both a community program and a technology platform.

The impetus for Tinkergarten emerged from the founders' concern about trends they observed in early childhood. They noted an alarming rise in solo screen time among young children alongside a marked decline in unstructured outdoor play—a shift they believed posed risks to healthy development. Research in child development pointed to the foundational role of outdoor, physical, and social play in building the cognitive, social and emotional capacities children need to learn and thrive. The founders also observed that modern childhood had become more structured and pressurized, with children spending far less time playing and significantly less time outdoors than previous generations.

The company's first class was held in Prospect Park in Brooklyn, New York, followed by a national expansion. Over more than a decade, the organization raised over $28 million in funding and expanded to operate in all 50 states, training over 5,000 educators and teaching hundreds of thousands of kids.

Mission and approach

Tinkergarten's stated mission was to help all children become capable, curious, caring, and creative learners through outdoor play. The organization operated on the belief that play and nature are two of the most powerful forces in children's development, and that these experiences needed to be strong, core parts of family and, ideally, school life, not optional enrichment activities.

To realize this mission, Tinkergarten built a technology platform to train and equip educators with curriculum, tools, training, and a professional community. Educators, often parents themselves, were trained to lead in-person, outdoor classes in local green spaces, including city parks, rural farms, places of worship, and other settings. The curriculum was also used in childcare centers, preschools and elementary schools as well. The curriculum emphasized open-ended, hands-on experiences designed to build skills such as persistence, collaboration, curiosity, and self-direction.

To adapt and support families and schools during the Corona Virus pandemic, Tinkergarten expanded its delivery model beyond in-person classes to include online classes, on-demand lessons, community events, videos, activities, original TV productions, and online communities. This multi-channel approach allowed the organization to grow and to reach families who lacked access to a local Tinkergarten educator.

Growth and impact

Over approximately a decade of operation, Tinkergarten built a community that included hundreds of thousands of educators, children, and families. The program ran for 34 seasons and operated in all 50 U.S. states, making it one of the largest organized outdoor play programs in the country. 

As a result of participation in Tinkergarten, the following behavioral shifts were reported:

• 87% of families spent more time outdoors.

• 85% of caregivers noticed kids’ improved ability to focus their attention when playing outdoors.

• 80% of caregivers felt kids played independently more often and for longer.

• 93% of caregivers felt better prepared to engage their child in playful learning.

• 76% of caregivers reported that they would “seek nature-based schooling and/or actively encourage my children’s school to increase time outdoors within the school day.”*

Stories of impact

Perhaps the most compelling evidence of impact (certainly the Co-Founder’s favorite) are the countless stories collected from families and teachers. One particularly poignant set emerged as Highlights for Children announced that Tinkergarten subscription services would be winding down in summer of 2024. You can see a broad selection of those stories of impact in this document. 

Tinkergarten Today

In 2023, Tinkergarten was acquired by Highlights for Children, the American children's media and educational publishing company best known for its long-running Highlights magazine. 

Though Tinkergarten curriculum and services are no longer available, thousands of educators—affectionately known as “The Tinkerguardians” use the “Tinkergarten method” of teaching in their schools, homes, and local programs. Many have gone on to increase access to nature-based learning in their schools, communities, and municipalities.

As part of their efforts to empower parents and educators, the Tinkergarten team produced hundreds of free blog posts and DIY activities for families and educators to use. Highlights for Children shut off access to all Tinkergarten content as of August, 2026. You can still find examples of this content here under Thought Leadership and DIY Activities.

Read reflections on lessons learned from Co-Founder Brian Fitzgerald here, and follow the Fitzgeralds on our latest endeavor, a10d.org—a nonprofit designed to help young people own their attention and develop the skills, mindsets and relationships they need to thrive in an AI-driven, media-rich world.