The Power of Tinkering

Tinkering is an open-ended approach to STEAM learning that offers children opportunities to identify problems and work on solving them in playful, creative ways. It involves using tools, playing with materials, and collaborating with others to build, test, and develop new understanding about the world. Tinkering investigations involve Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math (STEAM) learning and rely on direct experiences with real phenomena. Playful exploration brings joy and empowers children to pursue investigations that interest them, and the collaborative nature of tinkering supports children to work with and learn from peers and adults. Tinkering leads to deepened knowledge, stronger skills, and increased agency and confidence for all learners.