JXN // education
Learning Through Nature, Tinkergarten // by torsheta Jackson
Kristina Gibb PhotoGraPhy
the Tinkergarten program when the family moved to Austin for a brief period in 2018. While there, she sought outdoor activities for her oldest child. After attending some classes, she was impressed with how well he responded. “(Matty) was always stimulated indoors, so I’d always take him outside and that is where he thrived the best,” Dawson says. “In Texas, we found the program, and he loved it. He is very shy, but he actually participated in the group projects.” Upon her return to Mississippi in 2019, she applied to become a leader and brought the program to the metro area. Dawson, who also works as a children’s yoga instructor at The Village, hosted her first season of classes this past winter at Strawberry Park in Madison. “We started with four families,” Dawson says. “We had 10 families enrolled for the spring.” The restrictions on gatherings and the closure of parks due to the COVID-19 virus caused The Tinkergarten program teaches children some modifications to the prolife skills through interacting with nature. gram including the cancellation of in-person classes this spring season. for children ages 6 months through 8 years However, families are still able to take part old, the classes provide children with the in the Tinkergarten program. In-person opportunity to develop life skills such as classes have been substituted with weekly empathy, collaboration, creativity, coop- DIY activities and live online sessions. eration, persistence and problem-solving “The Tinkergarten activities that they through outdoor play experiences. The cur- can do at home and on the Facebook page riculum focuses on natural learning in fresh are something fun and are a way that kids air and green spaces. Classes are guided by a can still learn and develop the way needed leader who introduces an activity and then (and) they think they are just playing, havallows parents and children to explore the ing a good time and bonding with their skill independently, allowing children to parents,” Dawson says. learn and grow at their own pace. Dawson Dawson believes that outdoor learnsays that the program helps promote a bal- ing is more important now than ever. anced learning experience for children who “Especially now with the COVID-19 are often inundated with technology. (virus) and the online learning, just step“Eighty percent of the brain develop- ping outside for 15 minutes or so has so ment for kids (occurs) before age 5,” Daw- many health benefits for kids. It reduces son says. “Tinkergarten aims to develop the stress, anxiety and aggression. It (also) helps brain in all the right ways so that instead the parents have a break to refresh. It’s a of what they may obtain through screens, good way to spend time together now with they obtain through nature and natural everything that is going on,” she says. learning. The opportunities for play in naDawson still hopes to be able to host ture are endless.” the in-person summer session of the proDawson is married to John Lindsey, gram, scheduled to begin on July 10. and the couple are parents to 5-year-old For more information about the Matty, 2-year-old Sage and 1-year-old program and registration information, visit Westley. She first became acquainted with tinkergarten.com.
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May 13 - 26, 2020 • boomjackson.com
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rikka Dawson has always loved being outside. She grew up playing in the backyard of her Brandon home with family and exploring the neighborhood with friends. As a child she enjoyed the beauty, peace and freedom of the natural world. As a parent, she wanted her children to have a similar appreciation of nature. Her work allows her to not only provide that opportunity for her children, but for other local youth as well. The 29-year-old mother and homeschool instructor teaches as part of the metro area’s Tinkergarten program. Designed
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