Tinker Time: Inspiring Innovation Beyond the School Day

Throughout the school year, all Lower School students experience integrated innovation projects into their classroom curriculum, which encourage students to think creatively, explore new ideas, and develop solutions to problems in ways that are both novel and meaningful. Additionally, Kindergarten and Grade 1 students have a weekly Tinker Time special with hands-on opportunities for students to practice innovation skills, tackle design challenges, and build confidence in problem-solving abilities. From designing something to help a character in a story to creating stop-motion animations to share the story of their invention, Lower School students are encouraged to think empathetically and reflect on the process and product.

At Graland, innovation is woven into the school day through an interdisciplinary approach that engages Lower School students in creative thinking and problem-solving, with opportunities extending past 3:10 p.m. each day. This year, I offered various after-school enrichment opportunities, Tinker Tech Club (Grades 2-4), Tinker Time Lab (Grades K-2), and a new Grade 4 opportunity in the spring called “Gearing Up for Gates.” These were designed to provide students with extended opportunities to experiment, design, and tinker. Whether they are building prototypes, exploring robotics, or solving design challenges, the enrichment classes have allowed students to tinker with materials and explore solutions to different problems. Graland summer camps are another opportunity for students to tinker and innovate beyond the school day. Over the years, offerings such as Gearing Up for Gates or Tinker Time: Summer Edition have allowed students to explore their ideas and experiment with different technologies to share their ideas with others. 

Recognizing the importance of family involvement, we’ve introduced programs like Monday Family Tinker Time and Innovation Night. During Monday Family Tinker Time, families come to the Gates Lab to experience an iterated version of the design thinking process they experience in Lower School and Middle School innovation programs. They choose a problem, make a plan, have a “green-light meeting” with a coach, and build a prototype using materials from the Tinker Time Store. Additionally, our community-wide Innovation Night, typically held in February, allows families to explore many stations throughout the Corkins Center, including design challenges, robotics, Artificial Intelligence (AI), art collaborations, and a fan favorite, “free build” (fully equipped with materials from the Tinker Time Store). Whether working on a design challenge or experimenting with computer programming, parents and students leave inspired by the possibilities of innovation.

To continue to iterate and expand our innovation program and support programs beyond Graland, I am looking to connect with other innovation educators to share what we are doing and learn from others. Another exciting new outreach opportunity is an innovation enrichment for Horizons Colorado at Graland, which will include practicing innovation skills, design challenges, and tinkering in the Gates Lab. By sharing our space, resources, and innovative teaching, we hope to inspire the next generation of innovators beyond Graland’s school day.

Graland’s commitment to innovation and character development shines through every aspect of Tinker Time and our innovation program. Whether during the school day, through afterschool programs, or in partnerships with the broader community, we are shaping students who think critically, design empathetically, and embrace challenges with confidence. The innovation program supports students’ confidence, resilience, and the ability to think outside the box, skills they can use during their time at Graland and beyond.