Fall Outdoor Play Class in Allison Park (Palisades Interstate Park), Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey on Thursdays at 10:30am

Class led by

Christine Szeglin
See Bio-
Upcoming Class Dates
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Allison Park (Palisades Interstate Park), Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey
- This Class has concluded
Focus
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60-minute, leader-led live sessions
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Includes additional at-home resources and on-demand lessons each week
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Parent/caregiver joins with child(ren). Additional siblings are discounted.
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Ideal for kids ages 1.5 - 8 years
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Each child earns an iron-on badge at season's end!
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How It Works
Our play-based outdoor curriculum guides parents on how to support an active, engaging, outdoor learning lifestyle for their family. Through live sessions led by Tinkergarten Leaders and on-demand, self-guided activities, we make purposeful, outdoor play doable for every family.
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9 expert-led live sessions + 3 weeks of content
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Weekly resources to support playful learning at home
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Tools to track your child’s progress
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Vibrant local and national parent community
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Learn from Expert Leaders
Each week, your child’s live instruction and community connection will be facilitated by one of our dynamic Tinkergarten Leaders.
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Reviews
Abigail L.
We have been struggling with how to handle some big emotions lately, and using body movement is something I hadn't thought about before. I'm looking forward to trying it out! Also play is such a great way to introduce a topic like that. Also, we just had so much fun with the puppets. Tinkergarten always delivers on new play ideas and tools to help in everyday life.
Barbara B.
The class was great!; Christina is so enthusiastic and attends to everyone participating. And this is not an easy task for any teacher meeting her students on ZOOM.
Laura T.
My son is always excited to see what Katie has planned for the session, and the things they do inspire him to try new or related things the rest of the day/week. Katie makes things fun, engaging, and interactive.
Allison B.
Loved the combination of mud/puddy play with learning about emotions. I think my daughter really understood the part about looking at people's faces to tell how they are feeling :)
Jane O.
Teacher got into the active part of class early, engaged each student personally, and was able to impart guidance and ideas to parents while keeping the group on track. Loved the gratitude song and acknowledgement of indigenous peoples and lands.
Jeanne G.
I really appreciate the way Sasha consistently celebrates the children and encourages them to follow their instincts, including when they take things in unexpected directions. I love the safe space for exploration and being oneself that she holds for all involved. Sasha's session today was engaging and fun. She is creating strong connections with the children. We are very grateful and had a wonderful time.
Emily E.
I must admit, I was curious to see how engaging a whole session about feelings would be, but Ray absolutely loved it! Wonderful curriculum and Becky is terrific! I can't imagine a better person to take on preschoolers over Zoom. We are very lucky to be in her class.
Abigail L.
We have been struggling with how to handle some big emotions lately, and using body movement is something I hadn't thought about before. I'm looking forward to trying it out! Also play is such a great way to introduce a topic like that. Also, we just had so much fun with the puppets. Tinkergarten always delivers on new play ideas and tools to help in everyday life.
Carin M.
Leader was warm and knowledgeable. Love that the weekly Zoom class is just one aspect of the broader curriculum. Also appreciated that she gave guidance that it was okay to play in whatever way the child chooses, no need to make them stay on topic or keep their body still - that's super stressful as a parent!
Elizabeth J.
Hannah! She's so engaging and she's able to engage my 2-year-old, who doesn't sit still for anything! This past week, my 2-year-old has been showcasing what she's learned by asking if we are sad, happy, mad. Blown away she understands these concepts!
Christina C.
Amy always makes class fun and exciting for the explorers. My son loved seeing all the animals for each week. He talks about them all week long. He even did the dog yoga pose without prompting. It was so great to see his focus building each week. As always the class was excellent and adds wonderful play to my son's week. Thank you.
Kim G.
Madelyn always notices and acknowledges every explorer—my child really loves interacting with her. This lesson was so fun—loved acting like chimpanzees and making all kinds of faces. Love that it is okay that my child didn't want to touch the mud today. She was still able to participate fully and had a wonderful experience!
Anne M.
Teacher Kari goes through the lesson in a focused, but unrushed manner which leaves plenty of room for kids to participate fully. Being able to have a class with Teacher Kari while located in a different part of the country is the best thing to come out of virtual classes.
Zoe V.
Just great flow, pacing, energy, balance, seeing other kids, seeing Jenna, the songs, the visuals, etc. Technology and resources and planning all are working smoothly to give a great experience.
Tameisha K.
5! Great class today! Our family really enjoyed learning about such a relatable animal...the rabbit! The class also seemed to flow so nicely as Ms. Angelina incorporated photos, video examples, and play throughout the lesson. I also loved playing the remaining kindergarten song as the exit. My daughter has been playing burrows, rabbits, and predators all morning! animal...the rabbit! The class also seemed to flow so nicely as Ms. Angelina incorporated photos, video examples, and play throughout the lesson. I also loved playing the remaining kindergarten song as the exit. My daughter has been playing burrows, rabbits, and predators all morning!
Kirsten K.
Kari was a very friendly and interactive teacher, it can't be easy to wrangle young kids virtually. And my daughter absolutely loved making her happiness potion. She told her father about it the second she saw him.
Julia H.
The teacher was awesome and made us feel very welcome. My son was super nervous about class and she made him feel comfortable right away. He can't wait to go back!
Maria M.
My boys came home excited and asking when the next class was!!! As a parent it made me very happy to be back in an in-person setting for Tinkergarten! It was so refreshing to see kids out in nature exploring TOGETHER in our "new normal!" Thank you for bringing it back.
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FAQs
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What are Tinkergarten's in-person classes like?
Tinkergarten classes follow a predictable structure designed to build a strong sense of community, connect participants to nature, and introduce lessons that support our 8 core skills. You can read more about them in this article or sign up for a free trial to see for yourself!
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What if we will miss sessions of Tinkergarten?
We understand that families, especially those with young explorers, have to miss live sessions of Tinkergarten from time to time. That's why we always provide a 7-10-minute pre-recorded Tinkergarten lesson featuring Tinkergarten's Chief Learning Officer. Watch a here. If you have to miss your live session, you can watch the recorded lesson from anywhere, anytime that works for you. So, even if you have to miss a live session you never have to miss Tinkergarten!
Summer 2022 Flex Policy: As many families return to pre-pandemic summer schedules, we’re offering additional flexibility for families with existing scheduling conflicts. Families enrolled in the Summer 2022 season can request an account credit for up to two missed summer sessions. Read more about our In-Person program policies here.
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How will Tinkergarten approach safety for in-person programming?
Our approach to safety in all of our in-person Tinkergarten programming is informed by CDC guidance, has been proven over many seasons, and aims to ensure that everyone has as engaged, joyful, and safe an experience as possible. Read about our safety approach here.
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What if there are no in-person classes near me?
Join our on-demand Tinkergarten Anywhere program! All you need is a connected device to view the weekly video lessons which you can watch (and rewatch!) whenever you like. The lessons are led by Tinkergarten founder and Chief Learning Officer Meghan Fitzgerald, and you'll receive resources to continue the outdoor play all week long.
You can also nominate someone in your community who would make a great Tinkergarten Leader (or apply yourself!). Please note that we gradually expand our in-person classes each season, and will continue to expand our reach in seasons to come.
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What additional resources are included with Tinkergarten?
Each week, in addition the live session, families are given access to: at-home activities which build on the live lesson; a video read-aloud of a related book-of-the-week; a video version of the week's lesson from our Tinkergarten Anywhere series; and a "Just for Grown Ups" video or article designed to help parents and caregivers facilitate their kiddos’ play at home (and laugh a little, too).
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Can siblings join in the fun?
Yes! Our mixed-aged classes are the perfect experience to enjoy with siblings. Siblings under 12 months of age may join at no cost. Siblings over one year should enroll in the class, and a 25% sibling discount is automatically applied at checkout.
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What age group does Tinkergarten serve?
Our current programs are designed for children ages 18 months to 8 years, and our mixed-age formats support all learners, from the youngest to oldest. Our open-ended learning tasks, universal design curriculum, and approach to supporting children allows each child to find the right challenge level in each lesson and enables kids to learn from their classmates, both those the same age and those of different ages. Read more about the powerful benefits of mixed-age learning on our blog. Leaders also take time to get to know each child and adapt our approach to best fit the child's interests, strengths and needs.
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Can families request financial support to participate in Tinkergarten?
Yes! Families can apply for 50% or 100% off the cost of one child's full season fee in either format, In-Person or Tinkergarten Anywhere, via tinkergarten.com/grant *. The online application takes under 1 minute to complete and includes no ask for financial information—if a family takes the time to apply, they qualify for our support. We reserve 3% of all spots in our classes nationwide to award as grants and award them on a first-come-first-served basis. Once you apply, you should hear back from our team within one week. If a grant is still available when you apply, we will send you a code to apply the grant when you register.
To apply or learn more, visit tinkergarten.com/grant today!
If you need any assistance or have questions, please write to us at support@tinkergarten.com.
(*) For In-Person classes, if you receive a 100% grant and enroll a second child, your second child's tuition will be full price with subsequent children receiving the 25% sibling discount.
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Are Tinkergarten classes held outside?
Yes, all of Tinkergarten’s In-Person programs take place in delightful, outdoor settings. As part of the program, families receive coaching on both the gear and the mindset that make outdoor play fun, healthy and joyful all year long.
In the rare case that weather conditions are unsafe at the time of your live session (e.g. lightning, too cold), your Leader will either reschedule your in-person class session or will welcome you to utilize the pre-recorded class content and resources while you play safely at home.
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Are masks required?
As is stated in our approach to health and safety, Tinkergarten does not require that attendees wear masks. We do recommend wearing face masks for people who are not vaccinated, over the age of two and are not otherwise exempted from wearing masks. In some cases, the location at which Tinkergarten class meets does require attendees to wear masks. Before your class starts, we will clearly communicate by email and on our My Tinkergarten (parent dashboard) if there is a mask requirement at your location.
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What do families bring to Tinkergarten In Person classes?
Leaders set up the outdoor classroom each week, so families just need to bring water bottles and seasonally appropriate layers. Read more about how to dress for outdoor learning here. To help you plan, enrolled families can also download a Season Program Overview from their My Tinkergarten (parent dashboard). The Overview includes a preview of the learning you'll be doing each week!
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What happens in inclement weather?
We love to play in (nearly) all weather at Tinkergarten. But, in the case of unsafe weather, your Leader will update families at least 90 minutes prior to class by email and text message. Families will either be offered an alternative time to meet during the same season or will be welcome to utilize the prerecorded lesson content available in their My Tinkergarten (parent dashboard). If more than 2 sessions need to be canceled, families will be eligible for a refund for those additional sessions. Read all of our in-person class policies here.
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How can I find out if there are in-person classes near me?
Click here and enter your zip code at the top to see if classes are available in your area. We'll continue to expand our reach in seasons to come.
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How can I learn more about the current or upcoming season curricula?
You can click here to view sample activities. Be sure to toggle to see samples from each season. Or, visit our Curriculum page to download samples of the Curriculum Overviews we provide to parents or Season Maps that kids can use to track their progress through each unique seasonal curriculum.
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Who must accompany my child to Tinkergarten In Person sessions?
Tinkergarten In-Person sessions are designed for grown-ups and child(ren) to experience together. To provide for the safety of all enrolled, children attend along with an adult from their own household or pod.
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Why is outdoor learning important?
Numerous studies link exposure to nature with enhanced physical, social and cognitive outcomes for kids. And because nature is both calming and stimulating for kids, it provides an ideal environment for learning!
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What are the class policies?
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Class led by

Christine Szeglin
See Bio-
Upcoming Class Dates
-
Allison Park (Palisades Interstate Park), Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey
- This Class has concluded