This course introduces the concept of tinkering and why it is a vital part of children’s experiences in early learning and child care programs.

This course explores the powerful role of tinkering in early learning and child care environments. You'll discover how hands-on exploration supports children’s natural curiosity, creativity, and problem-solving skills. Through tinkering, children learn to think critically, generate ideas, and transform those ideas into inventions.
Participants will examine what tinkering looks like in practice, how it supports cognitive development, and how to design environments that inspire discovery. You'll learn how to foster a playful yet purposeful atmosphere where children can explore, experiment, and learn through trial and error.

Dr, Beverlie Dietze olds a PhD form the University of Toronto, a M.AE. from St. Francis Xavier University and a B.Ed. from the University of New Brunswick. Beverlie is a well-known researcher on an array of early childhood education topics, including outdoor pedagogy and staff development models. She has numerous published articles, the author or co-author of seven textbooks on early childhood education topics. She has delivered key note addresses and workshops nationally and internationally on early childhood education, leadership and adult education topics for many years and has taught in college and university programs across Canada.