Friday Tinkers

The Out to Play Centre is nestled at Beetbox Farm — an organic, people-centred farm where the first sparks of what is now the Out to Play community were lit.

Easily accessed from downtown Ottawa, Nepean, Barrhaven, and Kanata, Beetbox Farm is surrounded by public land and connected to the Shirley’s Bay trail network. Here, children spend their days immersed in meadows, orchards, forests, and along the shoreline of the Kitchissippi River. The farm experience is woven naturally into each day — children might gather vegetables from the gardens, feed the chickens, or pause to greet the animals.

At the Out to Play Centre, our shelters include spacious canvas wall tents and a cabin. In the colder months, these spaces become warm and welcoming, with woodstoves offering a cosy place to gather.

About the Program
For youth aged 10–14 years, the Tinker Club honours your young person’s growing independence, creativity, and capacity for thoughtful engagement. Rooted in the same child-centred, inquiry-driven approach as all Out to Play programs, Tinker Club offers space for youth to explore, create, and connect through play and meaningful work on the land.
Each day begins and returns to a warm and connected circle — a time for oral storytelling, shared meals, and thoughtful conversation. From there, the group heads out on a daily hike and engages in a range of experiences, including art, large loose parts play, and hands-on science investigations. At Out to Play, we value the rich learning that comes from adventurous play, and activities such as hiking, pond and creek exploration, tree climbing, and tool use are thoughtfully and safely supported by educators.

A central part of the Tinker Club experience is project-based learning. Approximately half of each day is dedicated to skill-building and collaborative projects that are chosen and designed by the group. These projects invite youth to take ownership of their ideas and see them through over time. Past projects have included playwriting and performance, building bat boxes, creating raised garden beds, learning orienteering, cooking and baking over the fire, and practicing visible mending.

The program also includes two field trips to nearby forests, offering new landscapes for exploration and connection.

The 2026–2027 project curriculum is thoughtfully planned while remaining flexible and responsive to the group. It includes opportunities to learn from visiting specialists and is currently envisioned as:

This program takes place from 9:00-3:00 on Fridays from September 4, 2026 to June 11, 2027 at the Out to Play Centre. There are 37 program days and two Saturday Family Gathering Days on October 24 and May 15.

There is no program on December 25, January 1, March 19, and March 26 for seasonal breaks and holidays.

Registration and Payment Details
Out to Play programs require an access code to complete registration. If you do not have an access code, please reach out to [email protected] or add your child to our waitlist here!

Multi-day and Sibling Discounts are available.

Out to Play offers flexible payment and withdrawal options. You can pay in full at the time of registration, or choose a 10% deposit followed by three seasonal installments. Payment options include credit card, pre-authorised debit, or e-transfer, selected at the time of registration. The cancellation and withdrawal policy is generous, and is shared in detail during the registration process.