Tinker Garden

Immerse your little one in the magical world of creative sensory play and messy play during these weekly 'drop and go' sessions designed exclusively for 2 , 3 and 4 year olds!

Our Tinker Garden sessions are a delightful blend of messy play, sensory play, exploration and creativity, igniting your child's imagination through hands-on experiences.

Each week our outdoor play sessions respond to the needs and interests of the children in the group, developing fine and gross motor skills, building friendships and honing their social skills in a safe and nurturing environment.

Designed as a 'drop and go' style session, this is an ideal program for parents looking for a Brisbane playgroup that gives parents a few hours to 'get things done' while their child plays!

We are located in Toowong, Brisbane.

Term 1 2026 - 9 Week Program

TUESDAY GROUP 9:00 - 12:00

Tuesday 3 February - Tuesday 31 March

Full for Term 1 - Waitlist Open

WEDNESDAY GROUP 9:00 - 12:00

Wednesday 4 February - Wednesday 1 April

1 fortnightly place available

THURSDAY GROUP 9:00 - 12:00

Thursday 5 February - Thursday 2 April

Limited Places Available

PRICE

$66/ session

(full or half term bookings available)

2026 Enrolment Application

Our Enrolment Process

At Flourish, we’re committed to creating a calm, balanced and supportive learning environment where every child can truly thrive.

To help us achieve this, all families are invited to book a trial session before an enrolment place is offered.

This trial session allows us to:

Meet your child and get to know their unique strengths and needs
Ensure our program is the right fit for them
Maintain a positive, safe and nurturing group dynamic for all children

Following the trial session, we’ll chat with you about next steps and let you know whether we can offer a place.

We appreciate your understanding and partnership as we continue to build a learning community in which every child can play, grow, and flourish.

PLEASE NOTE: THERE ARE NO MORE FREE TRIALS AVAILABLE IN 2025. PLEASE COMPLETE AN ENROLMENT APPLICATION AND WE WILL BE IN TOUCH!

Meet the tinker garden Educators

Tinker Garden story time. Small group, engaging and developmentally appropriate literacy activities.

Emma

Emma is our lead educator. She is a bachelor qualified teacher with over 20 years experience working as a teacher in primary schools and childcare settings in Australia and internationally. Her passion for holistic early education shines through in her kind and caring approach to nurturing young minds.

Small groups = personalised and meaningful relationships - nurturing each child's natural curiosity.

Heather

Heather is our assistant educator. She has extensive experience as a primary school teacher and helps to create an environment where the children feel valued and supported. Heather's warm, fun and friendly approach fosters meaningful connections with every child.

frequently asked questions

Am I required to stay?

No, this is a drop and go program. However, we understand that for some children, transitioning away from their caregivers is a big step. We want all children to feel comfortable and supported and as such, parents are welcome to stay and settle their child in.

How do you support children with separation anxiety?

Many of the children who attend Tinker Garden have never experienced care outside of the home before so we experienced in supporting children who feel nervous about saying goodbye.

If your child is struggling with separation anxiety, we will work closely with you to support your child, fostering a sense of safety and trust as they gradually transition into our program and build confidence in being away from you for a short period of time.

Our small group, high adult/child ratio and peaceful environment helps enormously with this process.

How many children are in the group?

We have a maximum of 12 children in each group and follow ACECQA guidelines for adult to child ratios. Our groups are small to ensure that educators are able to build strong relationships with each child and meet the needs of individuals.

Who facilitates the sessions?

The Tinker Garden sessions are led by Emma. Emma is a Bachelor qualified teacher with over 20 years experience working with children in both primary school and early childhood settings.

Emma is a fully registered teacher and holds a Blue Card and First Aid qualifications specifically for working with children including CPR, anaphylaxis and asthma training.

What is your cancellation policy?

All bookings are non-refundable. Unfortunately we can not offer refunds or credits for individual weeks missed in the term. However, we do offer make-up sessions on other Tinker Garden days within the term (depending on group numbers & availability).

Sessions cancelled by the organiser due to unsafe weather conditions or educator illness will be rescheduled or credited to your account. You will be notified of any cancellations by 8am on the day.

What happens if it rains?

Rainy day play can be lots of fun so our session will go ahead if it's raining. On these days, your child is encouraged wear gumboots and raincoat or wet weather coveralls to our play session. Children will usually have the option to play outdoors or indoors during wet weather.

Our session will be cancelled in the event of heavy rain or thunderstorms. You will be notified no later than 8am if our session will not go ahead and the session will either be rescheduled or credited to your account.

What is the difference between Tinker Garden & your Pre-School program?

Tinker Garden is purely a sensory and creative play program designed specifically for children aged 2 years and older. Our Pre-School children join our Tinker Garden group in the morning then continue on for another two hours of holistic learning experiences that focus on teaching social, emotional skills, fine motor development and early literacy & numeracy learning, to help prepare them for the next step in their learning journey.

What our Families have to say

"The magic that is Tinker Garden is truly one of a kind. The variety of play experiences is wonderful and provides children with such joy and curiosity."

- Siobhan

Tinker Garden Parent 2023 & 2024

"Tinker Garden has been a wonderful experience for my 3.5yr old son. He had never been to daycare so it was a new experience for him being away from me, but he settled in so quickly and was so comfortable in Emma's care. Every week there were so many different and fun activities for all interests. I will be signing my youngest son up once he's old enough. Highly recommend!"

- Ella

Tinker Garden Parent 2024

"It has been delightful to come to Tinker Garden this year, and we are so grateful for the beautiful and creative environment you have made. Tinker Garden is the highlight of our week and we are looking forward to returning in 2025!"

- Peta