In no particular order, here are the questions people are asking about the school and the program.

When are the sessions?
Tinkering School is a 7 day/6 night sleepover camp. Kids arrive on Sunday and are picked up on Saturday. The specific timeframes are established for each session.

When does the next session start?
We typically offer two one-week sessions per year, usually in mid-July. The exact dates are announced each winter, as soon as the summer logistics are finalized.

How many kids get to participate?
Originally the size of the program was based, in part, on the size of the facility. This will likely continue to be true, so the final size of the group won’t be determined until the facility is finalized. In any event, it will be 8-12 Tinkerers per session.

Where are you located?
Tinkering School headquarters is in Montara, California (south of San Francisco along Highway 1). We’ve outgrown this facility for the sleepover camp. In 2009 we were based at Elkus Ranch near Half Moon Bay.

Do you have supervisors for all of the tinkerers?
Yes. Our current staffing ratio is 3 tinkerers per adult collaborator. All use of power tools is supervised by an adult.

Where do the kids sleep?
This of course depends on the facility, but we typically set up bunk-beds in two separate sleeping areas (one for boys and one for girls). Adult supervisors sleep in adjacent areas.

What kind of food is served?
Meals range from simple foods such as spaghetti, vegetables, chicken, rice, grilled-cheese sandwiches, and scrambled eggs to the more complex. Fruit and nuts are always on hand for snacks. Special dietary accommodations can be made, given prior notice.

Do tinkerers really get to keep their tools?
Everyone gets a parting gift to ensure that they can take some of the Tinkering School experience home with them.

What is the age range in the sessions?
My best educational experiences were in “one-room schoolhouse” situations which has heavily influenced the approach here, but we have found that the younger tinkerers are not having as much fun on the intense multi-day projects so we have created a session just for them. The Juniors are ages 8-12 and the Seniors are ages 12-17.

What? No 7 year olds any more?
Although we’ve had a few 7 year old participants, we’ve found that sleeping away from home for 6 nights is not yet within the comfort zone of most kids that age. So rather than disappoint all of them, we want to set a more appropriate expectation.

How much does it cost?
The 2009 session price was $1200 per tinkerer. A deposit is required to secure your spot, with the balance due approximately six weeks before the session starts. Cancellations less than 30 days before start of session forfeit some or all of their payment depending on whether we can fill the spot in time. Note that there are scholarships available and we are continually trying to expand the financial assistance program.

How do I sign up?
Participants are selected based on their applications. We strive to get a balanced mix of ages, girls/boys, and experienced/novice tinkerers. We also want to make sure that all kids really want to be here – that’s why there is a section of the application for them to fill out as well. Once your application has been received we may follow up with questions and a possible interview. If selected, parents/guardians will be expected to complete the big scary liability waiver and kids will be expected to follow our code of conduct and Tinkering School Rules (Rule #1: don’t hurt yourself or anyone else).

How do I get an application?
Join our News mail list. We will send an announcement when the schedule is announced and also when the application has been posted (January/February).