DesignTinkers — What They Do and What They Offer

DesignTinkers is a creative education and enrichment provider in Singapore that runs hands-on camps, workshops and holiday programmes focused on design, art, architecture and maker-style thinking for children and teens. Their offerings are designed to spark curiosity, encourage creative problem-solving and nurture early design thinking skills by exposing young learners to principles of design, model-making, digital creation, sustainable thinking and practical architectural concepts.

The programmes are curated by a team of educators, designers and registered architects who specialise in working with children, blending creative disciplines with practical processes so participants learn not just what to create, but how to think like designers and makers.

Core Focus & Educational Philosophy

DesignTinkers’ mission is to help children explore the world through design and creative play, using structured projects that combine visual literacy, critical thinking, hands-on prototyping and collaborative making. The organisation views the design process as a tool for problem-solving rather than just an art form, encouraging learners to think about how things work, why they look the way they do and how they can be improved.

Programmes emphasise:

• Inquiry and experimentation
• Model making and spatial thinking
• Creative and critical thinking
• Real-world design applications
  These elements are woven into camp and workshop projects that help children reflect on their ideas, iterate on prototypes and articulate design decisions.

DesignTinkers operates out of Goodman Arts Centre (90 Goodman Road, Singapore), using spacious, maker-friendly classrooms to host both regular classes and holiday camps where learners can create, explore and prototype freely under guidance.

Holiday Camps & Workshop Programmes

DesignTinkers runs holiday camps during school breaks and thematic workshops that vary in length — from multi-day, project-based design camps to one-day creative workshops. Past and typical camp examples include:

5-Day Design & Maker Camps

These week-long camps immerse children in design-led, hands-on projects that combine practical design skills with creative thinking and real-world concepts:

• Eco-Home & Sustainable Architecture: Kids design and build 3D eco-home models, learning about sustainability and green design principles.
• Graphic Design & Branding: Participants explore digital visual communication using tools like Canva, designing logos and basic branding elements.
• 3D Design & TinkerCAD + 3D Printing: Children learn TinkerCAD modeling and watch their digital creations get printed, fostering digital.
• Bridge Building & Structural Design: Projects like building a bridge prototype teach basic structural understanding, loads and forces through prototyping and testing.
• Mars Home Design: Some editions explore future-focused design topics like constructing living environments on Mars, combining creativity with spatial and engineering thinking.

These camps typically run Monday–Friday from about 9:30 AM to 3:00 PM, include lunch, snacks and all materials, and are suited for ages roughly 7–12 years old (with slight variations depending on the specific camp theme).

3-Day & Mini Project Workshops

DesignTinkers also offers shorter holiday programmes, such as 3-day camps where participants apply design thinking to specific real-life projects (e.g., designing a home for themselves or their family using both 2D planning and 3D model making).

1-Day Creative Workshops

For learners with shorter availability or focused interests, DesignTinkers runs 1-day camps such as:

• Graphic Design with Canva: Where kids learn visual design principles, crafting brand logos and marketing materials using digital tools like Canva.

These shorter workshops combine both digital creativity and design fundamentals, often tailored around creative industries like branding or visual communication.

Instructional Approach & Environment

DesignTinkers’ programmes are guided by experienced instructors — including architects, designers and educators — who tailor activities to support individual creativity while building technical skills.

The learning environment emphasises:

• Hands-on making & prototyping
• Creative ideation & sketching
• Use of real design tools (both analog like model materials and digital like TinkerCAD/Canva)
• Collaborative exploration and personal expression

This approach fosters not just finished projects but also confidence, resilience and reflective thinking as learners navigate design challenges.

Age Range & Suitability

DesignTinkers generally targets children and young teens aged around 7–12 (and occasionally up to ~14 in some camps) depending on the programme. Camp content and project complexity are adjusted to suit age-appropriate skill levels, making the experience accessible for both beginners and those with prior interest in art, design or architecture.

Locations & How to Participate

DesignTinkers’ holiday camps and workshops are frequently held at:

• Goodman Arts Centre, 90 Goodman Road, Singapore 439053
• Agora Colearning, HarbourFront Centre (for some off-site camps)

Families can register through the DesignTinkers website or get on the mailing list for updates on upcoming holiday camps. Camps require advance registration due to limited capacity and to ensure quality hands-on support for participants.

Benefits for Participants

Children attending DesignTinkers’ programmes can expect to gain:

• Creative confidence and visual literacy through iterative design projects.
• Critical thinking and problem-solving skills by tackling open-ended design challenges.
• Hands-on modeling and maker skills, including digital tools like TinkerCAD and Canva.
• Knowledge of design principles such as form, function, space planning and sustainability.
• Collaborative and communication skills through shared workshop tasks and presentation opportunities.

Overall, DesignTinkers programmes help kids connect creative thinking with real-world design contexts in an engaging and supportive setting.

Conclusion

DesignTinkers in Singapore provides creative, design-led holiday camps and workshops for children and young teens that combine hands-on making, model building, digital design tools and critical thinking. With week-long camps on topics like eco-architectural design, 3D modeling and graphic branding alongside shorter creative sessions, DesignTinkers aims to nurture problem-solving, creativity and design confidence through immersive maker learning.