
Discover places to go for drop-in arts and crafts, ceramics, canvas art, building mosaics, watercolor, paint your own pottery and much more! These kid-friendly studios offer plenty of indoor fun with lots colorful projects, so just be sure to verify their open studio hours and go ahead and drop in! Many of these places also host arts and crafts birthday parties, classes, camps and special events. Do your children have a favorite pottery or painting place around New York City to drop in?
Art Fun Studio
Nancy L.: The Art Fun Studio in Bay Ridge offers ready-to-paint options with pre-drawn canvases and plaster that's ready to decorate. Kids can choose from favorite characters or opt for open-ended designs. Take your creations home right away.
Age: All
Price: Starts at $10 for a figurine and $15 for a canvas
The Painted Pot
Jennie Utsinger: Head over to The Painted Pot for an afternoon of pottery-painting fun! Choose from a large variety of pottery, including letters, mugs, figures, and more. Spend time with friends and family while creating beautiful art.
Age: all
Price: price per item varies
Kids’ Crafts at Home Depot
Nancy L.: Many parents may not even realize this, but Home Depot hosts free kids' craft workshops the first Saturday of every month. You can register in advance, but it's not required, at a location near you to make a craft to take home and use. Kids get an adorable, official Home Depot apron to use and then take home as well. (An adult must remain with the child at all times during the workshop.)
Age: 3 and up
Price: Free
Children's Museum of the Arts
Cherisse Harris: If you can visit the museum before general admission hours, your little one might enjoy the CMA’s WEE-drop-in classes. Taught by the museum’s professional artists, these courses are fun for little ones and their parents. Kids will practice discovery thru play with dough, flubber, and paint, and enjoy music and story-time. Afterward, take advantage of reduced admission fees to enjoy the awesome exhibits and the Swirl Studio -- your kid will thank you.
Age: 5 and under
Price: $25 per family (up to 5 people)/$20 for CMA members
Taro's Origami Studio
Kelly R.: The Drop-In Corner at Taro's Origami Studio welcomes guests of all experience levels to fold their own origami creations, guided through each step by tablet software. A 30-minute drop-in session gives access to unlimited paper, a variety of origami models, and stickers and stamps to embellish the creations.
Age: 3+
Cost: $10/person for 30 minutes
Rubin Museum of Art - Family Sundays
Jennie Utsinger: Spend a Sunday afternoon at the Rubin Museum of Art for Family Sundays. Head to the Education Center anytime between 1pm and 4pm to join a themed art-making activity. Museum educators will demonstrate the project and then kids can unleash their creativity. There's also a Family Exhibition tour at 2 pm where families can enjoy a kid-friendly overview of the museum.
Age: 3+
Cost: free
Brooklyn Museum: Creativity Lab
Cherisse Harris: After you tour the museum galleries, stop by The Creativity Lab. You and your child will love discovering new techniques in painting, sculpting, and art exploration. Supplies are provided... just make sure you are ready to get a little messy and have a lot of fun.
Age: All Ages
Cost: Free with museum admission
Art Lab - MOMA
Jennie Utsinger: Drop in to the Art Lab before your visit to the MOMA and experiment, play, and create while engaging with art in tactile ways. All projects are centered around a theme and are directly connected to MOMA collections.
Age: all
Cost: Free with museum admission
The Paint Place
Nancy L.: The Paint Place sets aside weekend mornings for family-friendly versions of the studio's painting class. Families can work together on one project or each person can create their own masterpiece. Materials are provided. All you have to do is show up in your "painting" clothes.
Age: 4-8
Price: Call the studio for pricing
Eckford Street Studio
Cherisse Harris: Wake up early one Saturday and stop by the Family Open Studio to show your child how fun art can be. This studio offers art instruction in sculpting, collage, painting and drawing . There's a different art project every week. The sessions are about two-hours, and children are free to play afterwards.
Age: 1-5
Price: $27
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Drop-in Drawings: Friday 6:30-8:30 pm
Family Afternoons: Sunday 1-4pm
Cherisse Harris: The Metropolitan Museum of Art offers some of the best art collections in the world, but it also has a great art studio for families. Whether you attend the MetFriday's "Drop-in Drawing" sessions or the "Family Afternoons" on a Sunday, you're sure to have a wonderful experience. Parents and kids can create their own sketches, paintings, and artistic creations with the MET's very own art instructors. Art supplies are provided, but you can bring your own sketchbook -- if you prefer. Don't forget to check out the museum's free guided tours afterwards.
Age: All
Price: Free with admission
Loop of the Loom: Spouting Weavers
Nancy L.: Loop of the Loom offers a drop-in class where kids have one hour to make a hat. If you need more than one hour, you can pay an additional fee to continue working. Kids will learn the fun of weaving and go home with a finished project they can use. There are additional projects that can completed over two class drop-ins such as a scarf, bag, pillow, and belt. All materials are provided.
Age: 5-14
Price: $60 for one hour
The Craft Studio
Nancy L.: Stop by The Craft Studio to try a variety of walk-in crafts. Kids can work with clay, plaster, ceramics, watercolors, paint on canvas, make edible crafts, or try fabric crafts such as pillows or bags. The items will be ready to take home as soon as kids complete the craft.
Age: 3 and up
Price: $18.95
The Noguchi Museum
Cherisse Harris: After visiting the exhibits in the Noguchi Museum, head straight to the Open Studio for expert art instruction. Parents and children can make art in response to what they saw -- a very educational and structured activity that you and your child will remember.
Age: 2-11
Price: $10 for families with up to 4 members (includes museum admission)
A Sprinkle of Fun
Kelly R.: A Sprinkle of Fun specializes in creative and artistic birthday parties, but you don't need to wait for a special occasion to drop in during their Open Paint hours and decorate a plaster creation. A flat fee covers one plaster piece, paint, brushes and glaze. Make sure to call ahead on weekends to confirm the space won't be in use for a party.
Age: All
Cost: $10
Plaster Party Place
Cherisse Harris: A popular birthday destination, Plaster Party Place also hosts drop-in art classes for kids. Kids can create their own paintings, figurines, plaster crafts, and toys. Make sure you call before you go, as drop-in hours are subject to change. The studio also books private birthday parties and can fill up pretty fast.
Age: 6+
Price: Starts at $25
Primary photo: Mike Fox on Unsplash
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