Booking a Pottery Painting Session
So you want to book a session at a pottery painting studio, but trying something new makes you nervous? Don't worry, this post will be all about how painting sessions work at pottery studios using The Mud Mill Lodi as an example so you can feel more confident going into this super fun activity!
How do I book and how much does it cost?
Every pottery painting studio is different, so the best thing you can do is contact your local studio and see what their protocol is. At the Mud Mill Lodi, we were able to walk in at opening (11 AM) on a Wednesday and sit down with no problem. Since my friend and I are both work-from-home moms with kids that aren't in school, we don't really have to worry about booking appointments. However, I would highly recommend at least calling ahead of time before stopping by your local studio to ensure you have a table. Also, follow their Facebook pages and sign up for their newsletters as this can be a great way to know about specials and sales to save a few bucks. The Mud Mill Lodi has an online booking system with most days having 12p and 2p available for anyone to sign up for. You could also book these kinds of places up for birthday parties!
Would this be good for my toddler?
Whenever anyone asks me about introducing craft time to toddlers, I always say that it depends on their comprehension of acceptable actions. Does your child still stick things in their mouth to taste or eat? If the answer is yes, your child isn't ready to take on most craft activities and certainly not at a paint studio. Miles stopped doing that just after he turned 1, so what we've been able to do is a longer list than the average toddler. If your child is able to listen to direction and not stick things into their mouths and not get wild, then I think this is the perfect parent-child experience. Remember: this is a house of ceramics that are all unpainted. You don't want your kid flinging paint around willy nilly and knocking everything over that you'll have to foot the bill for.
The average toddler has a 20-minute attention span on what is considered a "quiet time" activity. Make sure session last by focusing on one small item at a time, and allowing the kids to get up to grab more paint to help reset that attention span. Our kids were able to last about an hour doing 3.5 art pieces.
What do you do?
I'm very grateful that my friend and her family visit often so I had a helping hand going through the steps. If you're not as lucky, I'll help break down how The Mud Mill works to help you feel a little more confident. The first thing you do is pick out the pieces you want to paint. Let one of the employees know as soon as you've picked them all out so they can write your tab down. While they do that, wash your hands with soap and water so no oils or dirt end up getting baked into your pottery. They provide you with a damp sponge that you'll use to wipe down your ceramics of any dust or dirt. This doesn't have to be a detailed cleaning, just a quick wipe down.
Once you've cleaned your pieces, approach the paint station and an employ to pick your paints. The kids were given a few colors and a quarter-sized amount of each to start with. This helps the little ones from making too big of a mess and helps prevent wasted paint, in general. When your painting is finished, you go up to the register to pay for your products. Leave your ceramics at the table. It's also a good idea to get your name or your child's name on the pieces. This helps with making sure nothing gets lost when they go to bake everything. They'll let you know when to return to grab your items. You'll have a set number of days you're allowed to pick up your items before they dispose of them (no refunds).
How is this any different from just painting ceramics from the craft store?
Pottery painting studios like The Mud Mill use specialized paint meant specifically for painting pottery and being baked in a kiln. Most paint-at-home projects like that are you buying some ceramic pieces (which aren't as easy to find like when I was a kid) and painting them with maybe some acrylic paint. Sure, you could go that route at home, but your paint project won't have a the quality and longevity as something baked in a kiln. These are pieces that are meant to act as keepsakes and gifts.
How could I use this experience as a gift?
Painting sessions are the gifts that keep on giving. Rather than exchange gifts for our kids who were already going to be getting lots of stuff from family members, we decided to create this new experience tradition with them instead. $6 to $8 for a 2-hour experience is a pretty good deal. More craft experiences charge you a lot for tools and supplies, whereas The Mud Mill keeps those costs low. The money racks up with the pieces you grab, but that can be easily managed with some restraint. For $20-$100, you can gift someone a really fun and memorable 2 hours that comes with a keepsake at the end.
If you're looking to turn the experience into a reason for DIYs, consider one of the many dozens of items they have in stock. I saw vases, cups, plates, trays, mugs and more. The possibilities are endless.
My friend and I are already talking about when we can go back and do a moms only paint night! I really want to try out some of their serving ware items. Let me know in the comments below if there are any questions you have that I didn't cover and I'll be sure to update this post to include them!
