Kid’s PYOP Summer Camps

Kid’s PYOP Summer Camps

Looking for a unique summer experience for your child? Want them to enjoy themselves while
still being creatively stimulated? Are they interested in making art? Paint-your-own-pottery Summer
camps might be the perfect thing for your child.

Many camps offer crafts in addition to PYOP, including canvas painting, clay modeling, and
papercrafts. By providing so many types of creative learning, art camps inspire kids to try new things,
create new skill sets, and step out of their comfort zone in a supported and fun learning environment. Many art
camps also have art shows at the end to display the kids’ work, giving them a chance to feel a sense of
pride and confidence in their work.

Each session will leave you with precious mementos of their Summer to hold on to for many
years to come. As your kids keep growing older, their creativity will continue to grow, and there is no
better place to foster their minds than an art-based camp. Being in an open environment with others their
age allows kids to play and make friends in a safe and non-stressful way; There is no competition or
grading system in art-based camps, taking conflict out of the picture for their breaks.

Your kids will be able to beat the heat while keeping social and making pieces they’re truly proud
of. Nearly every age can benefit from and enjoy an art based camp, and the paint-your-own-pottery
experience is quite a unique one. And, it will be a hit, rain or shine!

If your kids love birthday parties, events, and classes at your local studio, they’re sure to love a
Summer camp. Check out the options at your local studio today, and try our studio locator to find PYOP
studios near you!

National Creativity Day – May 30, 2022

National Creativity Day – May 30, 2022

Looking for something to do to celebrate National Creativity Day this month? Try
paint-your-own-pottery! With an abundance of inventory, the full rainbow of glaze colors, and endless
ideas, PYOP provides the perfect celebratory activity. Studios can offer sample works, stencils, silk
screens, creative techniques and all sorts of guidance for those who may be intimidated by a totally blank
slate. Many pieces have guiding designs, but there are always free form options for the more bold painters
in your group!

Kids have tons of options for getting messy and creative – there are figurines of their favorite
characters and animals, boxes and banks for their collections, and smushable palette options (colors that
won’t combine to make brown when smushed all over by little fingers). With options galore, there are no
unhappy campers. Kids can find color palettes that are typical of the object they’ve chosen, or go rogue
with funky colors and crazy designs.

Sometimes, we have a harder time diving into creative projects than our kids do – blank projects
can be intimidating, and it’s been a long time since most of us have taken an art class. Flipping through
stencil options can be a great way to get started: find which designs and elements stick out to you most,
and choose a color scheme to match. Then, trace the stencil with a pencil onto the bare pottery. Pencil
burns away completely in the kiln, so don’t worry about mistakes and smudges! Then, paint in your
outlined design, and voila! A piece you can be proud of.

Many studios also offer other creative outlets, like glass fusing, canvas painting, wood sign art,
wheel throwing, and more! Check out the options at your local studio for inspiration of how to spend this
year’s National Creativity Day, and you’ll have a great time rain or shine! Not sure of how to find your
local studio’s information? Try our studio locator!

The Perfect Mother’s Day

The Perfect Mother’s Day

Looking for a unique and sentimental gift for Mom? A hand-made gift is the way to go, and a
functional one is even better! With hand print designs, functional pottery, and a wide budget range,
pottery painted by her children is the best gift a mother can receive.

The associates at your local studio can assist in creating a design that incorporates your child or
children’s hand prints, finger prints, foot prints, anything you like! Most studios also offer options for
custom lettering and art to personalize the piece further – with a variety of fonts, message options, and
colors galore, each piece is totally unique and captures that moment in your child’s life.

If you forgot to get gifts, or to take the kids into your local paint-your-own-pottery studio in time
for pieces to be ready, fear not! Bring in Mom on Mother’s Day for an interactive gift experience – she’ll
enjoy not only the beautiful quality time spent with family, but also the pieces that she can keep forever
and remember the day.

With Spring weather being so unpredictable, your Mother’s Day plans may be rained out; Rain or
shine, your local PYOP studio is open and ready to serve you! The perfect rainy day activity is relaxing
with art and loved ones.
Here are some of our favorite details on pottery to include on your piece:
– A hidden message inside a mug
– A heart made of two finger prints
– The date written out (instead of MM/DD/YY)
– Kids’ signatures in their own handwriting
– Putting a photo in a picture frame before gifting it

Happy creating, and Happy Mother’s Day!

Art Camps During Spring Break

Art Camps During Spring Break

This Spring, as we navigate the world of childcare, put some thought into an art-based camp for your little ones. Studio camps give kids the engaging and entertaining experience of working with new materials and creating art in a social setting, while also keeping their minds active. Following instructions, collaborating with others, using creative thinking skills, and engaging with imagination are just a few of the ways that art-based camps keep little minds stimulated on their breaks from school. 

With pottery painting, wet clay, canvas art, and more, children are given a variety of tools and activities to expand their artistic horizons. By providing so many types of artistic learning, art camps inspire kids to try new things, create new skill sets, step out of their comfort zone in a supported and fun learning environment. Many art camps also have art shows at the end to display the kids’ work, giving them a chance to feel a sense of pride and confidence in their work. 

While many schools across the country cut back funding for their art departments and time for kids to have creative learning in school, studios can provide a space for kids to explore their creative needs and potential talents, or even just to get their hands dirty (especially when it’s not your mess to clean up!) 

Being in an open environment with others their age allows kids to play and make friends in a safe and non-stressful way; There is no competition or grading system in art-based camps, taking conflict out of the picture for their breaks. 

Not sure where to turn? Try our studio locator to find a paint-your-own pottery studio near you, and see what programs they have to offer!

 

Make a Date to Create This Valentine’s Day

Make a Date to Create This Valentine’s Day

As February 14th rolls around again, you may be thinking there are no original date ideas left.
Or that 2022 is already as exhausting as the last few years, and you don’t want to put a crazy amount of
effort into getting some alone time with your partner. Well, look no further for romantic and easy ideas:
paint-your-own-pottery is the way to go!

Have an in-studio date via walk-ins or appointments, depending on what your local studio prefers,
or get a take-home kit and create meaningful gifts for each other in the comfort of your own home!
Painting pottery together allows you both to create a unique item to be cherished by your loved
one while also having some time together to decompress with a bit of art therapy. Create something
together for your home, or surprise each other by making something the other will love.

There is plenty of Valentine’s themed pottery available if you enjoy niche decor (or enjoy
cute things with hearts and xo’s), or you can create something that fits your year-round style; That’s the
the beauty of creating the piece yourself!

Consider taking a class with your loved one to learn a new skill together – someone else does all
the setup, teaching, and clean up, while you get to enjoy the good company of your partner and create an
item to remind you of that day forever.

Not looking for a romantic Valentine’s? Make a date to create with your friends! Every aspect of
a good date spot is just as good with the people closest to you, and maybe even with less pressure. Bring
the girls in for a pottery brunch date, or take a to-go kit home for a party with friends.
And many paint-your-own-pottery studios are BYOB, don’t forget…

Try our studio locator to find your new favorite date spot!

Give the Gift of an Experience this Holiday Season

Give the Gift of an Experience this Holiday Season

When shopping for holiday presents, it’s hard to know where to get the most
meaningful gifts that will stay in someone’s life. And with so many trendy fads, massive lines at big box
stores, and understocking as a bi-product of Covid-19 shortages, holiday shopping can be a complete
nightmare.

Some of the best gifts are experience-based. We may think first of concert tickets, trips, etc., but
pottery studios can provide so much in terms of not only a wonderful experience but a product that
solidifies that memory forever; The best of both worlds.

In a paint-your-own-pottery studio, pre-made pottery can be painted; classes are offered (perhaps
on wheel throwing, canvas painting, glass fusing, wood sign making, special techniques, and more),
and there is always ample opportunity for memories to be made! Purchasing a gift card from a studio to
be used towards any type of creation or event is a great way to gift someone in your life a wonderful day
and a special present to hold on to.

And, if gift cards are not your preference, hand-painted or handmade pieces can touch the hearts
of your loved ones. Children’s handprints, romantic designs, whatever your goal is, can be achieved on various pieces, all designed by you.

One significant aspect of this gift idea is supporting a local business, allowing it to do
well during a season where many people flock to massive corporations and online sellers. So this holiday
season, give a little thought to where your presents come from and consider giving the gift of an
experience.