Do your children love to get crafty? If you don't want the mess in your own home, or you are looking for something different to do on a rainy day then why not head to a ceramic café or craft cabin in Essex? These venues offer a range of activities from painting pottery (that is then fired so it's all shiny and washable) to deco patch and foam clay. I have included a few venues outside of Essex too which might be close enough to visit.
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| Guide to where to go pottery painting or to do crafts in (and close to) Essex |
At some ceramics cafes you pay a price per person for paint and firing and the price of any items on top, others include this cost in the price you pay for the items. If painting with glaze then you will need to come back on another day to collect your item after it has been fired, this can take a week or so depending on how busy they are.
Blue Owl
Nayland Road, Great Horkesley, CO6 4AH
A pottery painting studio & coffee shop, open Wednesday to Saturday 10am - 4pm.
You need to book your table, choose your pottery and pay before visiting, this is all done via the website. You can add additional items, gifts, snacks and drinks when you are there if you want to. Items range from £8 to about £30, the figurines which tend to appeal to children cost £12 to £15. These costs include glaze and firing so there is nothing extra to pay.
Parking available.
Open Wednesday to Saturday 10:00-16:00 although group bookings can be agreed outside these hours. Submit an enquiry form on their website or phone 01245 421996 to reserve a table, although walk ins are welcome. They don't sell food or drink, but you are welcome to bring your own if you want.
There is a studio/ firing charge of £5 plus the cost of the item. Items range from £6 to £40, with standard figurines £7 to £12.
Free street parking available in the village.
The Chameleon
2 Market Place, Great Dunmow, CM6 1AT
A café where you can paint ceramics with either acrylic paints or under glaze. Figures for children to paint are around £15. The cost of the items includes paint and firing.
Open 9am to 4pm Monday to Saturday and 10 to 3.00pm on Sunday.
Contact on 01371 873788 for bookings or hi@thechameleoncafe.co.uk.
Small amount of street parking available, alternatively the nearest is Chequers Lane Car Park
The Clay Cottage
Lubbards Lodge, Hullbridge Road, Rayleigh SS6 9QG
The Clay Cottage has a large selection of ceramics you can paint and they also have an area where you can make your own pottery (including a pottery wheel). The cost of items includes paint and firing. You also get free hot and cold drinks while painting and they have a shop if you want to buy snacks.
Open 9.30am to 6.pm Monday to Friday and 9.30 to 1pm on Saturday. The rest of the weekend is reserved for parties. It can be very popular so if you want to visit at a peak time call to book a table. They also have workshops during the holidays where you can drop children off for a couple of hours. Check out their Facebook page for information.
Contact on 07587 869655 or info@claycottage.co.uk to book.
The Clay Cottage has a large selection of ceramics you can paint and they also have an area where you can make your own pottery (including a pottery wheel). The cost of items includes paint and firing. You also get free hot and cold drinks while painting and they have a shop if you want to buy snacks.
Open 9.30am to 6.pm Monday to Friday and 9.30 to 1pm on Saturday. The rest of the weekend is reserved for parties. It can be very popular so if you want to visit at a peak time call to book a table. They also have workshops during the holidays where you can drop children off for a couple of hours. Check out their Facebook page for information.
Contact on 07587 869655 or info@claycottage.co.uk to book.
Clay Cottage is on a small industrial site and there is free parking.
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| Clay Cottage has a wide range of ceramics to paint |
Craft Cabin
Unit 4b Clock House Farm, Cavendish Lane, Glemsford, Suffolk, CO10 7PZ
Based in Suffolk, Craft Cabin has lots of craft activities to keep children entertained. From ceramic painting with acrylics and build a bear, to sand art and colouring. They also offer a variety of hot and cold drinks, milkshakes, cakes, sandwiches and desserts.
Open Thursday 9:30-17:00, Friday 9:30- 20:00 and Saturday 9:30-17:00. Monday and Tuesday by appointment only,
Call 01787 736618 to book.
The Craft Cabin E4 and CM23
1 Church View Buildings, The Green, E4 7EL
25 Hockerill Street, Bishops Stortford, CM23 2DH
The Craft Cabin has two sites offering a range of arts and crafts activities, while neither are in Essex I felt they were still close enough to the border to be worth including. They do have a firing range of ceramics you can paint, but they also have a large range of "take home on the day" crafts including: paint, deco patch, foam clay, design your own jute bag or teddy making. The "artist fee" covering use of paint etc is £3.50 with items starting at £3.
Both shops also have a role play area (kitchen, shops etc) which is suitable for young children. You can request a table near to the role play station when making your booking.
Open Monday and Wednesday 10 am to 2 pm, Tuesday and Friday 10 am to 5.30 pm, Saturday and Sunday normally 10 am to 4 pm (but depends if there is a party so phone and check), they are closed on Thursdays.
You can prebook a table on: 0208 524 4600 (Chingford) or 01279 902 018 (Bishops Stortford).
Chingford there is parking available on Station Road and Bishops Stortford there is Crowns Terrace or Jackson Square car park which is close by.
The Craft Shed
35 East Walk, Basildon, SS14 1HA
A relaxed venue offering paint pottery and other crafts including foam clay.
Prices range from £6-£35 for pottery pieces and a studio fee of £4.50 per person for firing the item.
Open Wednesday to Friday 10am to 3pm and 10am to 5pm on a Saturday and 10am-5pm during the school holidays. Booking required at peak times and for workshops. You can book via their website and reserve a table for £5 which will be taken off your bill. You can also contact them on 07731 819595.
Creative Biscuit
61 George Lane, South Woodford, E18 1JJ
Another one outside of the Essex borders, Creative Biscuit is based in East London. This is a lovely little café for ceramic painting that also does food and drink. The brownies are especially fab.
£4 charge per person for paints, glaze and firing plus the cost of any items you paint which range from £4 for a small tile, animals figures cost around £10 and items go up to £40 for their largest item.
Booking is recommended during weekends and school holidays, but if you are travelling some distance call ahead at any time on 0208 532 2824 to ensure they have space.
Open Monday to Wednesday 9.30 to 5pm, Thursday and Friday 9.30am to 6pm, Saturday 9am to 6pm and Sunday 10am to 4pm
No onsite parking, but there are a few spaces available on the road or there is pay and display parking a 5 minutes walk away. George Lane is split into two sides divided by the Central Line, Creative Biscuit is on the side away from the main high street.
Essex Pottery Studio
Greenstead Green Farm, Halstead, CO9 1QY
Located in a studio opposite the Nursery School field down by the farm track.
Offering pottery painting and use of clay and a wheel.
Open 7 days a week 10 to 4pm. They can also open in the evenings by arrangement.
Cost of firing and paints included in the cost of the items.
To book email: contactus@essexpotterystudio.co.uk or call 01787474406.
Onsite parking available and they are also dog friendly.
Glass & Craft
Kersey Mill, Hadleigh, Ipswich, IP7 6DP
Suffolk based Glass & Crafts offer glass painting, ceramic painting, bear building, deco patch, wood painting, fabric fun, sand art and mosaics. Refreshments available.
Booking recommended either via their website, by phone (01473 517 404) or email (info@glassandcraft.co.uk).
Open 10am to 4pm Monday and Tuesday (during school holidays only), Wednesday- Saturday 10am-4pm and Sunday 10.30-4pm. They sometimes close early on Sundays so call ahead to check before you start your journey.
Lets Go Potty
6a Hemnal Street, Epping, Essex CM16 4LW
£5 studio charge per person (covering any number of items painted). Items start at around £8.
Food and drink available. Fresh cakes delivered daily.
Open Wednesday- Friday 10:00- 15:00 and late night Thursdays 19:00-22:00. Saturday 10:00-18:00 and Sunday 10:00-16:00. Monday and Tuesday closed (unless during school holidays). During the school holidays they are open 10:00-18:00 Monday- Saturday and 10:00-16:00 on Sundays.
Call to check availability on 01992 578 112 or email letsgopottyenquiries@gmail.com
There is some street parking in the area, but it's mostly permit parking so often easiest to park at Cottis Lane car park which is a short walk away.
Peacock Pottery Barn
Units 33-35 Barleylands Craft Centre, Barleylands Road, Billericay, Essex CM11 2UD
Offering pottery painting and other activities including working with clay, teddy making and foam clay.
Pottery painting has a £6 studio fee per person (covering paint, glazing etc) and items start from £7 . Items should be ready to collect a week later.
Booking required (can be done via the website or call 01268 270892). Each session will last for 2 hours. Open Tuesdays to Sundays 10 until 5pm and Mondays during school holidays.
Plenty of free parking a short walk away.
The Pink Parachute
Two Essex based studios:
Hornchurch: 6 North Street, Hornchurch, Essex, RM11 1QX Tel: 01708 452 296 and Brentwood (opened September 2024): 14a Ongar Road, Brentwood, Essex, CM15 9AX Tel: 01277 288 844
Offering pottery painting, build a bear and jewellery making. They also host story time sessions throughout the year where children are read a story and then paint a ceramic piece linked to the book. The cost is £12.95 per child which includes the story, ceramic item, juice and a biscuit and is aimed at children aged between 1 and 5. You can book this online via their website.
Standard pottery painting requires a £10 deposit and then pay for the item you choose to paint (which range from £10-£60), there are no additional charges for firing and glazing.
They have a range of hot and cold drinks plus cookies and cakes available in the studio too.
Hornchurch opening hours are Tuesday to Sunday 10am to 4pm (also open on Mondays during school holidays. Brentwood opening hours are Wednesday to Saturday 10am to 5.30pm and 11am-5pm on a Sunday.
Parking: Hornchurch you can get 2 hours free in Sainsburys or there is a Pay and Display car park behind the shop. Brentwood is next to Sainsburys which has a Pay and Display for up to 2 1/2 hours.
Pink Parrot Pottery
Carpenter's Farm Shop, St Mary's Road, Great Bentley, Essex CO7 8NJ
Offers pottery painting and various workshops. Hot drinks and snacks available.
Items take 10-14 days to be fired which is longer than many of the other venues so factor this in if you have an occasion in mind you want them for.
You can book sessions via the website for Fridays, Saturdays or Sundays. They have extended opening hours during the school holidays, check on their website or call 07738258131 or 07392 941588.
Parking available.
Pots of Art
Phoenix Rose Garden Centre, Cattlegate Road, Crews Hill, Enfield, EN2 9DPLocated towards the back of the garden centre behind the café. Pots of Art have several studios (including St Albans and Hitchin) but the Crews Hill location is closest to Essex.
Lots of child focused crafts are available (including pottery painting) and they also run messy play sessions. There is no studio fee, just the cost of the items you choose. Fired items will be ready to collect within 6 days.
Booking often not required, but call to confirm on 020 8366 4965.
Open Monday to Friday 10.00am to 5.00pm, Saturday 10am to 5.30pm and Sunday 10.30am to 4.30pm
Free onsite parking.
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Information as accurate as possible, but please contact the venues for confirmation, booking and any other important information. Updated October 2024.
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