Hands-on art studios are a treasure for parents and families in the East Bay. I love a good creative space stocked with papers, paints, glue, and clay where I can let my kids get sloppy artistic without worrying about cleaning up afterward. In the Bay Area, I’ve been impressed by the sheer number of hands-on art studios for kids and (sometimes) their parents.
If you’re looking for a reoccurring art class, check out our Art Class Guide here>
Six local art spaces with fun drop-in options for families:
MOCHA (Oakland)
The Museum of Children’s Art in Oakland is a much-loved art studio and play space for children. Advanced tickets are encouraged but not required. They also offer camps and families can also find pop-up MOCHA art experiences at local libraries.
Ages: 0 to 10
Location: 1221 Broadway LL-49 (lower level of City Center), Oakland
Hours: Open Studio will be offered every 1st and 3rd Saturday of the month from 10 am to 2 pm. Check the calendar for the occasional interactive experience too.
Fees: Child: $10, Caregiver: $4, EBT cardholders: $1
Website >
Brushstrokes Studio (Berkeley)
Brushstrokes Art Studio is a premium paint-your-own-pottery place. You might not know that they also offer kids’ camps, birthday parties, team-building outings, and ladies’/moms’ nights (with wine!). There’s no time limit so you can stay as long as you need to finish your project.
Ages: All ages welcome. Infants do projects with caregivers.
Location: 745 Page Street, Berkeley not far from Fourth Street Shops.
Hours: Open daily noon to 6 pm. Closed Tuesdays.
Fees: $17 per person for studio fees plus the cost of pottery objects, glass fusing, or mosaics.
Website >
Color Me Mine (Alameda)
Located in the Alameda South Shore Center, Color Me Mine is a pottery painting studio that brings creative fun to kids, with no mess for parents. Visits include a studio fee and the price of the painted objects, which you pick up later. Don’t miss other offerings including kids’ camps, birthday parties, and Kids Night Out—a ton of fun for kids and includes ice cream ($35/child). Website >
Aran’s Art Studio (Castro Valley)
Aran’s Art Studio is a do-it-yourself pottery painting and glass fusing studio that offers a drop-in studio, camps, Kids Night Out, paint & wine, and teens & tweens nights. Aran’s also offers birthday parties. For an average of $25, you can paint pottery or make fused glass art. Website >
Sticky Art Lab (Berkeley)
On Saturdays, Open Lab at Sticky Art Lab invites people of all ages to come in and use the materials in this creative space. Browse the art supplies, from papers and yarns and bottle caps to foils and wires, and sit down to get creative. Many of the supplies are donated or upcycled. Pay $15 to participate or $25 for two people. Website >
Clay Clubhouse (Oakland)
This artist-owned small business allows freedom of expression through clay. Children and caregivers are welcome to drop in for Open Studio hours to hand build with clay, tools, and glazes (no instruction provided). Get started for $20 per 25 lb. clay bag, plus glaze firing fees (3 hours). Clay Clubhouse also offers private lessons and classes to learn hand-building and the pottery wheel. Website >
These favorite places let you make art along with other activities:
Why limit your finger-painting places when you might prefer to run off and play with trains or climb on something? That’d be so silly. These establishments offer even more than a drop-in art studio.
BAMPFA Family Art Lab (Berkeley)
Were you expecting to find a fine art museum on this list? The Family Art Lab has hands-on projects with a focus on drawing, collage, stamps, prints, and books and is included with paid admission — and free admission for one adult per child 13 & under — making BAMPFA the best drop-in art studio deal in town. Open Friday afternoons; all day Saturday and Sunday; and free first Thursdays. All about BAMPFA for families. Website >
Home Depot (Emeryville, Oakland, El Ceritto, San Leandro, Hercules)
Next time you need to make a weekend trip to your local Home Depot, bring along your kiddo. Curious kids age 3-12 can participate in free workshops at Home Depot stores with their parents on the first Saturday morning of the month. The workshops are from 9 am to noon as an open-house-style event so that you can arrive any time during the open hours window. Registration is encouraged, but dropping-in seems find too. More about our experience> Website>
Lakeshore Learning (Walnut Creek, San Leandro)
One Saturday per month Lakeshore Learning puts on a fun class, from building to art to crafting. It’s free and you can just walk-in, usually from 11 am – 3 pm. They’ll also offer the kids a prize for participating and special coupons for you if you need to pick up and math games or spelling books. Website>
Michaels (Alameda, Emeryville, Pinole and San Leandro)
Every Sunday from 2-4 pm, kids are invited to join MakeBreak crafting projects while the adults shop. MakeBreak activities are free. Occasionally, there are also Michaels Kids Club Take & Make craft bags available that kids can grab to complete a craft at home. Read about the free crafting. Website >
Where do you like to go with kids to get inspired and messy with art?
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