My first-grader and I attended a drop-in free craft session, called MakeBreak, at Michaels craft store in Emeryville. She loved it and was extremely engaged.
Michaels hosts the craft session in its stores about twice a month. The sessions are free and hosted on Sundays. The craft times are in the afternoon (schedule listed online by store), but you can arrive at any time during the event’s two-hour window. No pre-registration is needed. Expect to spend about 30 minutes on the project.
What to Expect at Michaels Crafting Sessions
Materials are laid out on the table, and the teacher has a template for what you should be doing.
The Michaels store employee-slash-teacher at the Emeryville store we visited was very sweet, helpful, and age-appropriate in her instruction. I was pleasantly surprised because all of my other interactions with Michaels customer service over the years have been frustrating.
My six-year-old got right into the project, a mixed media turkey, and was happily choosing feathers with the teacher’s help. I easily could have escaped and wandered around the store, but I was enjoying the process. I asked the teacher if parents need to stay, and she said that children as young as three years old can stay at the table with her, as long as they are happy to do so, while their parents shop in the store.
Occasionally, there are also Michaels Kids Club Take & Make craft bags available that kids can grab to complete a craft at home, too.
Find drop-in classes under $10 for toddlers >>
Because of the location adjacent to many big box stores, this activity seemed like a great add-on to errands that families may have at Target, Home Depot, or Best Buy.
See upcoming drop-in craft projects and schedules on Michaels’ website >
Michaels’ stores in the {510} area are in Alameda, Emeryville, Pinole, and San Leandro.
[Photos by Whitney Moss]