Handbuilding

Handbuilding with Kids

Sessions Offered Daily

Get the whole family creating together. Kids make kid-friendly pottery, parents help or make their own.
$38.00

Per Project

Make gift-ready creations or keep-forever treasures.

Try Handbuilding for Kids and experience quality family time that's actually creative. Kids ages 8+ learn hand-building techniques while creating their own pottery projects. Parents can help their kids, make alongside them, or work on adult projects at the same table. It's family-style pottery where siblings, cousins, and multiple ages work together. Each piece is fired and ready for pickup. Return to add Color + Shine. No experience needed — just imagination and a willingness to get a little messy. Perfect for family bonding, sibling activities, or multi-generational creativity. Ages 8 and up welcome — younger siblings may attend with parental supervision and assistance.

All ages welcome. No experience needed.

AGE

All Ages

LEVEL

No Experience Needed

TIME

1.5 hours

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Kids' Handbuilding Experience

What You'll do

In this 1.5-hour family-friendly session, kids learn handbuilding pottery techniques while creating projects they'll be proud of. Parents stay and participate — help your child, make pottery alongside them, or work on your own adult project while they create. Our instructor guides everyone through the process with clear demos and hands-on help. Perfect for siblings, cousins, or multi-age family groups to create together.

You will handbuild your pottery at a workbench.

Choose Your Project

Browse our kid-friendly project options and let your child pick what excites them. From functional pieces like bowls and mugs to fun creations like planters, trinket dishes, and decorative sculptures — there's something for every young artist. Parents can choose to make the same project, pick an adult project, or simply help their child create.

Learn & Build Together

Watch as the instructor demonstrates pinching, coiling, and slab-building techniques in kid-friendly terms. Then work together at your family table to bring each creation to life. Kids shape their own pieces with guidance, while parents assist, create alongside them, or work on their own projects. Our instructor circulates to help every family member at their skill level.

Add Personal Touches

Kids personalize their pottery with textures, stamps, carved designs, and sculptural details using our kid-safe tools. Let their personality shine through as they make each piece uniquely theirs. Parents can help with tricky parts or focus on their own decorative details. All pieces stay at the studio for drying and bisque firing (approximately 2-3 weeks).

Add Color + Shine

Return as a family to glaze everyone's creations. Kids choose colors that bring their pottery to life, while parents help apply glazes or finish their own pieces. Glazing provides a glossy, waterproof, food-safe finish that makes each creation functional and display-worthy. Take home pottery your kids actually made themselves.

THINGS TO KNOW
What's Included?
  • 1.5 hours of family-friendly guided instruction
  • All materials (clay, tools, and supplies)
  • Bisque firing (initial firing) for each project made
  • Fired (unglazed) piece
What Should I Wear or Bring?

You will get messy from the elbows down. So short sleeves or sleeves you can roll up are recommended. Don't wear watches or bracelets, rings are ok.

Keep in mind that you will need to straddle the pottery wheel for throwing sessions, so leggings or comfortable pants are suggested.

Sometimes shoes can get splashed with water or clay so you can either take them off or wear shoes that you don't mind getting messy.

Clay doesn't typically stain clothes but we do have a limited number of aprons available if needed.
When Do I Get My Pottery?

MAKING HANDMADE POTTERY TAKES TIME AND THERE ARE NO GUARANTEES!

Smashed Clay projects and experiences are designed using our proprietary method, techniques and tools to help jumpstart your project.

However, it takes years to learn the art of handmade pottery. While we hope your finished project turns out exactly as you envisioned, there is no guarantee that your handmade pottery will make it through the entire process and/or result in what you set out to make.

Thick pottery may take longer to dry. Pottery that is too thick, too thin or constructed in a manner that creates stress during the drying or firing process may crack, break or explode. Pottery can take 2-3+ weeks to dry, prepare and bisque fire. You can monitor the status of on our website.
Do I Have to Glaze My Pottery?

Any pottery that will come in contact with food or drinks would need to be glazed and fired to seal the bisque and create a food and dishwasher safe finish. If you intend to use your pottery to hold water or if it will be exposed to the weather, you may also want to glaze your pottery.
What If I Arrive Late?

Because our classes are group classes, you must arrive on time to fully participate in the experience.  If you arrive more than 15 minutes late, we will be unable to integrate you into the class.  Our late arrival policy is as follows:

If you arrive more than 15 minutes late, you can either:

  • Join the class at the midway point.  You acknowledge that your time will be limited to the remaining class time.  If you are participating in a couples challenge, you will only be able to make one project.  No refunds will be given.
  • Reschedule for another time when seats are available.  No refunds will be given.
Do You Offer Refunds?

Our studios have limited seating, so when you book an experience at Smashed, we hold the seat for you.  We are a small business and depend on full classes to operate.  We are unable to fill seats when customers cancel with short notice or don’t show up.  For that reason, we cannot provide refunds if you do not show up or for appointments cancelled within 24 hours of your booked appointment.

Please review our refund policy here.

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