Kids Handbuilding
19 July - 30 August
Tues - Fri 10am - 12.30pm
Sundays 2 - 4.30pm
£30 Kids, £40 Adults
Looking for a fun, creative way to keep the kids busy this school holiday?
Our school-holiday Kids' Handbuilding sessions are a calm, hands-on way for children to spend a few hours making something real out of clay — no screens, no rush. They'll pinch, coil and shape their own bowls, mugs, animals and creatures, guided by our experienced studio team in a relaxed, supervised space. It's hand-building only (no pottery wheel), so it suits every ability, including complete first-timers.
Suitable for children aged 5+. All sessions are family-friendly, so grown-ups can roll their sleeves up too.
*Firing and in-studio dip glazing of your pieces will be an extra charge of £5 - £10 depending on size. Ready to collect after one month. There is also the option to return to glaze work yourself at a Glazing Tutorial.
Benefits of a Kids Session at Dalston Clay
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Real making, not decorating a readymade. Children work with raw clay using proper pinch, coil and slab techniques, guided by a professional ceramicist — they leave with something they genuinely made, not just painted.
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A screen-free few hours they'll actually enjoy. Hands deep in clay, absorbed, making and chatting with other kids — the rare holiday activity that holds their attention without a screen.
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Builds creativity and confidence. Open-ended making with gentle expert guidance and no such thing as "wrong" — children experiment, problem-solve and surprise themselves.
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Calm, considered and well supervised. A therapeutically-informed studio with an experienced team and a relaxed, friendly atmosphere — lively enough to be fun, calm enough that you're not worrying.
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Everything's provided. Tools, aprons and unlimited clay included — no per-piece limits, nothing to bring, no faff.
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Comfortable whatever the weather. A climate-controlled, naturally light-filled studio — warm in winter, cool in summer.
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Genuinely easy to reach. A vibrant East London studio a one-minute walk from both Dalston Kingsland and Dalston Junction.
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A warm community feel. Drinks on us, great playlists, and the unhurried atmosphere DC is known for.
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Exceptional value. A full creative session led by a working artist, with all materials and unlimited clay included.
What to expect
The session starts with a relaxed hand-building demonstration: how to shape clay using simple pinch, coil and slab techniques, so every child has the confidence to dive straight in. From there they're free to make whatever they imagine: a pinch-pot creature, a coiled bowl, a little slab house: wherever their hands and ideas take them.
They'll be led by a friendly, experienced ceramicist who gives patient, encouraging guidance, with drinks, a great playlist and as much clay as they can use. The sessions are deliberately free and dynamic: we'll happily suggest a simple project to get them going, or let them run with their own idea.
No experience needed, nothing to bring, and no such thing as getting it wrong. Most children leave genuinely proud of something they've made entirely themselves.
Available Sessions
Please note that we cannot transfer your booking after one week before your session.
Please see our cancellation policy for further details
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As a CIC and Social Enterprise, it is our intention to make Dalston Clay a studio that is available to everyone, regardless of financial circumstance. While we need to function as a business, we never want money to be the reason why someone can't benefit from what we've built. If you truly can't afford the full cost of our offerings, we invite you to contact us to discuss your situation and we will endeavour to sort something out.
