I bring my 4 year old and 2 year old during school closures to their Art Sense class. It is…read moreperfect, because they both can be there together. They both really enjoy the class and my 4 year old always ask when we can go to the next art class. The class is 45 minutes long, but I would say the first 10-15 minutes is free play where they set up a few art inspired stations for the kids to explore, approximately 20 minutes of more structured art class, then 10 minutes for clean up and story time. The -1 comes from two things... 1 - It can be costly to do drop in classes for both kids. It is $35/kid, though they do give a 20% sibling discount, so it is $63/2 kids, plus the $2 service from the site vs. $100/month/kid which would be equivalent to approximately $25/class. It is a way more affordable to enroll monthly but they do not offer Art Sense classes over the weekend so it is not really supportive of kids that attend school during the week. It would be nice if they had an option to buy X amount of classes upfront at the $25/rate that could be used amongst multiple children. We've tried other art classes in neighboring towns and I would say Kidcasso is probably at the higher price point. 2 - This only happened once but there was one class where the teacher did not show the end product upfront for the kids. I am not sure if this was intentional to allow creative freedom but for one of my kids that appreciates a bit more structure to build confidence, I could tell she was more cautious and waiting to see what other kids were doing or asking me for some guidance. The other times when she knew what the end goal was she was more confident creating her artwork and leverage her creative freedom to still create something that was hers. For my other child, she did not care because she doesn't follow rules/directions anyways. It didn't impact the experience for my children, but it was something that was noticeable for one of my children in how they approached that specific art class.

My 2 grandsons, ages 8 & 5, have taken classes with Miss Kelsey in Wakefield. The first ever…read moreclass they attended, they drew Van Gogh's Haystacks. We were amazed at the end results. Both boys have their drawings proudly displayed on a shelf in their bedrooms. Since then, they have thoroughly enjoyed the class and eagerly look forward to the next visit.

I started taking an adult morning pottery throwing class from Studio on the Common in winter of…read more2022. I had taken a pottery class before (in another state) and I was feeling "meh" about it after that - I didn't seem to get it and ruined more pieces than I finished. Turns out, it wasn't me - I hadn't found a great teacher. Knaide, who teaches the classes and runs the studio (@raticalclay on instagram), is that great teacher I needed. Since starting at Studio on the Common I have fallen in love with throwing pottery. Knaide is so clear in teaching instruction, gives very specific advice, will readily demonstrate useful hand positions, has been able to answer any question I've asked, and clearly is extremely knowledgable about the craft. While the studio itself is also very organized and clean, I admit I signed up for a second class mainly because I still want teaching from Knaide. As long as Knaide is teaching there, I will continue to sign up for future classes!

My son loved the art camp here this summer - and is so proud of what he made. Ms. Grace was so kind…read moreand cheerful with the kids. Great mix of learning new skills and having fun. Will definitely sign up again

I have taken two classes and one pottery series at FYA. I love that they make art accessible, I…read morehave been able to use their scholarship program for financial assistance. I enjoyed the two classes but the pottery class has been an amazing experience- I've seen myself improve during the short time I've been a pottery student (I made my first not crooked bowls last night!) and I think I could improve even more with more practice. I like how the pottery class allows for open studio time on top of the class time too, it makes it a better value for me.

From the owner: Arts and pottery classes and workshops all year round for youth and adults, theatre classes for…read morekids, live music events, live storytelling events, birthday parties, writing workshops, art studios, rotating art gallery, and more! We offer tuition assistance and adaptive services through our Arts for All Program.

Awesome place for a fun crafternoon!…read more I came with a few friends on a rainy day to do a project, and had never done anything with mosaics before. We bought about 3 hours of time which is really the minimum amount of time it will take for a project. They had all of the supplies and colors and textures you could ever want and helped us every step of the way! It was about $15/hour plus the cost of the actual item you are putting the mosaics on. And note, you will need to let the tiles dry for 24 hours and grout it at home (if you are not local and can't return) The staff was incredibly friendly and helpful, and it was a great experience.

Nice teacher, good glass selection, good choice of shapes for making fused plates and bowlsread more

My son celebrated his 5th birthday party at Kidstock and he had a blast. It was a truly memorable…read morebirthday party and both the kids and the parents had a wonderful time. Our party coordinator Charlie was great with the kids and very patient. Thank you Kidstock!

Not the highest quality of productions, but it's a great place for kids to learn the basics of…read moretheater and grow a passion for it. The staff is friendly and energetic! The building is gorgeously designed fitted to children! Highly recommend checking your little ones into this program!

This was so much more fun than I anticipated!…read more Sabrina (hostess/art teacher/lovely woman) led us through a fun filled 2 hours of my first ever nude sketching session! She was upbeat, informative, respectful to both the sketchers (us) and the models. Made sure there were no photography during class unless it's through them to make the models comfortable. (takes guts to be nude in front of a bunch of people drinking and looking at you!) She brought out the artistic sides of everyone in the room, guided us through different sketching exercises (1-3-5 minute sketch sessions) so we're busy drawing instead of JUDGING what we were drawing. such helpful tips! I think we were all VERY impressed with our own artworks! I really thought I'd be drawing a little more than stick figures before coming here. I had a blast and this would make any gathering unique, fun and explorative! I had an amazing time!

I would recommend The Artful Bachelorette to anyone looking for a fun activity to do (whether…read morecelebrating or not!). Like our host said, they do it all from engagement celebrations to happy divorce parties! All skill levels are welcome, and your host will walk you through a variety of different exercises at different speeds. Our model was graceful, poised, and cool as a cucumber. I would love to do this again someday with a group of friends for a girls night! (P.S. I would love to see photos from the Boston event if the host has them!)

Every time I have entered this establishment, I have felt as though I was bothering the staff…read more Their selection is great. Attitudes are not as much. I called once for help with losing a needle of a very expensive set I had bought there, and I was told that my question was odd, she had never heard it before in her years of working at a yarn store. I just wanted to know if their rep or owner would have insight. I don't work for a yarn store, so I've never spoken to a rep, but I spent almost $200 on these needles and specified I wasn't seeking a refund, just help. Also, they are homophobic openly. In this, the year 2026, do better. Edit: every time I've gone in I've been followed. I have tattoos and am queer looking. I received scoffs at my questions. This solidified a decision I made in January when your staff was rude for the third time not to give you my business ever again. There's nothing to discuss. Be better.

Another Yarn is truly in another league for knitters. I can find every popular yarn and needle set…read morethere. The staff are delightful, knowledgeable, and enthusiastic about each project. This shop is an hour out of my way and I'll make the extra trip every time. This is a store for serious knitters and it shows in the quality and organization of the store.

Want to laugh and craft and drink wine? Check. Check. Check. Heidi brought a group of my dearest…read morecollege friends together via Zoom for just that! We had a blast. And even came out with some very cool macrame pieces. She was able to cater to our varied skill sets and even keep calm when we made her explain one knot a mere 30 times. What a fun night, and cool idea. She offers a ton of class options so we will definitely be doing it again.

I attended one of Re-create's organic body product workshops. It was empowering and fun! You learn…read morea lot about what is in your skin care products and the dangers of certain chemicals. This information has been very useful. You also get to add your choice of a variety of essential oils in to the products you make (they all smelt amazing!). Heidi is really down to earth and fun to work with. I would recommend the workshop to anyone seeking a healthier lifestyle or simply wants to take charge of what they are putting on their skin. I will definitely be back for another session! It was fun going with a group of friends.

The Stoneham Knitting Meetup Group meets at the Reading Main Street's Starbucks every Wednesday…read morenight at 6pm. I made it to my first meeting on the 5th and am hoping to get to another meeting this Wednesday. I can honestly say I was surprised to see 15 or more (I lost count!), knitters when I arrived. They had pulled the little tables together to form one very long table to the right of the room and everyone was knitting away. Socks, scarves, baby blankets, afghans, and shawls were projects I saw in the works. This group is probably the nicest group of strangers, second to Yelpers of course!, that I've met. Everyone wanted to know about each other's projects and we went around the table with introductions and a little blurb about the project she was knitting. If you're in the area and could use a little inspiration for a project, or just want the company of some really nice ladies and a hot beverage you'll love this group too! Oh, and the best part: it's free!