Places for Young Artists to Get Messy

If your child is a future Picasso and she’s using your walls as her canvass, you should consider one of the many places in the Bay Area where families can drop in and make art together without signing up for a class.
Be sure to check in advance for COVID protocols. Most places require masks and reservations because of limited capacity.
Color Me Mine – Choose from a large variety of pottery pieces and use your painting skills to create something special. The studio will fire your project and give you a date to pick it up. You can do your project in the studio or you can bring your project home. There are multiple locations throughout the Bay Area. 
i heart art – This is a great place to be creative and get messy. Open studio times are currently being offered at a limited capacity. Check website for dates and times. $25 for one child and two adults, $10 for each additional child. 15 Vivian Drive, Pleasant Hill. 925-602-0140. 
Laurel Street Arts – You can paint your own pottery, do glass fusing or make a mosaic. In response to COVID, there’s outdoor seating. It also offers classes and camps. Open Tues.-Sun. Studio fees are $8-10. 733 Laurel St., San Carlos. 650-591-1005. 
Terra Mia Ceramic Studio – Chose from more than 100 ceramic shapest or a pre-packaged to-go kit. Then bring it home to paint with friends or family. Once you are done, bring your masterpiece back to be fired. Painting can also be done at tables outside the studio. Open Mon.-Thurs., 11 a.m.-4 p.m. and Fri.-Sun. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Prices vary. 1314 Castro St., San Francisco. 415-642-9911. 
Museum Art Opportunities
Bay Area Discovery Museum – The museum’s Art Studio features a variety of ways for children to have fun. It’s open all day and includes a wide range of hands-on activities. Museum capacity is limited because of COVID and reservations are required. Open Wed.-Sun., 9 a.m.-4 p.m. $15-16. 557 McReynolds Road, Sausalito. 415-339-3900. 
Children’s Creativity Museum – It has creative hands-on opportunities in its Animation Studio, Imagination Lab, Innovation Station and more. It also has free create-at-home activities. Weekend sessions are offered 10 a.m.-12 p.m. and 1:30-4 p.m. $15. 221 Fourth St., San Francisco. 415-820-3320. \
Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose – The LeRoy Neiman Art Studio allows visitors to use their hands, arms, legs, feet and whole body to interact with digital art projections. Action painting, disco dancing and playing with Neiman’s artwork up close are possible in the newly reopened studio. There’s a digital painting table, disco dance floor and interactive art wall. The museum requires reservations. One play session is available Wed.-Fri. 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and two play sessions are available Sat. and Sun. 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and 1:30-4:30 p.m. $14-15. 180 Woz Way, San Jose. 408-298-5437. cdm.org.
de Young Museum – The museum offers Family Art Making on select Saturdays featuring a drop-in art project activity led by a professional teaching artist. 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Museum admission required: $6-15. 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco. 415-750-3600. 
MOCHA (Museum of Children’s Art) – MOCHA is bringing back Open Studio for families to work on projects together. A teaching artist is on hand to provide guidance and assistance. Capacity is limited due to COVID and tickets are required. Future Open Studio dates include: Jan. 15, Feb. 19 and March 19, 2022. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. $12 per child, $6 per caregiver. 1221 Broadway LL-49, Oakland. 510-465-8770, ext. 101.