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Pottery Painting & Craft Studios in Belfast

If you fancy an afternoon with clay under your nails, Dawn Crothers Artist Studio in Belfast itself takes children from age nought upwards, run by an artist who also does school visits and has work on show at W5. Out at Bangor, Boom Studios keeps daytime hours right across the week, handy if you want to avoid a weekend queue. A drive out to Newtownards brings you to Eden Pottery, where you pick from hundreds of sponge patterns and can settle in for scones and soup once you're done painting. For toddlers, sponge-painting a blank at somewhere like Eden Pottery is easier than the wheel. If your kids are older and want to build something from scratch, Mount Ida Pottery in Banbridge lets you hand build or throw properly. Natasha Swan Ceramics in Carrickfergus starts from £50 for a fired, hand-painted piece, so ask what that covers before you go. Eden Pottery also has parking and indoor seating laid on for birthday parties, which is one less thing to plan yourself.

✓ 5 places✦ From £50