Polka Dots and Pots CIC
BEST FOR
Ages 0+
ENTRY
from £3
WHERE
Maghull
What it’s like
Paint ready-made pottery pieces, from mugs to animal figures, and collect them glazed and kiln-fired a few weeks later.
You pick a piece of pottery, load up on ceramic paints and get on with decorating it however you fancy. There's no experience needed and no wrong way to do it, which makes it an easy one for a toddler dabbing at a hedgehog shape or a teenager taking their time over something fiddlier. Sessions run 1.5 to 2 hours, long enough to actually finish rather than rush.
The pricing is worth knowing before you go: £3 gets you the studio fee (that covers the underglazes and the kiln firing), then the pottery itself is £10 upwards depending on size, so a small piece is a fairly cheap afternoon and a bigger one edges up. If you don't finish in one go, you can come back, but it costs another £3 studio fee plus £10, which stings a bit if your painter loses steam halfway through.
Once you're done, your piece goes off to be glazed and fired to a food-safe finish, so it comes out properly usable rather than just a painted ornament. That does mean a wait: it's usually ready in 2 to 3 weeks, so this isn't a same-day souvenir, more a little project with a payoff a few weeks later.
Birthday parties are a thing here too. The Animal Package for 5 to 9 year olds and the Teen/Tween Package for 10 and up both include the pottery, paints, glazing and firing, plus a cupcake and drink, with numbers running from a minimum of 8 up to 13 or 15 depending on the package. There are also occasional workshops, like wreath making in autumn, if you fancy something more seasonal than the usual paint-a-mug session.
Facilities
Need to know
- Best for
- All ages welcome, from toddlers dabbing paint to teens taking their time
- Parties
- Kids Party Animal Package (age 5-9, £22pp, min 8 max 15) and Teen/Tween Package (age 10+, £24pp, min 8 max 13)
- A second session to finish a piece costs an extra £3 studio fee plus £10
- Pottery is finished to a food-safe standard so mugs and bowls are actually usable
- Party packages need a minimum of 8 painters
- Seasonal workshops like wreath making pop up outside the usual painting sessions
Plan your visit
How much does it cost?
It's £3 studio fee per painter, then pottery starts from £10 depending on size and complexity.
How long does a session take?
Around 1.5 to 2 hours, which is enough time to actually finish your piece without feeling rushed.
Is it suitable for young children?
The studio takes all ages and no experience is needed, so a toddler can have a go alongside older siblings.
When do we get the pottery back?
Usually 2 to 3 weeks later once it's been glazed and fired, so it's not something you take home the same day.
Can you do birthday parties there?
Yes, there's an Animal Package for ages 5 to 9 at £22pp and a Teen/Tween Package for 10 plus at £24pp, both including pottery, paints, glazing, firing and a cupcake and drink.
Featured in 1 Huddlepin list
See all Pottery Painting & Craft Studios in Liverpool · Things to do in Liverpool
MAKE A DAY OF IT
