Local mum Finola and her daughter enjoy a crafty afternoon at Crockadoodledo in Larkhall, Bath
Crockadoodledo in Larkhall is a friendly pottery painting studio/cafe that will get you and your kids hooked on Do-It-Yourself mug design, where you can paint and decorate to your heart’s content on pottery (and crockery!) of your choice. All of the paint, by the way, is water soluble. You can practice your painting prowess on items ranging from egg cups to teapots while enjoying your favourite hot or cold drink.
Situated just off the London Rd, Crockadoodledo is easily accessible by bus from town or there’s a car park just a hundred metres down the hill. (This is free for 2 hours which is just about the right amount of time for your ‘doodle-do’ experience!)
On arriving we were met by a very friendly staff member who showed us a table and talked through how it all works. There is a £4 studio charge for children (£5 for adults), and then you select the item of pottery you would like to paint.
The pottery items in their pristine white condition are displayed around the studio on shelves, awaiting decoration, individually labelled with a number indicating their cost. There’s a multitude of choice starting from egg cups & small plates (costing around £7) ranging through to large jugs and serving platters which are £18 and upwards, depending on size. There was plenty of choice in the middle price range too – mugs of varying size and style (costing £10-14), among other items like butter dishes, ornamental animals, boxes & ceramic baskets, vases and much much more – all of which can be transformed by yours and your child’s artistic flair, making a perfect gift for a friend, grandparent or any overly-proud & grateful grown ups for that matter!
Once shown the ropes, we ordered our drinks and set to work. My 6 year old daughter scanned the shelves and eventually picked out the largest piggy bank I’ve ever set eyes on and so the creativity begun! Stamps, stencils and other materials are provided with your palette and at least 30 colour paint bottles – all were straightforward to use to aid our creativity. The finished masterpieces then get labelled and fired, and returned to you within a week.
My daughter is extremely excited about when she can collect her beloved (and now very multi-coloured) over-sized piggy bank! I don’t think she’ll be parting with it (sorry Granny).
So Crockadoodledo is a truly fun experience for kids and adults alike, probably enjoyed best by 5 year olds and up, but not impossible for the younger ones to join in.
It also provides an excellent set-up for birthday parties (both young and old) as well as hen dos or even corporate events (less of the labelling and firing please), or just a fun Saturday activity for all the family (keeping in mind the costs for one family do add up).
Don’t miss out on this fun & colourful experience – Crockadoodle-DO it!