Pottery Painting at Crafty Monkey

Pottery painting is a fun, beginner-friendly activity where you decorate ceramic pieces with your own designs. It’s creative, therapeutic, and perfect for all ages. Whether you're inspired by TikTok trends or just want to try something new, it’s a great way to unwind and express yourself.

At Crafty Monkey, we provide all the materials, including a wide selection of pottery pieces, paints, brushes, and other tools.

You simply choose a piece from our extensive pottery range. We provide you will instructions and then leave you to paint your own designs with our speciality underglazes 🖌️

Once done painting, we glaze and fire your piece in our kiln, and it will be ready for you to pick up in about two weeks.

Pottery painting prices at Crafty Monkey vary depending on the ceramic item you choose. Prices start from £5 for smaller pieces, with a wide selection of ceramics to suit every budget—from mugs and plates to figurines and seasonal items.

There’s also a £4.50 studio fee per painter, which covers all materials, glazing, and kiln firing to finish your ceramic masterpiece.

Want to browse before you book? You can see prices in our online shop.

We ask people book online, even if it's on the day - especially during weekends, school holidays, and busy times like the run-up to Christmas.

Walk‑ins are welcome when we have availability, but sessions often fill up quickly, so booking ahead is the best way to guarantee your spot.

If your plans change, you can easily reschedule or cancel your booking from your confirmation email.

When you book a pottery painting session at Crafty Monkey, you’ll be allocated 1 hour and 45 minutes, which includes time to choose your item and get settled.

This is usually enough time for most people. Young children can finish within 30–45 minutes, while adults painting detailed pieces may need longer. If availability allows, we’re happy for you to stay longer. However, during busy periods or if your booking is after 2:30 PM, we may need your table back or be closing soon—so extra time isn’t always guaranteed.

💡 Tip: If you think you’ll need longer, we recommend booking a midweek session before 2 PM, especially during school holidays or the lead-up to Christmas.

Yes! Pottery painting at Crafty Monkey isn’t just for kids —it’s a fun, creative and relaxing activity that adults love too! It's suitable for adults, children, families, and groups of all ages.

We have a wide selection of pottery pieces to suit every age and ability — from items ideal for younger children to pieces adults love to paint.

Our general pottery painting sessions have no age restrictions but we find toddlers under 18 months may not engage for very long (we also offer handprint and footprint sessions on ceramic pieces for babies and toddlers). We use safe, non-toxic paints, making it a fun and creative activity for little ones to express themselves and make something truly unique.

Our Sip n Paint Pottery evenings and event nights are designed for adults who want to enjoy art in a laid-back social setting, but ages 12 and up are welcome to attend with adults.

Whether you’re planning a kids’ party, a family day out, a fun date activity or a relaxing session with friends, our studio makes painting ceramics accessible and enjoyable for everyone.

Of course! Pottery painting at Crafty Monkey is all about enjoying the creative process, not perfection. Whether you’re a complete beginner or haven’t picked up a paintbrush since school, you’ll feel right at home.

We have a wide selection of easy‑to‑paint ceramic pieces for all ages, plus tools, stencils, and stamps to help you design something unique — no artistic experience required. We also give you instructions once you've chosen your pottery piece to paint. It’s a relaxed, fun activity focused on self‑expression and creativity.

Our friendly team is always on hand with tips and guidance, so you’ll leave with a piece you’re proud of — and maybe even a newfound love for pottery and crafts.

Absolutely! We encourage creativity and love seeing unique designs. You can bring your own ideas, sketches, or inspirations, and our friendly staff can offer tips and guidance to help you bring your vision to life. It is also possible to trace your designs onto the pottery before you paint it 🎨✨

If you're stuck for ideas check out our Pinterest or Instagram.

We often post pottery painting ideas to give people inspiration on our social media channels and our blog. See our Instagram feed on our website or our different Pinterest boards to get ideas for pottery painting.

At Crafty Monkey, you’ll find a huge range of pottery pieces to paint 🏺—from mugs, plates, and bowls to vases, figurines, and seasonal favourites like Christmas ornaments. We’re always updating our selection, so there’s something fresh to inspire every visit.

Want to browse before you book? Check out our online shop and use the search bar to find exactly what you're looking for.🖌️

Your finished ceramic piece is usually ready for collection around two weeks after your painting session. Once it’s been glazed and kiln-fired, we’ll send you an email notification with a link to book a pick up slot.

In many cases, your pottery may be ready sooner, but occasionally we may need to re-fire an item, which could cause a slight delay.

🎯 Need it faster? We offer a speedy firing service, for an extra fee, and your piece can typically be ready within 3 to 5 days—perfect for last-minute gifts or tight schedules.

Yes! At Crafty Monkey we run Sip & Paint Pottery Nights on select evenings — they're relaxed, creative sessions perfect for adults (age 12+ welcome). These sessions are ideal for a fun night out with friends, a date night, or simply some solo time to unwind and paint. Feel free to bring your own alcoholic drinks (soft drinks are available to purchase from us).

We also hold special themed event nights, several times a year, occasional workshops and pottery painting events at other local venues. Check out our events page and bookings page for upcoming dates.

We recommend following us on social media, or subscribing to our mailing list to stay updated.

Yes — Crafty Monkey is a popular choice for group pottery painting experiences, whether you’re planning a birthday party, hen do, corporate team‑building event, school trip, Brownie outing, or family celebration.

We can offer special group packages and can even arrange pottery painting outside our normal opening hours for group of 12 or more.

In addition to hosting at our studio, we also bring pottery painting sessions to other venues, making it easy to enjoy a creative group activity at schools, community halls, or corporate spaces.

Whether you’re celebrating a milestone or simply looking for a fun, hands‑on activity, we’ll help make it memorable. For details and to secure your spot, check out our our group bookings information and fill in the form if your group size is over 18 people or you would like an out of hours or at your venue session.

If your plans change, you can cancel or reschedule your pottery painting session directly from the confirmation email you received when booking. Just click the link provided to manage your booking.

We kindly ask that you do this as early as possible, so someone else has the chance to book that time slot. It helps us keep things running smoothly and ensures everyone gets a chance to paint their perfect ceramic piece.

Pottery painting is generally low-mess, especially for adults. Our paints are water-based, and dry to a powder and wash easily out of clothing.

No need for aprons or special gear—just come relaxed and ready to get creative!

Yes, we offer e-gift cards or vouchers for pottery painting sessions, which make a perfect gift for friends, family, or anyone who loves to get creative. You can purchase gift cards and vouchers online or gift vouchers in our studio.

We recommend opting for our e-gift cards as they are more versatile and can be used for paint at home take out kit and can’t be lost!

Absolutely! If you prefer not to paint the pottery yourself, Crafty Monkey offers a personalised gifts service where our team can paint items for you.

This is perfect if you’d like a professional finish, a customised design, or a special keepsake. You’ll find more details in our Personalised Gifts section, and we’re happy to discuss ideas to make your piece unique.

Yes—you can! At Crafty Monkey, we use food-safe ceramic glazes that are completely safe for eating and drinking once your pottery has been glazed and kiln-fired. This means your finished piece isn’t just decorative—it can be used as a functional item, whether it’s a mug for your morning coffee, a bowl for snacks, or a plate for serving up treats.

We take great care to ensure our materials meet food safety standards, so you can enjoy your handmade ceramics with confidence. Just keep in mind that while your pottery is safe for food use, we recommend hand-washing to preserve its finish and avoid wear over time.

If you’re creating a special gift or planning to use your piece daily, let our team know—we’ll make sure it’s glazed and fired to perfection.

While our painted ceramics are glazed and kiln-fired for durability, we don’t recommend using them in the dishwasher, microwave, or oven. A gentle hand wash is best to preserve your piece long-term.

If your pottery accidentally ends up in the dishwasher once or twice, it’s usually fine—but repeated exposure to high heat and detergent may cause fading or damage over time.

As for the microwave or oven, we advise against it. Handmade pottery isn’t designed to handle rapid temperature changes, which can lead to cracking or crazing.

For full details on how to care for your ceramics, check out our pottery care instructions.