Crafty Monkey FAQS

Yes, we have a Price List page on our website that gives an overview of the costs for our activities, including pottery painting, baby prints, clay workshops and more.

For more detailed information, you’ll find specific pricing on the activity page, booking service page or in our online shops (we have several depending on if you're looking for, i.e. bear kits, pottery, baby prints or personalised pottery)

See our different shops

While we love spontaneity, please book a baby print session in advance. This makes sure we have a dedicated team member free to take the prints.

There's a £4.50 studio fee per session (not per piece), which covers the underglaze paints, glazing and firing.

On top of that is the cost of the pottery you choose, plus any personalisation you'd like us to add.

You can see prices in our online shop, including items with personalisation. Please note these can't be bought online if you're coming to the studio for a session.

Crafty Monkey is a reputable, established local small business with a good track record of creating baby keepsakes since 2010.  We have a high street presence and are open 7 days a week. See our reviews from satisfied customers.

We're also committed to sustainability and use eco-friendly materials and processes wherever possible.

Yes, you can! We have a variety of larger pottery items that are perfect for capturing the hand and footprints of several children, making a beautiful family keepsake. We can also add mum and dad's handprints if the piece allows!

You can choose from a wide range of pottery items, including plates, mugs, tiles, vases, plant pots and much more.

We also offer seasonal pieces, such as Christmas baubles, perfect for creating festive keepsakes. These are especially popular for handprints and footprints, which can be transformed into Rudolph, Christmas trees, snowmen and many other fun Christmas-themed designs.

Looking for inspiration? Visit our hand and footprint design ideas page.

At Crafty Monkey, we use safe, non-toxic ceramic paint and gently press your baby's hand or foot onto the pottery piece of your choice.

Our skilled team will take the print for you. They're experienced with wriggly babies and toddlers and can usually get a great print. For very small babies we advise not using a very dark colour, in case the print doesn't come out well and we need to sand it off and redo it. Very dark colours can leave a stain, so it's best to pick colours that are easier to remove.

Once the prints are done, you or we can add any personalised details, and then we glaze and fire the pottery for a long-lasting keepsake.

It's not necessary to bring someone with you, as we'll take the prints for you. However, if you want to decorate your piece and think your baby or toddler may need occupying, it's helpful to bring someone to look after them while you decorate.

It's up to you! You're welcome to decorate your piece yourself and use our writer pens to add names, dates or a special message, and we'll guide you on what to do.

If you're not feeling artsy, our in-house artists can personalise it for you for an additional fee: adding names and dates, or turning the prints into cute characters like penguins, elephants or reindeer. You choose the colours and we'll add the Crafty Monkey touch. The price depends on how much customisation you'd like, and we'll confirm it with you at your session.

For ideas, have a look at our pre-order prints shop before you come. The pre-order shop is for our print sessions at baby groups and nurseries, so it can't be used to pre-order for a studio session.

We open 10am to 4pm on bank holidays except for:

• Christmas Day

• Boxing Day

• New Years Day

• Good Friday

• Easter Sunday

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 of our ready-to-paint pottery in our online shop.

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 & 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.

Yes! We run BYOB Sip & Paint Pottery Nights for adults, usually on a Friday evening. They're relaxed, creative sessions, ideal for a night out with friends, a date night or some time to unwind. You're welcome to bring your own alcoholic drinks, and soft drinks are available to buy. Ages 12+ are welcome with an adult.

We also run occasional themed event nights at the studio, and pottery painting events at other local venues.

To hear about new dates first, follow us on social media or join our mailing list.

At Crafty Monkey, you'll find a huge range of pottery pieces to paint. We have over 600 items - from coasters, mugs, plates and bowls to vases, figurines and seasonal favourites like Christmas ornaments and our ever-popular baubles. We're always updating our selection, so there's something fresh to inspire every visit.

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

For pottery and ceramic painting ideas, take a look at our social media channels and our blog, where we often post designs to inspire you. You can also see our Instagram feed on our website, or browse our different Pinterest boards.

If your plans change, you can cancel or reschedule your 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.

Pottery classes and workshops have their own cancellation policy, as they're paid for in advance.

Yes! At Crafty Monkey we use food-safe ceramic glazes, so your pottery is completely safe for eating and drinking once it's been glazed and kiln-fired. Your finished piece isn't just decorative - it can be a mug for your morning coffee, a bowl for snacks or a plate for serving up treats.

We take great care to make sure our materials meet food safety standards, so you can enjoy your handmade ceramics with confidence. We do recommend hand-washing to preserve the finish and avoid wear over time.

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

We use specialist underglaze paints made for pottery and ceramic painting studios. They're water-based, certified non-toxic, safe for all ages (including babies' hand and footprints) and food-safe once glazed and fired.

We cater for all skill levels and no experience is necessary! Our pottery classes are designed for beginners as well as those with some experience, and we'll teach you what you need to know for the item you're making.

Our Introduction to Hand-Building taster class is great for beginners who have never touched clay before and want to learn the basics.

Our other clay workshops, where you make a specific item, are also beginner-friendly and suitable for people with no experience.

Most of our pottery classes last between 2 and 3 hours. This should allow plenty of time for you to learn new techniques, create your piece, paint it and enjoy the creative process.

Most of our pottery workshops are aimed at adults, and most people who come are adults. Children aged 8 and over can join too, but under 10s need to be accompanied by a paying adult who's also taking part.

We also occasionally run children-only clay classes, usually during the school holidays.

Check each workshop's details for its age guide.

You can easily book a pottery class through our online booking system. Simply choose the class you’re interested in, select a date, fill in the booking form and complete the payment online.

If looking at the project based workshops, you'll be able to see which core pottery class to book in order to make the item.

See our list of pottery classes we offer or our pottery workshop schedule

Yes! We encourage creativity and welcome any ideas or designs you have in mind. Our instructors can help you bring your vision to life, whether it’s a specific project or a unique design.

To make sure everyone gets plenty of attention, our classes usually take around 8 people, depending on the project. This allows for personal guidance and a comfortable working space.

If you have a bigger group, please fill in the enquiry form at the bottom of our Groups & Parties page with your group size, the class you'd like to do and when you'd like to do it.

I'm afraid we don't have enough space for a pottery wheel. All our classes are hand-building, using pinch, coil and slab techniques.

At Crafty Monkey you can create a wide variety of pottery, including pots, planters, tea-light lanterns, mugs, trinket dishes and even decorative pieces like our very popular Highland Cow, pinch pot pumpkins or boob pots.

Each class may focus on a specific project, or you can join our Introduction to Pottery class and choose what you'd like to create. Be sure to check the details when booking.

If you've been on one of our workshops or have some pottery experience, you can book a self-led pottery session and make what you like - within reason!

We do offer a postal service; however, some pieces may be too delicate to send safely through the post.

If your item is suitable for posting,please note that, while we package well, we cannot accept responsibility for any damage that may occur once it is in the hands of the postal service.

Absolutely. For prints on pottery we use professional, water-based, non-toxic underglazes designed for pottery. They're lead-free, food-safe once fired and gentle on delicate skin. The print only takes a moment and we clean off any paint straight away with a baby wipe or water.

For clay imprints we use high-quality, non-toxic natural clay, and then use the imprint as a mould to make outprints. For 3D casts we use alginate, a soft, hypoallergenic moulding material made from seaweed.

Your baby's safety is always our top priority.

Yes! We offer baby hand and footprint sessions for groups of mums and babies at our St Neots studio:

• 2 mums and babies

• 3 to 5 mums and babies

• 6 or more mums and babies - everyone gets free studio fees

Our group sessions are especially popular with NCT groups of new mums.

Yes, we can do all of these in the same session. Check the notes on each session when booking to see which one suits you best.

Yes, we offer e-gift cards and gift vouchers that make perfect presents for baby showers, christenings or birthdays. They can be used towards any of our pottery keepsake services, including baby hand and footprints.

Buy a gift voucher

The price of our bear making experience at the Crafty Monkey studio in St Neots depends on the size of the bear or animal you choose and any optional outfits, accessories, or extras you add.

Build a Bear Prices:

• Small Bears: £16

• Large Bears: £21

• Outfits: Start are £11 for small bears and £13 for large.

You can browse our selection of our bears, animals, and outfits and see their prices online at our Build a Bear Shop.

The time for our make a bear activity can vary but typically lasts between 20 and 45 minutes.  Time varies,.depending on the child's age, amount of help given, group size and the length of time spent feeding the animal with our magic food (stuffing) and the amount of creativity involved with decorating the t-shirt.

Our Build a Bear experience at our St Neots studio is designed to be fun, interactive, and enjoyable for all ages, making it a popular activity for children under 12, but there is no upper age limit and we've even had grandparents making bears with us.

However, due to UK Toy Safety Regulations for our bear skins, there's a minimum age  of 3 years.  Children under 3 are still welcome to do the activity, however, they should not be left unsupervised with their new furry friend until they are over the age of 3.

Yes, we sell Crafty Monkey gift vouchers and e-gift cards, which can be used towards any of our experiences, including bear-making sessions, outfits and accessories, available at our St Neots studio or to purchase a teddy bear making kit online.

A gift voucher makes a great present for children or anyone who loves teddies. It's a thoughtful alternative to traditional toys, and our customers tell us their children form a far stronger bond to the teddy they've made. 

You can purchase physical gift vouchers and digital e-gift cards online or gift vouchers directly from our studio.

Our no-sew DIY teddy bear kits, available to buy online so you can enjoy the activity at home, include everything you need to make your own teddy bear:

• A teddy bear skin (not just bears - we have a range of animals)

• 100% recycled teddy stuffing

• A special wish star

• An adoption certificate

• A bear T-shirt to decorate (you can use felt pens for this)

• Instructions

• A letter to the birthday child (if the kits are for a bear party)

Outfits and accessories are also available to buy online in our teddy bear kits shop.

Yes, our teddy stuffing is made from 100% recycled plastic bottles. We care about the environment while bringing fun activities to children!

Yes! We offer a range of keepsakes you can make from your dog's paw prints. 

Choose from:

• Pawprints on Pottery

• Pawprint Imprints

• Pawprint Outprints

• 3D Paw Casts

Yes, you’re welcome to bring more than one dog, but please let us know on the booking form.  

If your dogs are excitable together, you may find it easier to bring them one at a time or come with someone else who can look after the other dog/s while we work with each one.

We schedule 30 minutes for all paw print sessions but the actual time handling your dogs paw is just a few seconds to a couple of minutes depending on which keepsakes you opt for.

The rest of the time is to allow you to choose your pottery items or decoration options and to give time for your dog time to relax, sniff around, and get comfortable before we handle the paw. If your dog is nervous or excitable, it may take a little longer.

Yes! Choose from dog bowls, coasters, mugs, plates and more. See our paw print keepsakes for ideas.

To help your dog feel comfortable and to get the best possible paw print, a little preparation before your visit makes a big difference.

Trim the hair between their paw pads   Please trim the fur between your dog’s paw pads before you come in. Long hair stops the clay from picking up the details of the paw, and trimming it is the single biggest thing you can do to get a clear, defined print, cast or imprint.

Give them a good walk beforehand   A nice walk before your appointment helps your dog relax, burn off some energy and settle more easily when we hold their paw. Calm dogs = better results.

Make sure they’re clean and dry  Wash muddy paws before you leave home. If they get dirty on their way to us we can give them a quick wipe

Bring them on a lead   For everyone’s safety, please bring your dog on a lead and keep them on it unless we ask otherwise.

Consider their comfort level   If your dog is nervous, sensitive about their paws being touched, or has arthritis or sore pads, please let us know on your booking form. We’re happy to take things slowly and work gently.  We may need you to handle their paws if they proove to be uncomfortable with us handling them.

Toilet break before entering the studio   Please make sure your dog has been to the toilet before coming in. If there’s an accident, we’ll ask you to clean it up.

With these simple steps, your dog will be more relaxed, and will help to capture a good paw print for your keepsake.

You don’t need to bring anything special, but a few things can help:

• Treats your dog loves

• A favourite toy if they’re playful

• Waste bags for any toilet needs

• Your dog towel if it’s wet outside

These little extras can help your dog settle and make the session smoother.

Yes! Crafty Monkey gift vouchers and e-gift cards make thoughtful gifts for pet lovers. They can be redeemed against any of our pawprint keepsake services.

Visit our gift voucher page for more information and to buy online.

You can buy gift cards and gift vouchers online or in our St Neots studio, and they can be used towards any of our activities.

E-gift cards are our most flexible option. Choose the amount and the date you'd like it emailed, and we'll send it straight to your inbox or the recipient's. They can be used online to book sessions and buy pottery painting kits - and they can't be lost! Buy an e-gift card.

Gift vouchers can be bought in the studio, or ordered online to collect from the studio or have posted to you or the recipient.

You can redeem both e-gift cards and physical gift vouchers online - just enter the card or voucher number at checkout when you book or order.

You can also bring your voucher with you and use it in our St Neots studio.

​​​​​Our dedicated party area comfortably seats up to 12 children (up to 14 if they’re little). If your guest list is larger, we can seat additional children in the main studio area.

For bigger parties, we can often accommodate you at our 10am party slot, subject to existing bookings. You can also enquire about hosting a weekday after‑school party.

Please note that a late‑opening fee may apply for parties that run beyond our standard hours.

To keep the space safe and comfortable for everyone, we kindly ask that no more than two parents or helpers stay during the party due to limited room in the party area.

Yes, depending on where you're located and how many children are attending we may be able to bring the party to a venue of your choice subject to an attendance fee.

We also offer flexible DIY party kits for build a bear and pottery painting, designed for you to run the party yourself.

Please arrive no earlier than five minutes before your booked time. This allows us time to prepare the party area after the previous party or assist customers with earlier bookings.

If the party area is ready when you arrive, you’re welcome to wait there. However, if we’re still busy, we may not be able to attend to you properly until your allocated time slot.

We kindly ask that parents drop their children at the front of the studio, where we’ll bring them through to the party area. This helps minimise disruption to other customers painting pottery.

If parents arrive early, please ask them to wait outside with their child until you arrive.

In case of rain, there is a sheltered area nearby at Moores Walk Café, located two doors down.

You could suggest this café as a spot for parents to relax and catch up during the party. Alternatively, there are lots of other local cafés nearby, or they may wish to use the time for shopping or running errands in town.

While we no longer offer a party food option or allow you to bring food, you're welcome to bring a birthday cake or cupcakes to sing 'Happy Birthday'.

If you decide to bring a cake, please also bring napkins to wrap the cake for the children to take home.

Our pottery painting parties for kids include:

• Party invites

• 1.5 hours' use of our party area

• A birthday card for the birthday child

• An item to paint from our large kids' party range - we have pottery pieces to suit all ages

• Guidance and instructions from our friendly staff

• All paints and materials

• We do all the clean-up, so you can relax!

• Kiln firing - we'll email you when items are ready to collect (allow around 2 weeks)

• Individually wrapped items - each piece is bagged and labelled with the child's name, making them easy to hand out

• Optional add-on: a personalised keepsake party plate for the birthday child to mark the occasion

Our parties are creative, fun and stress-free - perfect for making memories that last!

Yes. Our Teen Pottery Painting Party is designed for ages 10 to 16 and runs at our St Neots studio.

Instead of our party animal range, each guest chooses a mug, bowl, pen pot or plate to paint however they like. It's relaxed and sociable, and no art skills are needed.

Each guest picks one of the following to paint:

• Mug

• Bowl

• Pen pot

• Plate

We provide all paints, brushes and materials, plus design ideas if anyone needs inspiration. Once painted, we glaze and fire everything. Pieces are ready to collect around two weeks later, individually wrapped and bagged, and we email you when they're ready.

It depends on what they would like to paint:

• Children's Pottery Painting Party (£16 a head): guests paint a piece from our fun party animal range. Popular with younger children and teens.

• Teen Pottery Painting Party (£18 a head, ages 10 to 16): guests paint a mug, bowl, pen pot or plate. Best if your teen would rather have something practical or grown-up.

We allocate 1 hour 30 minutes for both our children's pottery painting and bear parties and 2 hours for teen parties.  

However, the time children spend on the activity can vary greatly depending on their age, interests and personalities.

Bear Parties

Most bear making parties last around an hour, which is often the perfect length for younger children. Children under 6 typically have shorter attention spans and tend to complete their bears more quickly, with some finishing in as little as 30 to 45 minutes.

For younger children, we often recommend a bear party over pottery painting, as the activity is generally better suited to their age group and attention span.

Pottery Painting Parties

Pottery painting party duration is particularly dependent on the age of the children. Older children (typically aged 7 to 8 and above) often enjoy taking their time, adding detail to their designs and making full use of the allocated party time.

Younger children can sometimes complete their pottery in as little as 30 minutes. In a group environment, some children will also rush their painting to keep up with friends who have finished, rather than taking their time with their own piece.

While we happily offer pottery painting parties for younger children, we generally recommend them for ages 7 to 8+ for the best experience.

Of course, these are only general guidelines and there are always exceptions. Some younger children love spending ages creating detailed designs, while some older children prefer to finish more quickly.

What happens if they finish early?

If children finish early, we keep them entertained decorating paper bags with colouring pens. The bags can then be used to take their bears home, or to collect their pottery items once they have been kiln-fired and are ready for collection.

Each child gets:

• A choice from our range of animal and bear skins

• Magic food (stuffing) to fill and fluff up their furry friend

• A wish heart or star for making a wish

• A T-shirt to decorate

• An adoption certificate for their bear or animal

• Bear outfits (if you've selected this party option)

See what happens at our build a bear parties in our 'Steps to Make a Teddy Bear' on our build a bear page.

Kids Build A Bear Parties start at £16 per head.

Cost Per Child

Small Bears £16 with outfits £26

Large Bears £21 with outfits £33

At Crafty Monkey, we use only the safest and highest quality materials:

• Alginate: A natural, hypoallergenic product derived from seaweed, ideal for creating detailed moulds.

• Plaster: We use high-quality stone plaster for the final cast to ensure durability and fine detail.

There is no minimum age, and we can take casts from newborn babies. However, we recommend waiting until your baby is a few weeks old, as they are often more settled and comfortable, making it easier to capture a perfect hand or foot impression.

Creating the mould at your session is a quick and simple process and just takes a few minutes. The creation and finishing of the casts takes a few weeks, after which your keepsake will be ready to collect.

• Creating the mould: 2-5 minutes for each hand or foot.

• Deciding on options: you then choose the finish you'd like, along with the frame or plinth colour and what you'd like on the plaque.

After your session:

• Final cast preparation: pouring and hardening the final cast material can take several hours.

• Drying time: we leave the casts to dry for around 2 weeks for baby casts, longer for larger casts. This ensures they are properly dry before they are sealed, decorated and mounted on a plinth or in a frame.

• Total time: from start to finish, the entire process can take 3-5 weeks, including drying and finishing time.

Yes! You can book a 3D casting session at our studio in St Neots, near Cambridge.

We can capture clay impressions or 2D plaster outprints of hand or foot prints at any age but it will depend on the size of the hands and feet as to the number of prints that will fit on a piece.

Getting the imprints is a quick process and just takes a few minutes however allow about 15-20 minutes for us to get the personalisation details.

Our experienced staff will guide you through the process. For imprints and outprints, your baby’s hand or foot is gently pressed into soft clay. For outprints, we use the imprint as a mould to create the outprint after you have left. For more details, visit our Imprints & Outprints page.

Please allow four to five weeks, as each piece is carefully crafted by hand. We'll email you as soon as your keepsake is ready, with a link to book a pick-up slot.

Yes, gift vouchers and e-gift cards are available to buy online or in our studio, and make a wonderful gift for new parents.

View our general opening times. However, these can vary, especially during school holidays and around Christmas so the best way to see live availability is when booking a session.

Yes please. We ask that all visits are booked online, even if it's just 30 minutes before you arrive. If we have space we can sometimes fit in walk-ins, but booking is the only way to guarantee your spot. We don't take bookings over the phone.

Booking ahead matters most at weekends, during school holidays and in the run-up to Christmas, when we're at our busiest. Some activities, like baby handprint keepsakes, pottery classes and group workshops, only run on certain days and times, and we sometimes have private groups or big parties booked in.

It's also important to book the right session for what you want to do. If your plans change, you can usually reschedule from your confirmation email.

No. Some activities only run at set times, including baby hand and footprints, clay sessions, pottery classes and events. When you book, you'll see availability for every session, class and event, so you can choose the right one and arrive when your activity is running.

Please choose the correct session type, especially for baby prints or activities that need extra time before closing.

See Availability by selecting an option on our booking page

Yes, we cater for groups and parties of all kinds, either in our St Neots studio, at your venue or with our DIY pottery painting at home take-out kits. or build a bear kits.

Whether you're planning a birthday celebration, team building, work social or a community event, we’ve got you covered. Find general information on our Group & Party page or follow the links below:

Children's Parties

Adults & Family Parties

Hen Parties

Baby Showers

Creative Team Building Workshops

Brownies, Beavers, Scouts & Youth Groups

WI Groups, Clubs & Local Societies

School Visits & Educational Sessions

Mum & Baby Groups

We do! It's a relaxed, creative way to celebrate the bride to be.

See our hen party page for details, or book your hen party online.

Yes! We welcome school visits and youth groups like Brownies, Guides, Beavers, Cubs and Scouts, either at our studio or at your venue. See our school visits and Brownies, Scouts and youth groups pages for details.

Groups & Parties

Crafty Monkey is located between Argos and Barclays Bank in the heart of St Neots, a charming market town nestled along the River Great Ouse in the Huntingdonshire District of Cambridgeshire.

We're easily accessible from nearby towns including Huntingdon, Bedford, Cambridge, Cambourne, Sandy, Biggleswade & St Ives.

St Neots is full of character, with scenic parks, independent shops and cosy cafés - making us a popular destination and perfect for pairing your pottery experience with a day out.

If not local, our online shop and postal service enable you to still enjoy some of our services.

Parking: We’re within easy walking distance of all public car parks in St Neots town centre. The nearest car park is on Tebbutts Road, just a 1-minute walk from our studio.

See Location Map

To get the best possible baby prints, these sessions need a little extra time, a calm environment and a specially trained member of our team. Because our studio is often bustling with painters during weekends and school holidays, we schedule print sessions during quieter mid-week times. This allows us to give you and your baby our full, undivided attention without the rush.  

We do however offer a couple of sessions on a weekend as we understand sometimes you would like to add other children's prints too who are at school mid-week. Please be aware these sessions may not be as relaxed as during the week.

At Crafty Monkey, we have a standard studio fee of £4.50 per painter plus the cost of the pottery item you choose.  This covers the use of underglaze paints, clear glazing and firing.

For baby print sessions, if you have more than one baby or child doing prints we just charge one studio fee for the print session.  This includes you decorating the piece.

If combining the print session with a pottery painting session, each painter will be charged a studio fee.  Prints are included in the studio fee. 

You can create keepsakes with your baby's handprints and footprints at any age. However, for newborns to around 5 months we recommend footprints, as newborn handprints can be a little trickier to achieve due to their strong reflex.

Tiny newborn footprints create beautifully delicate keepsakes and are a lovely way to remember those precious early days.

We can also accommodate older children if you'd like to capture prints at different stages as they grow.

Family handprints on a large plate with mum and dads prints too are another popular choice, creating a unique keepsake that can be transformed into a beautiful family tree design.

Yes! Our artists can hand-paint bespoke ceramics for you - ideal if you'd rather leave the painting to us, or want a professional finish or a design that's all your own.

Whether you're after a personalised wedding gift, a Christening keepsake or a special birthday present, we can create a custom piece that's truly one of a kind.

Not local? No problem! You can order online and have your personalised pottery delivered straight to your door.

Ceramic Personalised Gifts

Unfortunately, we can't work with pottery that hasn't come from our studio. This makes sure all materials are compatible with our glazes and firing process, for a high-quality finish.

Don't worry! Our experienced team are "baby-wrangling" experts and we have a proven method. Depending on the colour chosen, if a print doesn't come out too well, we can usually sand it off the pottery and try again - it's all part of the process.

Please keep in mind that because we're working with live 'little artists', it's not always possible to get the 'perfect' print each time, and prints may vary slightly. That said, we have a very high success rate and will always work with your baby to get the best result possible.

Top tip: footprints are much easier than handprints for babies under 6 months, due to their clench reflex!

Crafty Monkey offers art and craft activities at our St Neots studio for all ages and abilities for families, schools, clubs, workplaces and individuals.

Our creative services include:

🎨 DIY Pottery Painting: Sessions, Parties & Groups

🏺 Pottery Making Classes: Learn Hand-Building with Clay

🍷 BYOB Sip & Paint Nights: Adults' Social Painting evenings

🎉 Themed & Seasonal Events and Workshops: In Our Studio & Local Venues

📦 Pottery Painting Kits: Paint Ceramics at Home

🧸 Build-a-Bear Experience & Parties: Make a Teddy Bear

👣 Baby Hand & Foot Keepsakes: Ceramic, Clay Imprints, Outprints & 3D Casts

🐾 Paw Print Keepsakes: On Pottery, Clay Imprints, Outprints & 3D Casts

🧑‍🎨 Creative Workshops for Schools & PTA Fundraisers

See a list of all our creative activities

View our Christmas opening hours and last dates for items to be ready in time.

These usually appear on our website anytime from October.

Pottery painting (also called paint-your-own ceramics) 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'll give you instructions, and then you paint your own design with our specialist underglaze paints.

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

Find out more on our pottery painting page.

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.

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

Book Pottery Painting

Yes! As well as hosting groups at our St Neots studio, we offer a mobile pottery painting service and can bring the session to you - at your workplace, home, school, community hall, pub or café. Minimum numbers apply (usually 12 or more people) and an attendance fee applies.

We can also run group and party sessions at our studio outside our normal opening hours (an opening fee applies).

Prefer to run it yourself? Our pottery painting take-home kits are perfect for parties, school groups or painting at home.

To arrange a session at your venue or out of hours, fill in the enquiry form at the bottom of our Groups & Parties page.

Of course! Pottery painting at Crafty Monkey, St Neots 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.

Once pottery has been painted at our St Neots studio, you'll need to leave it with us so we can glaze and kiln-fire it. Your finished ceramic piece is usually ready to collect in around two weeks, and we'll email you 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 - great for last-minute gifts or tight schedules.

Absolutely! We encourage creativity and love seeing unique designs. You can bring your own ideas, sketches or inspiration, and our friendly staff can offer tips and guidance to help you bring your vision to life. You can also trace a design you've printed off onto the pottery before you paint it.

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

No, our underglaze paints are water-based and won't stain. They wipe off skin and surfaces with water and come out of clothing in a normal wash. Once dry, the paint turns to a soft powder, so it doesn't leave permanent marks.

Pottery painting is generally low-mess, especially for adults, so there's no need for aprons or special gear. Just come relaxed and ready to get creative!

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.

Hand-building is a traditional pottery technique that involves creating forms without a potter's wheel. Instead, you use your hands, simple tools and a variety of techniques to shape, sculpt and mould the clay into beautiful, unique ceramic pieces.

Our hand-building pottery classes at our St Neots studio are beginner-friendly, so no experience is needed.

Our pottery classes include all the materials you need, including clay, tools, and underglaze paints if you paint your piece during the class. You'll also receive expert instruction from our experienced tutors, who will guide you step by step. Firing your creations in our kiln is also included in the price.

Your pottery piece will need to be left to dry naturally before it's fired in our kiln. This process can take 3-5 weeks.

Once your piece has been fired, we'll let you know it's ready and ask you to book a pick-up slot.

Yes! We run private pottery classes and clay parties for groups - perfect for birthdays, team-building events or a fun day out with friends.

To arrange one, please fill in the enquiry form at the bottom of our Groups & Parties page with your group size, the class you'd like to do and your preferred dates.

We understand that plans change. Pottery classes and workshops are paid for in advance, so they have their own cancellation policy. Whether you can reschedule or get a refund depends on how much notice you give.

Please see our pottery class and workshop cancellation policy for full details.

Yes, we sell gift cards and gift vouchers, which make a great present for anyone interested in trying their hand at pottery.

Our e-gift cards are the best option, as they can be used online to book and pay for a class. They can also be used in our studio. If you opt for a physical voucher, the recipient will need to get in touch with us for a code to use for the booking.

You can buy either online or in our St Neots studio.

Yes, if time allows and your piece is stable and dry enough, you can decorate it during the class with our pottery underglazes.

If that's not possible, your instructor will go through the options for painting it at a later date, or you can go au naturel and have it clear glazed.

Due to the nature of clay, problems such as cracks or pieces becoming detached can happen during the making, drying and firing process. We'll show you how to minimise this during your class. If something does happen to your piece, we'll do our best to fix it, but please be aware this isn't always possible.

Playing with clay can be messy as you're effectively playing with mud! Like mud, clay and our underglazes wash easily out of clothing but we advise wearing something comfortable that you don't mind getting mucky. Feel free to bring an apron.

Taking the hand and footprints only takes a few minutes, however we allocate a 30 minutes to allow time for you to choose your pottery pieces and designs and there's buffer time in case baby needs extra time.

After that, we need to glaze and fire the pottery, which usually takes about two weeks. If you'd like us to decorate the piece, it can take longer in busy periods, particularly in the lead-up to Christmas and Father's Day.

Once it's ready, we'll email you with a link to book a slot to collect your finished keepsake.

Once the prints are done, your piece needs to be glazed and fired in our kiln to 1000°C. This usually takes about 14 days, and can be sooner if you've decorated the piece yourself.

If we're decorating it for you, it can take longer in busy periods like the lead-up to Christmas, depending on how much pottery we have to decorate, so please allow around 3 weeks.

Once it's ready, we'll email you with a link to book a pick-up slot.

Crafty Monkey, St Neots, specialises in capturing baby handprints, footprints and even bumprints to create beautiful, personalised keepsakes. They make meaningful mementos for parents, grandparents and loved ones, and are perfect as gifts or treasured displays.  

Our keepsake options:

Handprints and footprints on pottery - prints on plates, mugs, tiles, baubles & more

Clay imprints - prints pressed into soft clay for a timeless, tactile keepsake

Plaster outprints - raised prints capturing every tiny detail

3D baby casts - three-dimensional casts of hands or feet for a stunning sculptural memory

Or see an overview of the services we offer for Baby Keepsakes

We're afraid we don't offer discounts for multiple keepsakes. However, there's just one studio fee per session, so it's always better to do them all at the same session, as further sessions will incur another studio fee.

While we welcome walk-ins if we have availability, we always recommend booking your Build a Bear session in advance to ensure we have space for you, especially during weekends, holidays and busy periods such as the lead-up to Christmas.

If unsure of plans you can always check availability and book a session just before coming.

Book Build a Bear Session

You can choose from much more than just teddy bears! Alongside our classic bears, we stock a wide range of no-sew animals, from unicorns and dinosaurs to dogs, cats and monkeys (our faves!).

See our selection in our online bear shop.

Absolutely! Personalising teddy's is part of the fun at Crafty Monkey Studio in St Neots.  Each guest can choose their favourite bear or animal and bring it to life during the feeding (stuffing) process. 

Children can make their furry friend unique by choosing from a selection of wish hearts, naming it and personalising a t-shirt. We also sell a range of outfits, clothing, and accessories to match its personality and style.

Whether you're creating a teddy bear for a birthday gift, a special treat, or as part of one of our popular Build a Bear parties, creating a customised teddy bear is a fun and memorable experience for children making every Build a Bear extra special.

Visit our Build a Bear Shop to browse a selection of our range.

Yes! Our build a bears are ready to take home as soon as they're made, whether it's created at a session or at our bear making parties.

Yes! We sell no-sew DIY teddy bear making kits in our online shop and post them anywhere in the UK, so you can enjoy the fun even if you're not local to St Neots.

Every kit comes with full instructions, so they're perfect for hosting your own bear-making party at home or another venue, or as a gift.

Order DIY Teddy Bear Kits

We offer 8-inch (20cm) and 16-inch (40cm) teddy bears, along with a variety of adorable outfits and accessories. Check out our online shop to browse the collection!

Yes! Our Build a Bear parties at our St Neots studio are a popular children's birthday party choice. We also cater for groups like Rainbows. See our children's parties page for packages and prices.

Every child chooses, stuffs and personalises their own teddy bear or soft toy to take home, so it often removes the need for party bags too. We take care of the hosting and activities, so it's a stress-free party for parents.

We also sell teddy bear making kits with full instructions if you'd like to host the party at home or elsewhere.

We’re dog lovers at Crafty Monkey and can take paw prints from most dogs providing they are well‑behaved, comfortable being handled, and happy for a stranger to handle their paw. 

Creating a paw print involves carefully pressing your dog's paw onto pottery, into clay, or into alginate, so it's important that your dog is calm, relaxed, and happy throughout the process.

Most dogs take part without problems. However, if your dog is particularly nervous, reactive, anxious around strangers, or dislikes having their paws touched, a paw print session may not be the right choice for them.

If your dog has arthritis, sore joints, or sensitive paw pads, please let us know at the start of your session so we can take extra care and work as gently as possible.

Your dog's wellbeing is always our priority. If they become distressed, fearful, or uncomfortable during the session, or if their behaviour presents a safety concern for our team or other customers, we may ask you to assist with handling their paw or, in some cases, need to stop the session altogether.

Should this happen, we'll happily discuss alternative options, such as one of our take-home kits, allowing you to capture pottery prints in a familiar and more relaxed environment.

Yes, all pawprint services require a pre-booked appointment to ensure we have time and materials ready for you. 

Follow the links below to find more information about the session and to book online:

• Pawprints on Pottery

• Pawprint Imprints

• Pawprint Outprints

• 3D Paw Casts

Absolutely. For pottery, we use non-toxic, pet-safe paints. For clay impressions, outprints we use clay and for 3D casts, we use, skin-safe alginate.

We understand that some pets are more sensitive. Our team is patient and experienced at getting prints or making keepsakes.  If your pet is particularly anxious, we’ll give your dog time to settle and work at their pace. We recommend bringing a favourite treat or toy if you think this will help.

If your dog becomes too stressed, we may need to pause, reschedule or stop the session for their wellbeing. Your dog’s comfort and our teams safety always comes first.

Fluffy paws can make prints and other keepsakes less defined, so we recommend trimming the fur between the pads before your appointment. If you’re not comfortable doing this yourself, a groomer can help. 

Clear pads = better results

Paw Prints on Pottery

These are usually ready in around 2 weeks. If you'd like us to do the decoration, it can take up to 3 weeks in the busy lead-up to Christmas.

We also offer a speedy service and your pttery will be ready between 3-5 days.

Clay Imprints, Outprints and 3D Casts

Allow around 3-5 weeks.

Pottery painting is a relaxing, creative activity that many people find therapeutic and calming. It's a great way to unplug from screens, focus on something hands-on and switch off from everyday stress.

Whether you're painting on your own, with friends or as a family, it's a gentle way to boost your mood, spend quality time together and come away with something you've made yourself.

If you choose to have your gift voucher posted, we aim to dispatch it within two working days via 2nd Class Royal Mail. During busy periods, please allow for extra time. For a quicker option, select an environmentally friendly eGift Card that can be emailed immediately. This ensures prompt delivery and helps reduce our carbon footprint.

Crafty Monkey offers three fun and creative children’s party options:

• Build a Bear Parties

• Pottery Painting Parties

• Pottery Making Parties

Children can either paint their own pottery piece, choosing from our popular party animals, get messy with clay or make a cuddly new friend in a Build a Bear session.

Our parties are fun, creative and suitable for a wide range of ages and keep children engaged, entertained, and proud of what they create.

Parties can be held in our studio or delivered to your home or venue through our DIY party kits or mobile party service, giving you flexibility to celebrate however you prefer.

Due to limited space, we can only accommodate two adults staying during the party. If you have more family members who’d like to stay, and your party is 12 children or fewer, we can allow up to two additional adults.

Parents can drop off and enjoy some time to themselves in town. A coffee, a wander around the shops… they’ll thank you later for the break.

Yes! At Crafty Monkey, we sell DIY Pottery Painting and Build a Bear kits, in our online shop, perfect for people who want to take a longer time painting or hosting a creative party at home.

If you’re not local, we can post out both our pottery and teddy bear making kits right to your door! Our pottery kits can be painted with acrylic paints, meaning there's no need to return them for glazing and firing and the children can take home their pieces the same day.

While we can cater for younger ages, we recommend our parties for school-aged children and older, as they’re generally used to being in a group setting without parents and have a better attention span for the activities we provide.

Pottery Painting Parties

• There is no minimum age for painting pottery, but do bear in mind that children under 5 may finish quite quickly as their attention spans are shorter.

• The maximum age for our kids party animal and teens paint parties is 16 years. 

• We find teens tend to want to select from our studio range of items which incurs a studio fee on top of the price of the ceramic piece, or we offer a teens party option where they can choose from a mug, plate, pen pot or bowl at £18 a head based on a minimum of 8 attendees.

Build a Bear Parties

• The minimum age is 3 years old, as some of our bear skins carry a CE mark with this age guideline. We do allow under 3s to participate under the premise of supervised play until they are 3. That said, aged 4 and under may find the activity challenging without additional support and they would be better doing it as a session rather than a party activity.

• We find our build a bear parties are most popular for 5 - 9 year olds but there's no maximum age, and we've even run build a bear parties for adults a couple of times.

Kids Pottery Painting Parties for our standard Party Animal Range based on a minimum of 8 are:

£16 a head

This includes our studio fee.

For fewer than 8 children it will be the price of the pottery chosen from our retail range plus a £4.50 studio fee per painter.

We offer a large and diverse selection of pottery. If you'd like to theme your party, simply email us with your chosen theme and we'll be happy to suggest suitable pottery pieces along with pricing information.

See our themed children's parties blog post for ideas.

£18 a head, which includes the pottery item and our studio fee.

• Minimum 8 guests

• £50 deposit at booking, deducted from your total (non-refundable, but the date can be changed with notice)

• If you book for more than 8, you only pay for the number who actually turn up on the day

Yes. Due to space, a maximum of 2 adults can stay with the group, so other parents drop off and collect at the door. Our team members look after the party throughout and help with any painting questions.

Yes, they can order items from our main range, however, they will incur an additional £4.50 studio fee per painter on top of the item price.

Their party pieces will be left to dry, before we glaze and kiln-fire them. This process takes around two weeks. We'll email you when everything is ready, along with a link to book a collection slot.

All items will be individually wrapped and clearly labelled with each child's name, making them easy to hand out after collection.

Yes, depending on your location, how many children are attending and our availability, we may be able to come and run the party. An attendance fee will apply, starting from £50.

We also sell build a bear kits with instructions and the steps to run the session yourself.

Creating baby hand and foot casts at Crafty Monkey is a simple and safe process, and we handle the entire casting process for you. During your appointment, we gently create the mould of your baby's hands and feet, ensuring a perfect replica.

Step 1: Book a 3D baby cast session at our studio.

Step 2: At your session, our skilled team will mix the moulding material and guide you through the process.

Step 3: We gently place your little one's hand or foot into the mould until it sets (usually a few minutes), then carefully remove it.

Step 4: After you've left, we pour the casting material into the mould to create the final cast.

Step 5: Once the cast has hardened, we remove it from the mould and leave it to dry out completely.

Step 6: Once dry, we sand and make any small repairs before sealing, then decorate it as you've chosen.

Step 7: Finally, we frame or mount the casts onto a display plinth and fix the plaque in place.

Step 8: Once ready, we'll email you and ask you to book a pick-up slot!

Baby hand and foot casts start from £150. The price depends on your child's age group:

Baby: up to 12 months

Toddler: 12 to 24 months

Pre-schooler: 25 - 48 months

Child: 49 months - 12 years

Adult: 13 years up

All the above come with a plaque.

We can also do adult hands with or without baby. Enquire for different options.

Yes, the casting process is completely safe and comfortable for newborns.

We use high-quality, hypoallergenic materials that are safe for your baby’s delicate skin, ensuring a durable and detailed cast.

The process requires us to hold your baby's hand/foot in a material called alginate which starts off as a liquid and sets within a couple of minutes to a rubber-like consistency. The set alginate is soft so baby's hand/foot can be gently removed.

Absolutely! You can personalise your casts with:

• Engraving: your little one's name, birth date or age on the plaque

• Finish: bronze, copper, silver, gold or antique, pearl, baby blue pearlescent or baby pink pearlescent

• Solid colour or waxes over black: a solid colour of your choice, or a black base coat with coloured waxes on top to bring out every tiny wrinkle and crease

• Display: a display plinth or a deep box frame, in a choice of colours

Imprints are recessed impressions of your baby's hands and feet in clay, while outprints are raised. Both capture the tiny detail of your baby's hands and feet.

You book a session online through our website.

Just bring your baby! We provide all the necessary materials and equipment for the session.

Yes! You can choose hands, feet or both, and pick from a range of colours and designs to suit your style and home. We add your baby's name, birth date or age to a plaque, and there's also the option of further personalisation on the imprint itself.

We understand babies can be wiggly! Our experienced team are very patient and have plenty of tricks to make the session as smooth and comfortable as possible. Getting the impressions is very quick, but if needed we can take breaks, or try again another time, to make sure we get the best result.

Yes, we can accommodate sessions for twins or siblings. Please let us know on booking so we can prepare accordingly.

We sell cold drinks in the studio, but you can't bring and consume your own food and drink on our premises. The exception is alcoholic drinks at our Sip and Paint Pottery Nights, event nights, hen parties and adult party bookings.

Residue from food on your hands can cause problems with your pottery. It can leave dark patches on the surface once fired, and can stop the glaze taking, leaving patches unglazed.

If you've booked a kids' party with us, you're welcome to bring a birthday cake to sing 'Happy Birthday' and blow out the candles, but it can't be eaten in the studio.

Our Opening Hours can vary in school holidays and other occasions. We sometimes:

• open earlier or later for seasonal sessions, adult evenings and special events

• close for off-site events, group bookings or private parties

Booking ahead means you'll never arrive to find the studio closed.

Yes please.  Booking a pick-up slot to collect your finished pottery or keepsakes lets us have your order ready and means you'll arrive when we're not busy with other customers. 

We may also close the studio from time to time for off-site events, and we would hate for you to have a wasted journey.

If the time slots available don't suit, book the closest time slot and put in the booking notes what time you'll be attending, within our opening hours.

Choose from:

• Build a Bear parties

• Pottery painting parties

• Clay making parties

Either at our St Neots studio, with our party at home kits, or we may be able to bring the party to you.

Head to our children's parties page for packages and prices.

Yes, we host adult and family parties, work socials and creative team-building sessions, either at our St Neots studio or at your venue. You're welcome to bring your own alcoholic drinks for out of hours adult party bookings.

See our adult and family parties and team-building workshops pages for options.