In my quest to find kid friendly activities to do with my nieces during their two week visit, I came across As You Wish Pottery in Glendale, Arizona. It seemed like the perfect indoor activity to do with Noelle and Ayla on a hot and sunny Arizona afternoon. As usual, I checked out their website, viewed the prices, read about how it works, and booked our session. Easy as 1-2-3.
Our Experience
The Location
The As You Wish we visited was located in Glendale, AZ. It was nestled in what appeared to be an entertainment district. The building was surrounded by restaurants, a mall, and a movie theater. Making it a convenient location to plan an entire afternoon of activities in one spot. Therefore, we decided to paint our pottery at 11 am, then head to a late lunch at one of the restaurants around the corner from the pottery place afterwards.
The Painting Session
We were able to check in and be seated as soon as we arrived. There were a few other people painting their pottery at the time of our visit, but there was enough space and tables so that everyone could safely enjoy their painting experience.
Step 1: Gather Your Materials
As we were getting settled at our table, I immediately noticed the bright and fun décor of the place. The walls were painted in rich purples and vibrant greens. The long wall to the left of the entrance was filled with an assortment of pottery for customers to choose from. The wall straight ahead contained cabinets and drawers filled with all of the materials needed to paint your pottery piece (paint, stencils, sponges, etc…). Additionally, the tables were already set up with paint brushes, palettes, bowls of water, and sponges needed for your session.
The girls, Gigi, and I headed over to the pottery wall first and browsed the selection. We allowed the girls to pick whatever tickled their fancy. Ayla chose a dog and Noelle chose a princess. Next, we headed to the supply area to gather the paint colors the girls wanted to use. Gigi and I opted to just watch and assist the girls with their projects during our session, which turned out to be the right choice.
Step 2: Paint Your Pottery
Once we returned to our table with all of our supplies, one of the staff members came to over to explain the pottery painting basics. These basics proved to be quite helpful as the girls started to paint their figurines. I assisted Noelle, while Gigi worked with Ayla.
Ayla and Noelle spent the next hour and half creating their masterpieces. My mother and I looked on and helped when needed. They both did an excellent job of painting their pottery pieces. It was fun watching their figurines come to life with their unique artistic touches.
Step 3: Turn in Your Creation at the Front Counter and Pay
After the girls finished painting and were pleased with their creations, we took their pieces to the front counter and paid for the pottery and session. The staff member then explained that the pieces would be ready in approximately five days and told us the earliest date we could pick them up.
Final Thoughts
We had a wonderful time at As You Wish Pottery Painting Place. The girls enjoyed painting their pottery and Gigi and I were happy to watch them have fun and be creative. This was an entertaining arts and crafts activity to do with the kids and we would definitely go again. I would highly recommend this to people of all ages looking for something fun and different to do for their next outing. It’s a nice way to bond and create memories.
Here are a few tips to help you plan your visit to As You Wish Pottery.
Tips
- Make your reservations online. It’s convenient, quick, and easy.
- Expect to be there a minimum of two hours. It takes time to get settled, choose your pottery piece, gather materials, and paint.
- Be aware of the cost. There is a fee per person for the session and a separate fee for each piece of pottery that is selected. The price of each piece of pottery ranges from $12-25 per piece.
- Take snacks and water. Since you will be there a while, it might be wise to have these items on hand. Especially, if you have kids with you.
- Listen to the pointers given by the staff. If this is your first visit, it’s good to have them explain the basics in order for your creation to look its best.
- Guide younger children as they paint and create. Sometimes, children forget some of the basics while they are creating. They may also need assistance if they lack the hand and eye coordination to successfully paint the pottery. Therefore, remind them to cover all areas, add enough paint, and help them when needed. This will ensure they achieve the desired end result.
- Paint your initials on your pottery. This makes it easy to identify when you pick it up later.
- Take a picture of your pottery. This is just an added precaution just in case they can’t find or identify your pottery at the time of pick up.
