Pottery Painting at Crock a Doodle

We were excited to drop-in at Crock a Doodle in Niagara Falls for an afternoon of fun. This pottery themed creative space with friendly staff made us feel welcomed. This studio is setup in a way that makes it comfortable for children to sit down and paint. For adults, it gives an opportunity to let go of everything and be a kid again. We loved it! 

People of all ages can easily have a good time at Crock a Doodle. 

To begin, pick a ready to paint pottery piece you love. They have different themed pottery pieces for holidays, different types of vases, pots, cups, mugs, jugs, pitchers, plates, coaster, bowls, containers, ornaments, and more. Pottery pieces vary depending on the location. There are over 30 franchised locations across Canada. The prices are on the bottom of each piece, and varies from 5 to 75 dollars. 

We are free to find a workspace in the studio that is already setup with a table mat and all the supplies we need.

The next step is to draw anything we like using a pencil. The pencil marks will disappear when it is put into the kiln.  

Then we get to pick the colours we want, and a staff member will pour as many colours we want into a palette. We like that they have a variety of colours, and some with sand within the paint to give texture. The water based paint is lead free and easy to work with. There is no need to dress for the activity or put on an apron.  

We can paint by applying 2 to 3 coats depending on how solid we want our finished colour to be. The paint gets absorbed quickly to the pottery and dries fast, so there is no need to wait to apply the paint coats. 

It is easy to remove mistakes with the sponge and wash it away. They have Funwriter pens, which are tipped paint containers we can use to add final touches. We used these writers to give depth to the flowers, and to make the dots.  

Once we are happy with our painting and sign our masterpiece, we can hand it over to a staff member. They will get it ready to be professionally glazed and fired in a kiln overnight at the studio. After applying the shiny glaze, the pottery is fired at 1828 degrees Fahrenheit. 

This makes the piece have a brilliant durable finish, so our pottery is functional and can be washed. It is best to hand-wash so the pottery will have its long life and shine. 

We like that a staff member is always present to help, give suggestions, and encourage. They gave us tips on how the coats of paint and the process works. We were given ample time to enjoy painting, we spent about a hour and a half. There is lots of inspiration around the room, and a booklet in case we need a little boost to start.  

The bright cheerful studio is a perfect place to go for a night-out with friends and family or for team building events, and birthday parties. It would also be neat to take babies and put their hand and feet prints on the pottery for keepsake. 

This is a fabulous activity to do when you are in Niagara Falls on a rainy, cold day or to cool off on a hot day. They are open everyday 10 to 7 p.m. all year long. This Crock a Doodle pottery experience is conveniently located next to the Hershey's factory across the Rainbow International bridge. There is plenty of parking close by. 

Since the piece needs to be put in the kiln after we paint, either go on the first day of your Niagara trip to paint, and then pick up the finished piece the next day or it can be arranged to be shipped. They also hold our items for up to six months, so we can pick it up the next time we are close to the location. After six months, the uncollected pieces will be donated. They have a free Crockadoodle app we can download on our mobile phone to get updates, offers, and earn rewards.   

We loved letting our creativity flow while painting our pottery at Crock a Doodle. Even those of us who do not feel artistic, will love the end results. This hands-on fun activity gives the participants a positive feeling about taking the time to let their creative energy flow. 

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