When summer heat hits or a rainy afternoon rolls in, there is nothing better than getting your kids out of the house and letting them express their creativity. Luckily, the Finger Lakes region is overflowing with world-class art studios, interactive makerspaces, and hands-on workshops designed specifically for small hands and big imaginations.
If you are looking to trade screen time for paint brushes, clay, or blown glass, here are some of the absolute best spots across our region to explore:
Hands-On Glass and Clay Studios
- The Studio at the Corning Museum of Glass (Corning): Did you know kids can actually try glassmaking? Their “Make Your Own Glass” experiences allow children (ages four and up, depending on the project) to create fused glass suncatchers, blown glass ornaments, or sculpted glass flowers alongside professional instructors.
- The Rochester Fencing & Clay Center / Local Pottery Studios: Up north, spaces like the Rochester Fencing & Clay Center or local community centers in Ithaca and Geneva offer open studio times and drop-in family clay workshops. Hand-building with raw clay gives kids a wonderful tactile outlet that builds fine motor strength.
Interactive Art Museums and Makerspaces
- The Maker Studio at The Strong National Museum of Play (Rochester): While famous for games and toys, The Strong features a dedicated, hands-on maker space where kids can experiment with cardboard engineering, simple textiles, printmaking, and recycled material construction.
- The Rockwell Museum (Corning): Known as an Smithsonian Affiliate, The Rockwell excels at making art accessible to little ones. Their Family Exploration Studio lets kids create their own masterpieces inspired by the American art on display, complete with sensory bins, light tables, and rotating craft stations.
- Sciencenter Maker Space (Ithaca): Where art meets STEM! The Sciencenter in Ithaca regularly hosts creative workshops where kids can build wind-powered sculptures, design simple circuitry art, and test their engineering creations in interactive play zones.
- FLX Studio & Maker’s Market (Montour Falls): Located right in downtown Montour Falls, this cozy creative hub features an “Art Café”. You can drop in, choose a creative kit or ceramic project from their menu, and spend a relaxing couple of hours crafting together as a family. Keep your eye on these gals… they’re expanding retail and maker offerings, with a menu of projects and monthly events.
Paint-Your-Own-Pottery Spots
For an easy, low-stress afternoon out, you cannot beat a local paint-your-own-pottery shop. Spots like The Pottery Studio or local color cafes across Monroe, Ontario, and Tompkins counties allow kids to select a raw ceramic piece, pick their favorite glaze colors, and spend an hour focused quietly on painting. They fire it in the kiln, and you pick up a keepsake a week later!
And not to be forgotten…
The Makerspace at Corning Community College is a cross-disciplinary, creative, collaborative learning space where students, faculty, staff, and community members can develop their skills and transform their ideas into digital designs, prototypes, and final products using state-of-the-art equipment. Not local to Corning? Explore some arts / workshop offerings at your local high school or ancillary campus, as they quite often have the equipment and tools that might be a bit of a stretch for your budget otherwise.
You don’t have to worry about paint splatters on your kitchen floor. Pack up your little artists, head to one of these amazing local hubs, and bring home a unique keepsake from your day out!