Canny Crafty: Toddler Tuesdays in Gosforth

Discover Canny Crafty in Gosforth: a family-friendly pottery studio perfect for toddlers. Mess, creativity, and keepsakes await.

If you’re looking for a way to spend a Tuesday with a toddler and not just end up in the soft play screaming at each other, Canny Crafty in Gosforth is a little gem. Cyrus and I discovered this pottery studio on a Toddler Tuesday, and it felt like stepping into a world made for paint-streaked hands and tiny bursts of creativity.

A studio that feels like home

Canny Crafty is a family-run pottery studio that makes you feel welcome the minute you walk in. Prices are reasonable from £5 to £25 depending on what you fancy painting. You don’t need to be an art aficionado. You just need to turn up, pick your piece, a brush, paint, and go.

For me, the brilliance of these sessions isn’t just the finished piece. It’s the proud little frowns when a colour isn’t quite right, the giggles over a paint splodge, the unexpected quiet when a child is utterly absorbed in creating something just for themselves. That’s the stuff that sticks in your memory.

“For me, the brilliance of these sessions isn’t just the finished piece. It’s the proud little frowns when a colour isn’t quite right, the giggles over a paint splodge, the unexpected quiet when a child is utterly absorbed in creating something just for themselves.”

Little hands, big ideas

When we arrived, the table was stacked with paintbrushes, palettes, and blank ceramic bunnies waiting to be decorated. Little C, who usually abandons craft activities after approximately three seconds, immediately grabbed the biggest brush he could find. I braced myself, how long before he got bored and started tasting the paint?

The owner gave us a quick run-through of the basics. And then… freedom. Little C went straight to work, experimenting with colour, texture, and the occasional finger swipe. The red and khaki paint didn’t stay on the bunny though, it went everywhere. On the table, the apron, even his hair at one point. I didn’t care. Watching him concentrate, pause, then grin at an accidental smudge felt magic.

The joy of mess

If you’re imagining delicate bunnies painted with military precision, think again. Little C’s masterpiece was more like abstract chaos, paint puddles, and fingerprints included. But there was something beautiful about that, too. Creativity isn’t about staying inside the lines. Sometimes it’s about spilling and smudging.

He paused occasionally to look around, inspired by other families’ creations. He was fully in the moment, and that’s what makes pottery painting with toddlers so rewarding. There’s no need for perfection, no pressure, just a few paints and a lot of imagination.

Learning without realising it

It’s not just fun, it’s tiny lessons in patience, focus, and hand-eye coordination. And for me, it was a reminder that being present matters more than a perfect outcome. Little C was experimenting, problem-solving, and expressing himself all at once. He was learning without knowing it, and I was learning how to let go of my need for order.

“Little C was experimenting, problem-solving, and expressing himself all at once. He was learning without knowing it, and I was learning how to let go of my need for order.”

Memories you can hold

By the end of our session, we were both covered in paint, our hands streaked with colour, and yet neither of us wanted to leave. Little C beamed with pride over his bunny, already imagining how it would look once it had been fired and glazed.

Canny Crafty has that rare ability to make art accessible, fun, and completely without pressure. Whether you’re a parent looking to entertain a toddler, a grandparent keen for quality time, or an adult who secretly wants to finger-paint again, it works.

Our verdict

Would we go back? Without a doubt.

If you’re after a family day out in Newcastle that lets you get messy, and walk away with a little keepsake to remember it by, Canny Crafty is a winner. You might leave with paint on your hands, a slightly lopsided ceramic bunny, but isn’t that exactly what you hope for with a toddler?

Rating

★★★★☆

Check out Canny Crafty if you fancy a Tuesday (or any day, really) filled with the occasional splash of paint. Little C and I are already plotting our return.