Design Camp for ages 7 to 10: Create in Clay

This workshop will introduce children to the tactile material of clay and its many properties through a day of hands-on exploration, creating pinch pots, exploring wheel throwing and turning, and making their own crafting tools.

This is event is sold out.

This event is sold out. Please join the waiting list via the link below.

This workshop introduces participants to the art of sculpting and carving with clay, inspired by our latest display PLATFORM: Simone Brewster.

Participants will enjoy an immersive pottery experience, learning techniques from mindful mark-making to wheel-throwing. Using tools made from all kinds of materials, children will discover how far this versatile medium can be pushed.

The day begins with a drawing activity, giving participants space to develop ideas before they start working with clay. They'll then explore the material's different states, from liquid to leather-hard, building an understanding of how it behaves. From there, they'll prepare clay to create pinch pots and have a go on a potter's wheel, developing hands-on skills and confidence.

Throughout the workshop, children will discover the powerful, creative experience of making without fear of failure.

Learning outcomes and takeaways:

Planning process and making a sketch book
Mindful drawing experience
Collaborative pinch pot challenge (making individual pots to then make up into a whole collaborative piece)
Preparation of clay for wheel throwing and slip
Throwing on the wheel
Turning on the wheel
Sculpting and carving leather-hard clay using a variety of tools
Inventing tools using recycled materials
Good studio practice (Tidy, Rest, Reflect)

Please note:

This workshop is suitable for children aged 7-10. All participants must be dropped off and picked up by an adult. You can find additional information in the sections below
Capacity is limited, we recommend booking early to avoid disappointment.
All equipment, materials and light refreshments will be provided, but participants will need to bring a packed lunch.
This event is wheelchair accessible, with step-free access throughout the museum.

All participants must be dropped off and picked up by a parent, carer or responsible adult. A member of our team will greet you on arrival and sign participants in.
We ask all bookers to provide an emergency contact name and number. Please ensure this person is available for the duration of the session.
The workshop content is tailored to a specific age group. Participants outside the advertised age range may find the session less accessible or engaging.
If there’s anything we can do to support your child’s participation, whether around mobility, communication, sensory processing, emotional regulation or anything else, you’re welcome to let us know at checkout. Sharing access needs is entirely optional and helps us prepare the session in the most inclusive way.
This session has capacity for up to 20 participants, led by one or two facilitators, with a typical adult-to-child ratio of 1:10.
If your child receives additional support in their education setting, you are welcome to bring a supporting adult with them at no extra cost. Please note that we are not able to provide one-to-one support ourselves.
If you have any questions or want to discuss specific access requirements, please get in touch with the team at DMAcademy@designmuseum.org.

Child: £81

Child early bird: £73

Members*: £65

Early bird price available until 3 weeks before the event

Requests for Carer tickets for Design Camps: Please email DMAcademy@designmuseum.org in advance if your child needs additional support

Check the Design Museum Academy refunds and cancellations policy here

*Information on Design Camp tickets for Members:

• 'Family' members: The member’s discount applies to up to 3 Child or Young person’s tickets

• Access, Student, Individual, and Members & Guest members

The member's discount applies to 1 Child or Young person's ticket only.

• Requests for Carer tickets for Design Camps:
Please email
DMAcademy@designmuseum.org in advance if your child needs additional support.

Please note that we have a new booking system. All Members must now log in to the ticketing platform to book tickets for upcoming events. How to book:

Click 'Book now’, and this will take you to our new booking platform
You will be prompted to log in or create an account to complete your booking. Please use the email address registered with your Membership to access Members' discounts and exclusive Members' events
Choose an event from the drop-down list
Select the desired tickets, dates and sessions and add them to the cart
Follow the instructions for checkout and payment
You will automatically receive an order confirmation email with the details of your booking, along with a PDF with your ticket
Members don’t need to book tickets for exhibitions and can continue to present their Digital Membership Cards to access exhibitions

If you have any issues, please contact the team at membership@designmuseum.org

For non-members ticketing enquiries, please contact bookings@designmuseum.org