Kids' Birthday Parties at Gasper Arts Center, Near Fort Lauderdale

A birthday party where every child makes something and takes it home. Gasper Arts Center is a working ceramics studio and gallery in Dania Beach, two miles from the Fort Lauderdale airport and a short drive from Hollywood, Hallandale Beach and Davie. We have run children's parties here for years, and the format is simple: hands in the clay, an instructor guiding the room, and a finished piece for every guest.

What the children actually do

Parties run about two to two and a half hours. Depending on the age of the group we set up hand building with clay, a mosaic project, or a painting party. Every child works on their own piece from start to finish, and an instructor walks the room the whole time rather than demonstrating once and leaving them to it.

Clay pieces are fired in our kilns afterward, which takes about 30 days, and you collect them from the studio. Mosaics and paintings go home the same day, which some parents prefer for a birthday.

Choosing the right activity for their age

Most children under the age of 12 do not yet have the hand strength and coordination for a pottery wheel, and a party is not the place to discover that. For younger children we recommend hand building or a painting party instead. Both are genuinely satisfying at that age and nobody ends up frustrated or empty-handed.

For teenagers and mixed adult-and-teen groups the wheel is on the table. Our adult classes are open to ages 13 and up, and the same guidance applies to parties.

How many children, and how we staff it

The studio and the adjoining gallery together hold up to 60 guests, with chairs and tables, so there is room for the children, the parents and the cake. We assign at least one qualified instructor for every ten guests. We have ten pottery wheels, so for larger groups doing wheel work we split the time between the wheels and hand building and rotate, which keeps everyone busy.

Food, cake and decorations

Bring your own food, drink, cake, music and decorations. You can arrive early to set up and stay for an hour after the activity finishes, which is usually when the cake happens. Pronto Pizza is next door and does pizza, wings and party platters if you would rather not carry it all in.

Sundays and Mondays by advance reservation

The studio is open to the public Tuesday to Saturday, but children's parties can also be booked on Sundays and Mondays with advance notice. Those two days are often the easiest way to have the studio entirely to yourselves, which with a room full of children is worth having. Weekend afternoons book up quickly, so reserve early.

What a kids' party costs

Party pricing depends on the number of children, the activity you choose and the day of the week. Call us at 954-656-3560 to discuss the details so we can provide pricing options, or send the event request form and we will come back to you.

How to book

Call 954-656-3560, email StudioInfo@GasperArts.com, or fill in the event request form with the date, the age of the children and roughly how many are coming. Gasper Arts Center is at 250 S. Federal Highway, Dania Beach, FL 33004. For adult birthdays, see our birthday parties page.