What is the minimum age to attend?

Minimum age is 8 years old; adults may assist but check the studio for any age exceptions.

Is instruction and materials included?

Yes — instruction and basic materials are included; confirm glazing and firing details and collection timelines with the studio.

Can adults participate alongside children?

Adults are welcome to help children or join as helpers; the session is designed primarily for kids aged 8 and up.

How long before I can collect the finished piece?

Pieces require drying and firing; the studio will advise on collection timing — contact them directly for the current schedule.

Is the studio wheelchair accessible?

The front door is wheelchair friendly; however the bathroom is compact so consider this when planning visits.

Do finished plates require special care?

Follow any care instructions given at pickup; fired and glazed pieces are usually usable but check whether they are oven- or microwave-safe with staff.

Hands-On Clay: Kids Chip & Dip Workshop in Shellharbour

At the edge of Shellharbour's village center, the School Holidays - Kids Chip & Dip Plate workshop invites children to make a usable piece of pottery while learning the basics of slab construction. Held on Wentworth St in Shellharbour, New South Wales, this 90-minute session moves at a kid-friendly pace: roll a slab, trace a template, fold it into a chip-and-dip shape and paint with vibrant underglazes.

Inside the studio, low benches and slabs of soft clay replace screens. Children use rolling pins, templates and kid-sized tools to shape a plate with a built-in dip well; instructors demonstrate techniques step-by-step so outcomes feel achievable and exciting. The design is intentionally practical — the finished piece is oven- and snack-ready — and the workshop emphasizes hands-on learning, sensory play and tidy clean-up routines that parents appreciate.

What makes this session special in Shellharbour is its focus on utility and accessibility. The work is compact enough for young attention spans but teaches core pottery skills: slab preparation, scoring and slipping, and surface decoration. The studio’s front-door access eases drop-offs, and the short 1.5-hour format fits into family holiday schedules and local day trips along the coast.

This is not a remote landscape adventure; it's a neighbourhood creative stop that complements nearby outdoor time. Families can pair the class with a walk along Shellharbour Village Foreshore or a detour to the banks of nearby coastal reserves, bringing coastal light and sea air into the studio’s relaxed atmosphere. That coastal setting quietly informs colour choices —think sea-glass blues and sun-bleached ochres— and gives the finished pieces a local character.

Practical notes: minimum age is eight; adult participation is welcomed for helpers or siblings outside the age range. The session covers materials and instruction but confirm glazing and firing timelines with the studio for final pickup. The studio is wheelchair friendly at the entrance, though bathroom facilities are compact.

Staff guide children through safe clay handling, explaining scoring and slipping to join pieces, encouraging surface play with texture tools, and showing how underglaze layers translate after firing. Finished work follows a studio schedule of drying, bisque firing, glazing and final firing; staff will advise on collection timing. For families, the class doubles as a creative residency — a chance to see local maker ecosystem in action and leave with something handmade and useful today.

About Black Duck Studio Pty Ltd

Black Duck Studio Pty Ltd operates a hands-on ceramics studio offering classes, workshops and a local firing service. The studio runs after-school and homeschool clay clubs, term-based kids programs, multi-week handbuilding courses, one-off open hand-building sessions, and school holiday workshops. Many classes accept deposits to secure places, including Term 1, 2026 bookings with limited availability; if a preferred day is full the studio offers alternatives or refunds deposits.

Programs include dedicated kids courses for ages eight to teens with materials provided, 10-week after-school terms, and casual homeschool sessions. Adult learners can join an 8-week handbuilding and glazing course with expert guidance, or participate in open workshops designed for experienced potters wanting 90 minutes of clay work plus a painting session. The studio also runs themed workshops such as make-a-mug, make-a-dish, make-a-platter, and seasonal Christmas activities.

Black Duck Studio accommodates NDIS clients with two-hour workshops offering hand-building or glazing and complimentary beverages. A firing service supports local artists and crafters from drop-off through firing with pick-up updates. Event inquiries include private parties, donut tower involvement, and bespoke bookings for celebrations.

Bookings, deposits, and workshop details are published for each offering, and all class descriptions list included materials, session lengths, and post-firing pickup times where applicable. Black Duck Studio Pty Ltd presents practical, activity-based ceramics experiences aimed at learning, creativity, and accessible studio access for students, hobbyists, and community participants. Finished pieces are typically fired and available for pickup within two weeks when specified in the class description. Bookings are required online.