Have kids who love to make art? There are lots of places in Greenville where kids can create art. Children can benefit from local art teachers while parents keep all that paint, clay and glue off their tables, walls and carpets. Everybody wins! Here’s a list of places in Greenville where kids can make art.
Creating art, whether it’s coloring on a blank piece of paper, painting a canvas, or working with clay, is key to development as a child and can even help adults cope with depression and further relaxation. Art and creativity are so important for children as art has been shown to aid with fine motor skills, boosting self-confidence, visual learning, decision making, cultural awareness, inventiveness, and improved academic performance.
Greenville has many places where kids (and **ahem** parents) can create art. Some of them even offer events for free, like First Friday and Artisphere. We’ve also compiled several places that offer art summer camps. So pick a few and let the creative juices flow.
Where Kids Can Be Artistic in Greenville
TR Makers Co
Right in downtown beautiful Travelers Rest is this adorable, unassuming shop that sells pottery, dolls, clothes, and coffee mugs from local artists. But TR Makers Co also holds playdates for kids that center around all kinds of different art mediums, from printing on bags and t-shirts to making little terrariums with tiny plants. They also offer a mini makers art program for younger children three times per month. Kristin, the owner, is patient and kind and a mom herself, so she totally understands how to work with little ones (or big kids) and teaches them all about how to be a maker.
Read our Kidding Around Review of TR Makers Co.
TR Makers Co
3 S. Main Street, Travelers Rest, SC | 864.610.0996
The Children’s Museum of the Upstate
The bottom level of The Children’s Museum of the Upstate houses their art studio where kids can paint or color or do whatever art project of the day is going on. They have clothing covers that the kids can wear over their clothes, which is considerate (for us parents at least). It’s a great little place to let children break out their inner artist.
The Children’s Museum of the Upstate
300 College Street, Greenville | 864.233.7755
Open Art Studios
Open Art Studios in downtown Greenville offers Drop-in & Paint and group drawing classes for children ages 7 and up with local artist Ashley Brickner. Drop-in & Paint occurs in the DIY space, and children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. Canvases and supplies are provided with the $15 per painter fee. For group classes, you can request a time and date by contacting Ashley directly. Ashley also has classes and private instruction available. Check them out every First Friday of the month in Greenville from 6 pm to 9 pm as well.
Open Art Studios
14 S. Main Street, Greenville | 864.787.9365
TReehouse Café & Studio
Take an hour or two and bring your child to TReehouse Café & Studio in Travelers Rest for some painting, coloring, and good food. This café is a great place to grab a coffee, baked goods, and sandwiches but they also have an entire “art bar” down the center of the restaurant where both kids and adults can get lost in their own worlds creating art.
Read our Review of TReehouse Cafe & Studio.
TReehouse Café & Studio
27 South Main Street, Travelers Rest | 864.610.2266
Yellowbobbypins
Lauren Runion is a seasoned artist who has a way with kids. Yellowbobbypins offers art classes throughout the week for ages 2 – 12 at their studio at Hampton Station near Downtown Greenville. You can sign up ahead of time for themed classes or purchase a semester worth of art classes to attend. They also have summer camps, online art classes, birthday party packages, and more!
Read our KAG Review of Yellowbobbypins.
Yellowbobbypins
1320 Hampton Avenue Ext, Studio 607, Greenville | 864.238.0599
Greenville Center for Creative Arts
This place is not only an exceptional center for encouraging kids in the arts, but the people who run it are some of the sweetest people I’ve met in Greenville. Every time I’ve brought my kids in for First Friday, the staff are so kind and helpful. It’s easy to see they care about kids and aren’t phased when a child decides they would rather paint the chair than the project on the table.
The Greenville Center for Creative Arts also has an incredible lineup of classes and camps for kids ages 5-12, including instruction on painting and drawing.
Check out our KAG Review of Greenville Center for Creative Arts.
Greenville Center for Creative Arts
101 Abney Street, Greenville | 864.735.3948
Mauldin Cultural Center
The Art Haven, a family-owned business that has been teaching art in Greenville since 1996, runs the art classes at the Mauldin Cultural Center, which consist of pottery, painting, pastels, and oils for kids starting in 1st grade and through teens.
The Art Haven
101 E. Butler Road, Mauldin | 864.395.6946
Artisphere
One of the largest art festivals in the Southeast happens in downtown Greenville every spring. And they have a fantastic – and mostly free – kids zone, which has tons of crafts for kids to do. Artisphere is a blast for kids to learn about art (my kids stared at the pottery guy for an embarrassingly long time) and have fun testing out their own skills.
For more info about the Artisphere Festival, check out our review.
Vino & Van Gogh
With art classes, art summer camps, and Mini Picasso after-school classes for small children, Vino & Van Gogh is a great place to try for letting kids test their creative limits.
Vino & Van Gogh
1818 Augusta Street, Suite 112, Greenville | 864.787.1349
Greenville County Museum of Art
GCMA hosts free Sundays at 2 family events (you must register) as well as great summer art camps. Plus you can visit the museum for free.
Greenville County Museum of Art
420 College Street, Greenville | 864.271.7570
Make and Believe
This art studio offers a monthly kid open studio, kid workshops, adult workshops, preschool playgroup, and private classes at their location in the Simpsonville Arts Center. Ages 3 – adult will learn about art and artists, develop confidence, and celebrate their own unique selves.
Make and Believe Artists
110 Academy Street, Simpsonville | 864.245.3977
ReCraft Greenville
ReCraft Greenville has a Maker Space dedicated to crafting using reusable and recycle materials! Children can select from dozens of items to make their own creations. The cost is $7 per person.
Read our Kidding Around review of ReCraft Greenville.
Artistic Expressions with B
Located in Fountain Inn, Artistic Expressions with B offers kids classes, adult classes, paint parties, and workshops! Classes are located at The Younts Center for the Performing Arts in Fountain Inn, SC. You can register ahead of time for classes.
What’s your favorite place to take your child to get creative?