Crafting on the Upper West Side

This time of year, those languid summer afternoons spent in the park, watching your children engage in endless free play while their imaginations ran wild, seem a distant memory. Never fear, the Upper West Side has become the unofficial craft capitol of New York City, a place where neither rain nor snow will slow your kid’s creative process down. It is teeming with all-weather spots that will keep the kids engaged for a few hours, without creating chaos in your home. These hands-on activities are just the sticky mess that your child craves, with the added bonus of taking home a handmade keepsake. Here are six places to make your own crafts, perfect for the dog days of winter. Since crafting makes my family’s stomach growl, snack suggestions are listed.

Michaels
808 Columbus Ave.
212-865-0813
open daily
Just over a year ago, Westsiders got their own version of the suburbs when Michaels Craft Store came to town. This sanctuary for the crafty is filled with kid-friendly materials to inspire a plethora of projects, without breaking the bank. The store has a full lineup of in-store “make-it, take-it” craft activities for kids led by store employees, many of which are cost-free. Check the website or call the store for an updated schedule. A 2-hour Wilton cake decorating class for ages 8 and up, called Kakes for Kids is very popular and offered regularly (call ahead to book, and ask to speak with Peter for additional information). This class costs $15 plus supplies. Craft-themed birthday parties for no more than 10 children are possible on Saturdays in a small party room, call for details. 

No food or drinks here, but Whole Foods is a few steps away, with its kid-friendly buffet and snacks.

Little Shop of Crafts
711 Amsterdam Ave. at 94th Street
212-531-2723
open daily
This casual, low-key, neighborhood hangout aims (and succeeds) to provide an artistic experience where the guests get hands-on instruction from the knowledgeable and friendly staff. The craft choices suit a variety of ages.  Toddlers can create a cuddly stuffed animals. Tweens and teens can fashion their own mosaic masterpieces by decorating picture frames or plates using colored tiles, the perfect shared craft for bonding with your tween or teen.  There is also beading, and a large selection of useful pottery (platters, mugs and bowls) that you paint and the staff fires in the kiln. They are glazed and picked up a week later. If you’re with someone who wants it now, plasterworks that you paint and take home the same day are plentiful and provide instant gratification. There are lots of kid-friendly plaster superheroes and classic character figurines (think Mickey Mouse) to choose from. A soothing soundtrack of classic rock may have you singing along as you create with your kid. An added bonus is the on-premise Caffe Mocias.  They make a mean espresso for your caffeine boost, and yummy hot chocolate for the kids, and nobody needs to bundle up and go outside. The least expensive crafts start at about $16, and there is no time limit, so you can stay as long as you like. Birthday parties include karaoke with your crafts.

Make Meaning
392 Columbus Ave., between 75-76th Street
212-362-0350
open daily
Entering Make Meaning’s spacious digs will have you feeling like your traveling first-class when you usually fly JetBlue.  The décor is elegant and chic, like a SoHo gallery. Newly arrived on the scene in September, this place takes crafting up a notch. Choose from six craft areas; glass, ceramics, jewelry, paper, soap and candles. One of the many helpful Associate Creativity Enthusiasts, known as Aces, will help you select your materials and get started. Your Ace will ensure that your chosen craft looks like a pro made it, so Grandma won’t need to hide that platter in the back of her hutch. When hunger strikes you are in luck, because the café serves a delectable assortment of sweets, including New York Cake Pops. You pay $12 for the day, plus whatever materials your child chooses. A yearly individual membership is $36, $149 for a family of up to 5 people. If you are a member, you only pay for the craft, saving the $12 daily fee. There are over 100 artist-led classes each week for a variety of ages, including Mommy and Me projects like decorating a plate with your baby’s footprint. Birthday parties are customized to suit your child’s interests.

Scribble Press
As of May 2012, the Upper West Side location is no longer open. You can visit Scribble Press on the Upper East Side.
This make-your-own-book studio aims to give kids a solid foundation in literacy through a tactile experience. They offer drop-in projects that vary in price from $8-$29, plus the cost of a day pass ($10). This gives access to all studio materials for the entire day, so the kids can create what they want, with no time limit. Kids can choose from a bevy of material, including stencils, glitter and paper scraps. There are over 100 templates that can give kids some starter ideas. And they bind the book quickly, so your child can take it home right away. Kids who are not inspired or are too young to pen and illustrate a book can use the material to create a note card or a placemat, or whatever else they can dream up. An alternative to the day pass is a one-time membership to Club Scribble for $39, which comes with tons of perks. Birthday parties are designed for kids age 2 and up and allow guests to create books, placemats or participate in authoring a ScribLib, a Mad-Lib type experience.

Snacking options in the immediate neighborhood are plentiful, my kids’ favorite being Café Lalo at 201 West 83 Street, for delicious cakes, cookies and tarts.

The Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine
112th and Amsterdam Ave.
212-932-7347
Saturday activities
On various Saturdays The Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine offers activites ranging from a Medieval Arts Children’s Workshop to Drip Drop: A Water Workshop. Reservations are highly suggested, so call in advance to book your spot. These workshops are offered year-round, so check the website. Medieval-themed Birthday Partys are possible, call to inquire.

Winter is a peaceful time to stroll the Cathedral’s gorgeous grounds and search for the resident peacocks. There is no food for sale at the Cathedral, but cross Amsterdam Avenue and head to the Hungarian Pastry Shop for a middle-European style sweet treat.  For a more substantial bite, go next door and join the Columbia University students at V & T’s for pizza, but come hungry, as no slices, only whole pies, are served.

If your child is interested in knitting, these two yarn stores offer group classes:

Knitty City
208 West 79^th Street,
212-787-5896
closed Tuesday
Mondays from 3:30pm-4:30pm is the time to get out those needles and learn to purl in Kids Club!, costing $25, plus $10 for materials. Classes need a minimum number (usually three) of school-aged kids to be green-lighted, so call and check to see if the class is running. They sometimes run series a series of four classes in a month-long session, if there is interest. The staff here, helmed by owner Pearl, is very encouraging to young knitters. Novice hands will be expertly guided through the basics. Though it is often packed with crafters, it manages to maintain a mellow flavor. If your child doesn’t feel ready to commit to a class, purchase some yarn, take a seat, and you’re sure to find advice as you are welcomed into this clan of knitters. They have lots of community knitting groups, included a popular weekly men’s knitting night. 

After a spell at Knitty City, we like to stop by H & H Bagels, located on 80^th and Broadway, for whatever bagel is hot out of the oven.

Yarntopia
974 Amsterdam Ave. at 108^th St.
212-316-9276
closed Monday
This cozy neighborhood yarn store offers a series of three classes for kids age seven and up who are interested in learning or improving knitting or crocheting skills.  The classes are 90-minutes long and the series costs $125 for three weeks. Private lessons are $50 an hour. Call for details on start dates and times. They usually run a Wednesday afternoon section, as well as a weekend section. Birthday parties are a fun option here as well.

Combine with a trip to Bombay Frankie, located at 944 Amsterdam Avenue at 109 Street, for a taste of some surprisingly kid-palatable Bombay street food at a bargain price.

For more craft inspiration check out Mom's Night Out: Feeling Artsy? and our other fantastic craft posts.

And for more indoor activity ideas, check out our Indoor Fun Guide.