The Centennial State is home to countless creatives, both young and old. Every artist has to begin somewhere, so it’s no surprise that Denver’s art scene caters to its youngest members — even those who have yet to take their first step.
Throughout the Denver metro and into its surrounding regions, you’ll find an art class for every age, skill level, and preferred medium. Whether your kiddos want to make masterpieces or memories, creating art is a truly joyful experience and can have a powerful impact on the young mind.
We curated a go-to list of the nine best arts and crafts classes for kids in and around Denver, so your budding artist can unleash their creativity and be on their way to becoming the next Picasso.
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Art Classes for Kids in Central Denver
The Art Studio at Children’s Museum of Denver
2121 Children’s Museum Drive, Denver
- Hours: 9 a.m.-4 p.m Monday-Sunday; Clay: 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Monday-Sunday
- Fees: Under 1 year old: Free; Age 1 or over age 60: $17.75; Ages 2-59: $19.75 (Prices are for entry to the museum and include entry to The Art Studio.)
- Art type: Painting, clay, chalk
A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and one of over 500 members of the Association of Children’s Museums, the Children’s Museum of Denver at Marisco Campus is an avenue for learning and growth. This museum, suitable for children from newborn to age 8, offers a hands-on art experience in The Art Studio. Here, kids can choose between painting their own piece on an easel, crafting with clay, and doodling with chalk on the studio’s chalk window. If you want a souvenir to remember your experience, you and your little one can head home with your own fired-and-glazed ceramic piece for a small fee.
The Art Studio offers workshops with the museum’s rotating artists-in-residence, where children can learn about not only their pieces but also their artistic process. And because the Children’s Museum of Denver believes strongly in community and inclusion, guests can even join in on the museum’s collaborative art project and add a fresh coat of paint to a vintage Volkswagen!
The Art Garage
6100 E. 23rd Ave., Denver
- Hours: Class times vary by class type; check the schedule to find the best time for you. Classes are held 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
- Fees: Starting at $40; fees vary by class type
- Art type: Drawing, painting, ceramics, printmaking, mixed media, crafting, etc.
The Art Garage in Denver is a place where self-expression, creativity, and authenticity can flourish, no matter your age. With programs that range from summer camps and guided workshops to after-school clubs and Friday night classes, it’s the perfect spot for children of all ages to craft and create. It even offers classes for teens and adults, as well as an “Adult and Me” class every third Friday of the month, so you and your child can bond over your own creations. This class changes every month, so keep an eye on The Art Garage’s class schedule to see what’s in store.
For children who want to level up their skills, The Art Garage offers private, one-on-one lessons so they can practice technique in a supportive environment. Because The Art Garage prioritizes the learning artist’s needs, your child will be matched with an instructor based on the skill, medium, or topic they would like to learn. Private classes can also be designed for small groups, including for friends and families, and are open to children ages 3 and up, teens, and adults.
Everyone is welcome at The Art Garage, so don’t hesitate to find the class that fits your child or family! Plus, The Art Garage offers scholarships, because cost should never be a barrier to art education.
Art Students League of Denver
200 Grant St., Denver
- Hours: Building hours are 8:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, noon-5 p.m. Friday, and 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. Class times vary, so check the schedule to find the best time for you.
- Fees: Prices vary by class, but start at $15. Studio members receive a discount.
- Art type: Clay, painting, drawing, printmaking, mixed media, stop motion, sewing
Art can mean different things and evoke different feelings for different people. There’s no one way to express your artistic side, which is why The Art Students League of Denver has a mission of empowering people to experience the joy of art in their own way. To provide the tools and foundational skills for Denver’s youngest artists to create freely, the Art Students League offers youth programs for ages 6-13 and teen programs for ages 14-17.
Youth classes and camps at the Art Students League are for young learners to fully immerse themselves in creation without the pressure of competition or a heavy focus on the final product. Students can explore mixed media, printmaking, clay, painting, and even stop-motion animation!
Teen Studio classes are held every Friday night, providing a place for teens to gather, collaborate, and work with high-quality supplies under the guidance of professional faculty artists. Teen Studio is more than just an art class — it’s a place for students to build friendships and have meaningful experiences while learning what their own creative process looks like.
Art Classes for Kids in West Denver
artSPARK Creative Studio
2630 W. Belleview Ave., Suite 160, Littleton
- Hours: Hours vary by class, so check the schedule to find a time best for you.
- Fees: Prices vary by class, workshop, and camp, but start at $10 per day.
- Art type: Sewing, fiber art, painting, drawing, collage
Situated in Littleton’s Riverside Downs shopping center, artSPARK Creative Studio is a place where young artists can go to nurture their creative thinking, personal expression, and confidence. Not only can art boost learning and self-esteem, but it also helps set a foundation for children’s critical thinking skills, which is why artSPARK believes “art is the new literacy.”
At artSPARK Creative Studio, your young creative can learn the ways of the artist with options that cater to every kind of schedule. For those looking for less commitment and wanting to experience artSPARK on their own time, the studio offers drop-in classes, which include one-time Open Studios, Kids Art Nites, seasonal workshops, and school break camps available by the day. To build a special skill, your child can enroll in a weekly art course that spans one to a few months. This studio also offers limited-time workshops with seasonal offerings, sessions for learning specific techniques, and sessions led by guest instructors.
Art Classes for Kids in Northwest Denver
Tinker Art Studio
693B S. Broadway, Boulder
- Hours: Hours vary by class, workshop, and camp, so browse the course catalog to find the best time for you.
- Fees: Prices vary by activity, but start at $18.
- Art type: Sensory art/play, jewelry making, ceramics, digital art, drawing, painting
Attention Boulder parents! If your child needs a creative outlet for when the school day ends, Tinker Art Studio is the place to find it. Tinker is an inclusive community art studio for artists of all ages that holds classes, workshops, and camps to help children, teens, and adults grow their skills and inspire their creativity. Here, the three guiding pillars are community, connection, and creativity.
No matter your child’s age, Tinker has something that will immerse them completely in good, old-fashioned, hands-on creating. Toddlers and preschool-aged children can enjoy the Tinker Time: Art & Play class, featuring sensory-rich projects that nurture the growing mind. Or, early elementary-aged kids can drop in to the Art Lab, an after-school program with ample opportunities to try out painting, drawing, sculpting, and more.
Groundworks Art Lab
3750 Canfield St., Boulder
1010 Aurora Ave., Boulder
3063 Sterling Cir. # 1, Boulder
- Hours: Main location is open 8 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Monday through Sunday. Class times and dates vary, so check the schedule to find the best time for you. Outside of regular class times, enrolled students may use the studio during open lab hours.
- Fees: Prices vary by activity. To keep art accessible, some programs offer a “Pay What You Can” model.
- Art type: Clay, printmaking, woodwork, metal
With three locations in Boulder, Groundworks Art Lab offers the city’s youth the chance to participate in exceptional art classes across a range of media, from printmaking to welding. Depending on the art form, Groundworks offers 4-week and 8-week classes for young and elementary-age children, teens, and families. You can also join seasonal family sessions, where attendees work with their family members (or friends) to craft a themed project.
Across all three locations, Groundworks also holds summer camps with a set curriculum, so children can leave with a new skill. Has your child always wanted to try wheel-throwing or sculpting? At Groundworks, they can choose from a variety of art forms to learn at one of the studio’s four- or five-day camps. Registration is open, so don’t miss the chance to secure a spot!
Firehouse Art Center
667 Fourth Ave., Longmont
- Hours: Noon-5 p.m. Wednesday (by appointment only), noon-5 p.m. Thursday through Sunday. Check the schedule for class times or view the camp schedule.
- Fees: Prices vary by activity, starting at $15 per class
- Art type: Sewing, paper crafting, woodworking, clay, drawing, painting
Longmont has a vibrant art scene, with installations spread across the city that catch the eye, even when you’re not looking for them. The Firehouse Art Center has long played a powerful role in Longmont’s creative identity, and through showing unique art exhibitions and providing the community with engaging art education opportunities, it aims to inspire cultural engagement and human connection.
The Firehouse Art Center in Longmont has classes of every type for children and teens; your child can get hands-on with the art center’s weekly Play With Clay class (open to everyone ages 7 and up) or avoid the mess by learning how to fold origami. There’s really no limit to what you can learn at this art center!
The Firehouse Art Center currently offers two teen programs. For teens who might see an art career in their future, it offers a Summer Teen Internship that lets them work with accomplished professionals and gain real-world skills.
Teens interested in expressing themselves through fashion might want to check out the Slay the Runway program, which offers classes in fashion design, performance, and sewing for LGBTQIA+ teens and allies. The session lasts two weeks and ends with a professionally produced runway show.
Applications for the internship open in March and are currently open for Slay the Runway.
Art Classes for Kids in Northeast Denver
Neighborhood Art Studio
4890 Ironton St. #6l, Denver
- Hours: Hours vary; check the class schedule to find the best time for you. Summer camp times are available online.
- Fees: Prices vary by activity and duration, with some drop-in classes offering a free first class.
- Art type: Crafting, early childhood development play/art, sculpting, drawing, painting
Neighborhood Art Studio began as a way for owner Adriana Saurini to allow her son to explore various art techniques and develop his imagination. With no classes in the area at the time to offer what she was looking for, she put her own skills to work and began teaching classes herself.
Neighborhood Art Studio invites artists of all ages to open their minds and create without boundaries, emphasizing the importance of a safe, supportive environment. It holds plenty of art classes for kids, including an after-school program for 3-year-olds to 14-year-olds, drawing and art classes for tweens and teens, workshops, and even an Explore and Play program for the littlest of artists.
Art Classes for Kids in Southeast Denver
Art Dome
12650 E. Briarwood Ave., Unit 207, Centennial
- Hours: Operating hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday; Check the online schedule for class times.
- Fees: Prices vary based on activity and can be found by checking online, reaching out to Art Dome by email, or by calling 720-671-4485.
- Art type: Clay, textiles, drawing, painting, sewing
If you’re on the hunt for Centennial art classes for kids, Art Dome has everything your child needs to inspire creativity and grow their imagination. This art center offers camps year-round, no matter the season, as well as private and group classes to foster your child’s development.
At Art Dome, children can dive into a variety of creative forms and skills, whether it’s sewing, texture art, painting, or clay. Its classes are grouped by age, so your child will learn at a pace fitting for their level. For children ages 1.5 to 5 years old, Art Dome hosts an Early Childhood Development program that includes lesson-based arts and crafts and sensory play. Six- to 9-year-olds can participate in classes for art fundamentals, sculpture, textile art, and those a bit older can deepen their knowledge and skills to truly find their own style.