From the Heart: 10 Spots to Handcraft Holiday Gifts in the Twin Cities

Handcraft Holiday Gifts can be extra special when the creative process is half the fun! We’ve rounded up seven local spots where your kids can mess up someone else’s space, let their imaginations run wild, and craft some serious masterpieces this holiday season:

Articulture, Minneapolis

Offers: Saturday, Dec 3, Articulture opens its doors for a free studio art day in conjunction with the annual Seward Winter Frolic. Make ornaments, cards & garlands, all ages plus cookies and cider.
Cost: Free

Color Me Mine, Eagan & Maple Grove

Offers: Young artists have a whole palette of choices here – they can drop in to paint ceramics, spend a Kids Night Out (3rd Fri/each month, $32/child ages 5+ includes painting, pizza, games, and a movie – EAGAN location only) or Paint With Santa (both Eagan & Maple Grove locations).
Cost: Drop in studio fees are $5/ages 1-9, $6/ages 10-15, $10/ages 16+ and include use of paints, studio space, and the firing.

Coon Rapids Dam Regional Park, Brooklyn Park

Offers: Elves Workshop gives kids the chance to craft gifts by hand with supplies and instructions provided. Event takes place 12/17, reservations required by 12/13.
Cost: $8/pp

Created to Grow, St. Anthony

Offers: Every Saturday is Family Fun Day here – from 10:30am-1:30pm all ages can drop by to work on a variety of projects. Gifts for the grandparents perhaps?
Cost: $15 per session, discounts if you purchase a pack of 10 family visits

Heartfelt, Minneapolis

Offers: Monthly preschool festivals, drop-in crafts and a comfortable, child-friendly environment to spend some time. Browse their Holiday Gift Digest, filled with 30 holiday projects from tabletop reindeer to wood-burned picture frames, that can be given as handmade gifts.
Cost: Most drop-in crafts are priced between $10-$20 apiece.

Kiddywampus, Hopkins

Offers: In addition to the menu of kids classes and the wide range of quality playthings the store offers, come check out the Maker’s Studio, a space dedicated to letting little ones get creative.
Cost: $8/child per hour ages 18 mon-10 years, open daily 10am-5:30pm.

Leonardo’s Basement, Minneapolis

Offers: Elf Apprenticeship Program: Holiday Gift Making lets tinkerers ages 6-12 choose from a wide range of projects – sewing, woodworking, stained glass, jewelry making and more – to craft homemade holiday presents. Dates: Nov 26-27 & Dec 3-4. Pre-registration required.
Cost: $25/pp

Michaels, various Twin Cities locations

Offers: Kids Club crafts are simple and inexpensive yet could lend a nice personal touch to a small gift. Drop in Saturdays 10am-noon during Nov and Dec to make felt ornaments, clay pot elves and other holiday themed items.
Cost: $2 per project, supplies included

Rumriver Art Center, Anoka

Offers: Free Family Art Day will take place Saturday, Dec 3. Two sessions are available (11am-noon or 1-2pm) and reservations are required either by calling 763.323.8830 or using this form. The hour-long class is appropriate for kids ages 5+ with a caregiver and the holiday-themed project will be something suitable to give as a gift.
Cost: Free

Simply Jane, Minneapolis

Offers: Toddler Time Thursdays from 10am-noon are suitable for your littles to create a homemade holiday gift. Experiment with paint, play with toys, books, dress-up and more. The studio also offers drop-in painting for all ages; hours can be found here.
Cost: Toddler Time is $10 per child.