FAQs—Parties

We can accommodate up to 25 people per party.  Contact us if you are looking to book more than 25 guests at leaside@4cats.com. 

For parties over 15 people, an extra teacher is required ($40/hour).

Please book for the amount of people you are expecting.  The studio is usually able to accommodate up to 3 extra people per party, however we may not have the space for more than this on the day of the party.  If your numbers are growing, please let us know as soon as possible to ensure we have enough space!

If you are looking to book for over 25 people, we offer studio buy-out options.  Please contact us for more information.

The studio will contact you approximately 10 days before your party.  Please note, we require most details 7 days prior to your event in order to make preparations.  

We will also be communicating through email.  Please keep an eye on your inbox!

Dress For Mess! Please tell your guests to dress appropriately for the party. We are an art studio and paint can be lurking around any corner and jump on you. We use professional materials and art supplies which means paint may stain clothing, shoes and jackets. Bare feet (or socks without shoes) are not permitted anywhere in the studio. 4Cats does not provide footwear or shoe covers. Please ask your guests to wear appropriate footwear. 4Cats is not responsible for damage to clothing or personal belongings. Please leave the ball gowns and tuxedos at home.

We do not provide invitations.

Of course!  We can also take registration over the phone. 

There is street parking in our neighbourhood.

For optimal instruction all guests work on the same project :)

Generally, no. Our workshop projects require more time than a party, sometimes even a second visit.  

It may be possible to do a current oven-bake clay workshop during a party time.  Please contact us first to confirm!

There is not enough time for mug making in the party.  We want to ensure everyone is happy with what they made and that they are made well enough to survive the kiln process.

Please arrive no more than 10 minutes before your scheduled event start time as we have classes and/or events scheduled before and after. 

If you book extra time for the party portion, it will take place in the same room as the art portion*.  While the kids are washing their hands after art-making, the tables are quickly cleared and wiped down for you.

Please ensure your guests stay in the party area during your party time.  

We are happy to provide you with a tour prior to your event.  Please contact us to coordinate :)

*For splatter parties, you will be provided with a table or two in the studio room for the booked party time.

No :)

Sure!  Balloons are more than welcome in the studio as long as they are in a tied together with a weighted bottom so that it minimizes the risk of stray balloons floating away :) You may also bring other decorations as long as they can be put up/taken down easily.  No piñatas please!

Party bookings are sold by the seat. The party booking includes up to 2 people who are not participating in the art-making (i.e. the base party includes 8 kids plus 2 “parents”).  Any other person in the room will count as a participant in the party whether they are making art or not. 

Party time is the rental of the studio space.  Please bring whatever you require for this time including food, plates, cutlery, napkins, knife, lighter etc.

Candles are welcome, please no sparklers!

Splatter parties are VERY, VERY MESSY. Paint gets on clothes, hair, shoes, even belly buttons!

You will need to ensure all guests know to wear old shoes and clothes that can get messy.  We are an art studio and paint can be lurking around any corner and jump on you.

We use professional materials and art supplies which means paint may stain clothing, shoes, and jackets. 

Paint gets EVERYWHERE! (including shoes) Footwear must be worn in the splatter room. Rubber boots, crocs, flip-flops, old shoes, are all good options for the splatter room 🙂 Bare feet (or socks without shoes) are not permitted anywhere in the studio. 4Cats does not provide footwear or shoe covers. Please ask your guests to wear appropriate footwear.

Please note, we cannot guarantee or replicate colours exactly. Colours are mixed with party participants during the party and not in advance.  We promise to do our best to make it look totally awesome :). You can also just let us know their favourite colour, we can work with that!

• Oven-bake clay sculptures are ready in 7 days.
• Earthenware clay pieces are ready in 14-20 days.
• Besties Portraits are ready in 7 days.
• You will receive a call when your party artwork is ready for pickup.
• Completed artwork will be stored in the studio for 2 weeks maximum.

Caring for your handmade pottery is important to keep it in good shape for a long time. Here are some tips to help you take care of your pottery:

• Washing: Use mild dish soap and warm water to hand wash your pottery. Don't use rough scrubbers or strong cleaners as they can harm the surface. Gently clean the pottery with a soft sponge or cloth. Let it air dry or use a soft cloth to dry it.
• Avoid extreme temperatures: Pottery can break if it goes from very hot to very cold quickly. So, don't put a cold pottery piece straight into a hot oven or the other way around. It's better to change the temperature gradually.
• Food safety: If you want to use your pottery for eating or drinking, it needs to have a special shiny coat called overglaze. This helps seal the clay and glazes, making it safe for food. If your pottery doesn't have overglaze, it's not safe to use for food or drinks.
• Display and handling: Show off your pottery where everyone can see it! When you hold pottery, support it from the bottom instead of delicate parts like handles. This will help prevent accidents and breakage.
• Avoid sunlight: Putting pottery in direct sunlight for a long time can make the colors fade or change. If you display your pottery in a sunny spot, try moving it around sometimes to protect it from too much sun.

Our teachers do their best to ensure all pieces survive the kin process.  It is important everyone is following instructions!  Should a piece be damaged, we will do our best to fix it.  

Please remember, we are humans and not machines!  We are creating handmade objects that will not be perfect :)

Please arrive no more than 10 minutes before your scheduled party time as we have classes and/or events scheduled before and after.

We do not offer refunds. We can transfer your party booking if your booking is canceled 14 days prior to the event. We cannot provide a transfer after this time. Transfer requests are valid for 15 days.

Please note there are no refunds or credits offered if your child needs to be picked up early for any reason, including illness and behaviour issues. No refunds or credits for missed time in the event a parent needs to be called if a child is not able continue with the class either partially or permanently due to bullying, or disruptive, violent, inappropriate or disrespectful behaviour.

Yes, every staff member has a police record check.

Every day we aspire to make our studios welcoming, respectful and safe. Our staff work hard to ensure you, your family and friends have a respectful, positive and rewarding experience. In turn, we need to express the expectation that customers will be respectful towards our staff. Though 99.9% of the time we are surrounded by encouragement and the kindness of people, we cannot under any circumstances allow our staff to be demeaned. We first and foremost are a safe space for them. Which is why if there is a breach of that respect from someone, that person will be asked to leave.

In the event of disruptive or aggressive behaviour our policy is to call home for immediate pickup. No credits or refunds for being sent home for misbehaviour.