Arts and crafts for kids in London

Start them young at these hour-long under-five’s sessions at Dulwich Picture Gallery (£15). Each class begins with a relaxed viewing of the gallery’s impressive collection. Once inspired, roll up your sleeves and help your child paint their own masterpiece based on that month’s theme. Suitable for babies from sitting stage to age two. Sessions are twice monthly, 10am and 11.30am.

Kids aged between two and five can step onto the National Gallery’s magic carpet to enjoy an interactive story inspired by the gallery’s collections. The monthly sessions are created and led by professional storytellers and accompanied by a specialist early years music facilitator.

The museum’s latest exhibitions inspire these free and informal family sessions on the last Sunday of each month (11am-4pm), which focus on light-touch design and making activities for five to 11-year-olds. Just drop-in and join. 

The work of famous artists is the focus of this lovely art school, which hosts everything from free-roam sessions for toddlers to fine arts classes for eight to 11-year-olds. There are fun summer workshops too, such as sculpting your Minion, how to draw cats and dogs, and Japanese Day. Sessions take place daily at 8 Station Terrace, NW10 5RT, at various times.

Blackheath’s historic cultural complex The Conservatoire hosts these courses for nine to 14-year-olds. Under expert and friendly guidance, students will get busy creating their own unique body of art. Children and teenagers can explore, develop and experiment with drawing, painting, collage skills and printmaking. Use of their own photography is actively encouraged.

Pint-sized potters will learn basic clay techniques and make their own bowls and ceramic tiles in these six-week courses at a Muswell Hill studio and café. Under-sevens need to be accompanied by an adult. The studio also runs summer workshops and mixed medium sketching classes for children aged seven-plus. 

Mixed media artist Izzy Moreau offers a range of after school, weekend and holiday clubs for five to 12-year-olds wanting to pursue their passion for art. Her fun sessions incorporate classic drawing, painting and 3D techniques, with a bit of art history thrown in. Taster classes and family workshops also available. Various days and times.

These nurturing classes for the smallest of artists incorporate messy play, crafts and singing, centred on a project. There are a variety of age-appropriate term-time sessions for children of 16 months old through to five years, with holiday schools for older kids also available. Termly fee and booking required. Various dates and times

This after-school club in Lower Clapton and Hackney Wick is a mecca for messy play. Its weekly sessions give imaginative five to 11-year-olds the chance to master traditional skills like sketching and painting, as well as recycling discarded materials into amazing art works. Termly fee and booking required. Also offers a school collection service and summer schools.

This creative hub has classes that combine a range of art techniques and materials to expand your child’s imagination, whether they’re four or 12. The termly courses are reasonably priced too, and participants in the MakeArt groups get to show their work in a professional standard exhibition. Clay sessions also available.

Oxfam chic and wellies is the recommended dresscode for the Artabugs preschooler sessions, where paint flies a la Jackson Pollock – much mess is made and lots of fun had. This Chiswick-based art school (58 Harvard Road, W4 4ED) also offers after-school and weekend drawing clubs in aged groups, from four to 14 years. Various dates and times.

www.w4artclub.co.uk