3 places to visit for art exploration in RI
Make a Mess
First up is Make a Mess in North Kingstown, RI. MAM is new to town but already such a gem. Sessions provide little ones with 90 engaging minutes of sensory play scooping, smooshing, pouring ... with a rotating much more messy activity in the back room. If you’re looking for more info the website is straightforward, as it explains the space & has the calendar of activities posted. You can book ahead online too! You will feel welcome the second you step in the door + forget how messy your kids were the second you step out.
My daughter Daphne usually spends half her time in the back room with the extra messy activity of the day, like fizzy cloud dough or farm play with real soil & animal washing station. My youngest, almost two year old Tate, loooves sending pom poms up the wind tunnel. I love that the kids get to do so many things, be independent yet interact with other kiddos + how all of the centers have a new theme every time (like pandas + bamboo, pirate treasure, outer space & insect collecting)!
Creativity + exploration for the win at Make a Mess! (Highly recommended for ages 1-5.)
Makers RI
Eastward across the bay from North Kingstown is Makers RI in Warren. It was well worth the not-so-bad drive for us from NK. Makers RI is a bright + cheery little art space for children jam packed with positive energy + bright colors.
Daphne and I went for one of Miss Erin’s Art Play sessions for ages 1-5 but she also offers a wide range of camps, classes + drop ins for all ages. No art expertise necessary. There were FOUR creation stations set up for the kids to explore as they please. Smocks are provided but if you are Type A (and actually own white clothes unlike my family) I’d wear something not so special. This art studio is all about exploring with art materials + inspiring creative thought and practice.
Side note: We took the southern route back to the East side of Narragansett Bay / South County RI so we stopped to pick berries and get snacks at Sweet Berry Farm on the way home. (Even if you’re not stopping to pick fruit it is still great for a lunch stop + there’s a playground across from the entrance too.)
RISD Museum
Rounding out this mini tour of Rhode Island for creative children is the RISD Museum in Providence.
Here are a few reasons why:
The RISD Museum has a fantastic range of work, especially for a smaller museum. There’s everything from an Egyptian tomb to a room of Impressionist paintings to a Modern Art mash up of paintings + sculptures (This gallery is light, bright & cheery, just be ready to watch your kids hands a bit more carefully when you’re in there).
Not to be missed : the giant Buddha upstairs!
The museum is (mostly) stroller friendly. It is FREE every Sunday! You can also get free passes from your RI library (pick them up anytime + use them by the end of the year). Daphne and I did a Saturday “Toddler Tour” which was fantastic. Ideal for ages 2-6. There are often other family + child-centered community or hand-on activities too. Check the website and family events schedule for more information. The website could be better, so I recommend joining the mailing list to get info on special events.
Bonus : You can reward yourself for shlepping your kiddos to an important arts institution with a cup of Bolt Coffee in the Benefit street side lobby!
Strollers : Going with a stroller babe? If there are renovations happening you might need to ask for directions getting around, don’t be shy (+ maybe skip the Pendleton House part with a stroller anyway FYI).
Teachers : Have you been on a field trip yet? I recommend getting a tour and having lunch at Roger Williams park a couple blocks away.
