Art Beast Studio

OK I LOVE THIS PLACE!!!! Sactown has been needing something like this for quite some time. I was getting a little tired of having to head out to places like the Bay Area Discovery Museum or Stockton Children's Museum every time I wanted to let the kids explore and get messy indoors. Don't get me wrong I love both of the above mentioned places too but sometimes you just want to stick closer to home especially if you only have a few hours to fill. 

The Art Beast Studio recently opened right here in Sacramento earlier this summer. I have been hearing about it through various places but this last Tuesday I had a friend tell me all about her great experience there and I just couldn't wait a moment longer. After dropping my eldest off at school my youngest and I headed up to "The City" with a friend from play group to check this place out. To our delight it was everything we hoped it would be and then some. It is not a huge physical space but every inch is used to full capacity with well thought out supplies, activities and classes. My daughter and her friend didn't waste anytime exploring the 3 different levels throughout the old Victorian home that has been converted into this space. From the art room to the theatrical play and music room, to the obstacle course and dance room to the outdoor water and banging wall. We packed our own lunch which we enjoyed on their back patio. The girls were able to eat and play, eat and play - truthfully it was just plain hard to get them to stop playing. We got there around 10:00 am and stayed until 1:30. We could have stayed longer but it was time to pick sissy up from school and we didn't want to be late.

Highlights:

The Art Room:

Every art supply you can imagine is in this room and the kids have free access to it all. Clay, paint, moon sand, glue, glitter, paper, scissors, and much much more..........

This alone occupied my daughter for the first full hour. Once her curiosity got the best of her we explored some of the other rooms. No problem we just placed our half finished art projects on a tray and came back to them throughout the visit.

Dress up:

The downstairs room provided the kids with dress up, puppets and puppet theater, instruments and a stage. Once again a hit with my daughter and her friend.

Outdoor area:

Nice spot for a quick picnic with plenty of shade. My daughter loved the simple idea of baby baths filled with soapy water, sponge and a baby doll. She cleaned that baby like there was no tomorrow!

Loft room:

A small room with a loft like playhouse was a hit!

The Stairs:

Once the girls got familiar with the studio they loved running up and down the stairs to the different rooms. This was one of my daughter's favorite parts of the outing.

Next time we will be bringing the whole family. I love that it is open 7 days a week! I would also be interested in trying out one of the classes with my girls, they have quite a few to choose from. Lastly I think we will try out one of the many restaurants in the area for lunch. Once you pay your fee it is good for the entire day. As long as you get your hand stamped you can go in and out as you please.