The Crafty Penguin Club

12/06/2026

This week we made our own abstract suncatchers.

The first thing I said to the children was, "This is a tricky one."

There were two parts I thought they might struggle with because, if I'm honest, I found them tricky myself when I made the sample. The first was cutting shapes out from the middle of the paper, and the second was dealing with the sticky tape.

I explained that I was there to help if they got stuck and then we got started.

Nobody batted an eyelid.

They listened, got on with it and just ploughed on.

I was needed a few times to find the end of the sticky tape when it had mysteriously disappeared, and there were a few conversations about making shapes bigger to make them easier to cut out, but that was about it.

They were fantastic.

Sometimes I think adults worry about things being difficult far more than children do. Most of the time they are quite happy to give something a go and see what happens.

And look at the results. Some beautiful suncatchers ready to hang up for the summer.

Michelle 🙂

12/06/2026

WELCOME TO THE CRAFTY PENGUIN CLUB

The Crafty Penguin Club is a creative skills club for children aged 6-15 in North Preston.

Our sessions are designed for children who love art, crafts, making and creating. Through a wide range of projects, children learn artistic techniques, develop creative skills and build confidence in a calm, welcoming environment.

Unlike many children's activities, we focus on skill development and creative growth rather than producing identical projects. Every child is encouraged to explore ideas, solve problems and develop their own creative style.

Why parents choose The Crafty Penguin Club:

• Small group sizes with individual support.
• A calm and welcoming atmosphere.
• Opportunities to develop real creative skills.
• Projects children may not experience at home or school.
• A space where children can build confidence, independence and friendships.
• Inclusive sessions where children can be themselves.

Children explore a wide range of techniques including drawing, painting, sculpture, mixed media, printmaking, textiles and construction projects.

What parents say:

"My son loves coming here, we have tried lots of other clubs and they haven't worked out. He tells me this is his happy place."

"The Crafty Penguin Club exceeded our expectations."

"My child is more interactive with the others and remembers when the class is on."

Location: North Preston

For current availability, prices and booking information, please visit our website or send me a message.

Michelle 🙂

09/06/2026

Thank you to those have completed the new location survey already.

Please keep your opinions coming.

Here is the link again.

https://forms.gle/oqQTyDWL5tMgEbwU6

Thanks
Michelle 😊🐧

03/06/2026

02/06/2026

Do you have an arty child but don't like the mess taking over your dining table?

Or perhaps your child is always drawing, painting, building, making, and creating, and you're looking for somewhere they can develop those skills alongside other creative children.

Hi, I'm Michelle, founder of The Crafty Penguin Club.

We run small, welcoming art and craft clubs where children learn real creative skills through hands-on projects. From painting and sculpture to mixed media, textiles, construction projects, and much more, every session is designed to help children explore their creativity while building confidence, problem-solving skills, fine motor skills, and independence.

Parents often tell us their children look forward to sessions all week, make new friends, gain confidence, and discover techniques and materials they would never normally get the opportunity to try.

The Crafty Penguin Club is about much more than keeping children busy. It's about giving creative children the chance to learn, experiment, express themselves, and develop skills that will stay with them for life.

I'm currently looking at bringing The Crafty Penguin Club to new areas and would love to know if there is enough interest locally.
If you think your child would enjoy attending, please take a minute to complete this short survey. Your feedback will help decide whether we launch a club in your area.

Click here to complete the survey: https://forms.gle/pDcxG8o5qUoP6tis8

Please feel free to share this post with other parents of creative children who may be interested.

Michelle

01/06/2026

Not every small business had the opportunity to sign up for UK Small Business Week, but they're still out there working hard every day and deserve support too.

So this post is for them.

Tag a small business you love in the comments. It could be a shop, maker, artist, café, service provider, or someone who quietly goes above and beyond for their customers.

If you're a small business owner, feel free to introduce yourself and tell us a little about what you do.

As small business owners, we know how much a recommendation can mean. Sometimes a simple tag, share, or kind comment can help someone discover a business they would never have found otherwise.

Let's fill the comments with amazing small businesses that deserve a little extra visibility this week.

01/06/2026

It's Small Business Week, so we're running a special offer to celebrate:

Book a space in our Wednesday Group as a standard term and get an upgrade to Penguin Plus.

Available from 1st - 7th June only.

If you've been meaning tobook with us or get in touch, this is the perfect week to do it.

Thanks for supporting small businesses like ours.

Michelle

31/05/2026

Have you seen our post and wished we were closer, or a different day?

Please have your say, as I am reviewing our timetable for September.

As The Crafty Penguin Club continues to grow and change, I am currently reviewing the timetable and session locations for September onwards to make sure the clubs remain sustainable and work well for both families and the long-term future of the club. Before making any decisions, I would really appr...

28/05/2026

I’ve noticed more and more businesses using AI-generated artwork, graphics and characters lately, and honestly… I usually scroll past.

Not because technology is bad, but because creativity matters deeply to me.

And just to be clear, I’m not talking about digital art. Digital artists still need imagination, skill, creativity and the ability to actually create something. Digital art is still art.

What I struggle with is businesses replacing creativity completely with generic AI-generated visuals, especially when those businesses are connected to creative industries.

At The Crafty Penguin Club, I work with children who are artistic, imaginative, hands-on and creative. Some of those children may never feel fully confident in traditional academic environments, so giving them a place where creativity is valued is incredibly important.

I want children to see that creative skills have purpose. That art, design, making and imagination still matter. That there are still real people creating things.

Before small business owners come at me about time and costs — I completely understand. I’m a small business owner too. I know how hard it is to do everything yourself.

But honestly, even scribbling your idea on a piece of paper with a marker pen feels more personal and human than a lot of the generic AI graphics flooding social media right now.

In our sessions, children learn actual creative skills, experiment, make mistakes, solve problems and create something uniquely theirs. That process matters just as much as the final outcome.

In a world becoming more automated, I think human creativity matters more than ever.