Themed Birthday Parties

| frequently asked questions |

How do I reserve a party date?

You can check availability and reserve a time slot online by clicking here.

Click on any theme to view the calendar. Click on a day to see the available time slots (appear just below). When a party date and time has been selected, a $50.00 deposit is necessary to secure your reservation. The deposit is non-refundable and must be received at the time of booking. 

Can I tentatively or "pencil" in a date until I know for sure?

We cannot hold or reserve a date without a $50 deposit.  If you are hesitant to reserve because you are not sure of the theme, no worries! Reserve the date first, securing the ideal date is the most important part, and decide on the theme later.

What days of the week can I have a party?

Parties can be scheduled Thursday – Sunday during the school year and Tuesday – Sunday during the summer. Saturdays and Sundays are our most popular party days.

Year-round, our Saturday schedule is as follows; 10:30 – 12:00, 12:30 – 2:00, 2:30 – 4:00, and 4:30 – 6:00. Our Sunday schedule is 12:30 – 2:00, 2:30 – 4:00 and 4:30 – 6:00.  And we can be flexible Thursday – Friday.  You can also reserve the studio after hours, which is a little bit different than our regular themes, but great for teenagers and adults.  Click here for more information about private events.

I would like to visit your location before booking a party, what are your studio hours?

Walls of Clay is open Thursday – Sunday, though we have extended hours during school breaks.  

Our Regular Hours:

Thursday & Friday 12 – 6
Saturday 10 – 6
Sunday 12 – 6

How far in advance should I book my party?

We suggest booking parties at least 2 – 4 weeks in advance. However, if you need a last-minute date, sometimes we have schedule changes and are happy to squeeze you in. And you are more than welcome to book up to a year in advance if you have a special date and time.

When do you need a final headcount of guests?

A final headcount is required three (3) business days prior to the party. An email will be sent the Wednesday prior to your party date requesting the final head count. There is a maximum of 12 kids, this includes the birthday child(children).

What ages are your parties for?

Most of our pottery-themed packages can be for any age starting with 5 years old and up:

Unicorn Wish Dish | What-A-Dish | Party Animal | Ice Cream Dream | Box-It-Up | Mug Shot 

Our glass theme does have minimum age requirements (eight years old) and we strictly adhere to the minimum. This theme is:

Fuse-It-Up

For Tween, teens and teams (adults too), we recommend:

What-A-Dish | Mug Shot

For our teen/tween parties, we recommend reserving the studio after hours for two hours.  This makes for a great event and just requires a minimum of $300 in pottery to be painted.  You can select a budget based on the number of guests and we will have lots of fun!

What if I have twins, triplets or best friends that want to have a party together?

Our packages are priced for up to a total of 9 kids, which typically means 8 party guests plus the birthday child. If you have twins, triplets or friends that want to share a birthday party, subtract the number of birthday children from 9 to figure out how many guests are included in the package price. Extra guests are always welcome, the price per extra guest depends on the package.

For example, if you have twin girls, the package price will include the twin birthday girls + 7 guests for a total number of 9 guests. Likewise, if you have triplets, the package price will include triplet birthday kids + 6 guests for a total number of 9.

How long is the party?

Our parties are 1 1/2 hours.  We recommend ages 5 and up.

What happens if I have to cancel my party?

Once a deposit has been paid, parties may only be postponed once. We will gladly work with you to find an alternate party date. If you choose to cancel our services for ANY reason, your deposit is non-refundable and cannot be applied to other services or merchandise. If you need to postpone your party more than once, your deposit will be forfeited.  Deposits can only be applied to another party time, not in the studio.

What happens if the birthday child becomes ill?

If the guest of honor becomes ill, we will gladly work with you to choose an alternate date for your party based on availability. Your deposit is non-refundable, however, we will apply it to another party date one time and there is no penalty on your behalf!

Is there a minimum or maximum number of guests/painters that I can invite?

The package price is for up to 9 kids (typically 8 children plus the birthday child). If less than 9 attend your party, you will still be charged for the same amount. Attendance over 9 will be charged an additional rate per person. Additional charges per guest vary depending on the package, see package details.

 As for the maximum, we can seat 12 painters. Our space is limited, so while we will definitely accommodate the party guests, there is very limited room for adults other than the birthday child’s parents.

What if I have to invite the whole class, can I have more than 12 kids?

Unfortunately, no, so please do not over-invite as we do not want anyone to be disappointed.  Based on feedback from our past guests and staff, a maximum of 12 painters is all that we can seat, serve and assist at a time.  Our private room simply is not big enough to accommodate larger groups, especially when extended family and parents of guests stay during the party.

We would love to host larger groups, but cannot do so in our working studio.  If you must invite the whole class, team, etc then we are probably not the right venue for you at this time, sad to say but true. 🙁

As an alternative, you may want to consider reserving a private event, which takes place after studio hours and can accommodate larger groups. Click here for more information.

What if I have less than 9 kids?

The downside is that you will still pay the minimum package price. The upside is that we will be staffed the same way as if you had 9, so painters will receive extra attention from our staff.

What if I have less than 9 kids, can the birthday child paint and extra piece or bring it home?

We generally don’t recommend this since it is sometimes hard for younger guests to understand why someone else is painting more than one and they cannot.  If there is an older sibling, parent, relative that wants to paint the extra piece(s) during the course of the party, they are welcome to.

If I have less than 9 kids, can I come back another time to paint the extra piece or bring it home to paint?

Painting party pieces need to be completed during the allotted party time. This is customary for most party venues. For example, if you have a bounce house party and not all guests are there, free passes are generally not handed out for a future visit for the guests who were unable to make it. 

Likewise, if a minimum is required at a catering hall for a wedding and someone was not able to attend, they are not given a meal for the next time around.  We do try to be fair and hope that you understand that we are a small business that continually strives to use fair practices so that it is a win-win situation for us all.

What happens if a guests arrives late?

Our parties are packed with fun and follow a schedule. Guests who arrive late may join the party at whatever point the party has progressed to.

What should party guests wear? Do you provide smocks or aprons?

Pottery Painting Parties:

Our glazes are very washable and therefore we do not have smocks or aprons.  Guests can come in their everyday clothes and rarely leave with paint on them.  An apron does make a great party favor though…if you have some extra time!

Can other parents and/or siblings stay for the party?

Simply put, we just don’t have the room for a lot of adults and/or siblings that are not painting.  Walls of Clay is a working studio, this means the front end of the studio is for walk-in customers, so we respectfully ask that your guests do not use these tables to sit at while waiting for the party to end.  And the hallway between the studio and party room is where is used frequently by staff and front-end painters, so we again ask respectfully that we keep this hallway free and clear. 

Downtown McKinney is a great place to walk around, we encourage adults to take advantage of the local shops, art galleries, and eateries – your kiddos will be in good hands with our staff.

What do I need to supply?

The Cake! You are responsible for the cake, cupcakes, brownies, or the “sweet” of your choice. You may also bring pizza or another food choice for “lunch” or “dinner”. If you bring in food other than the sweet treat to sing happy birthday to, please let us know in the beginning so that we can adjust our schedule accordingly. Walls of Clay provides paper and plastic products such as plates, forks, napkins and cups and we will serve lemonade to the painters.

My child doesn't like lemonade, can you serve water instead?

We supply lemonade for the kiddos, if you prefer something else like water or juice boxes, please feel free to bring in a cooler with the beverage of your choice.

Do you have a freezer for ice cream?

Sure do!  And spoons too!  If you decide to bring in ice cream, please bring in the individual ice cream cups rather than half-gallon containers that require ice cream to be scooped and served.

Can I bring in food?

Absolutely! Though most of our parties do NOT bring in food other than cake/cupcakes; time and space are limited. 

If you want to stay away from food, a note on the invitation “cake & lemonade will be served” works great for letting parents know what to expect.

I want pizza delivered, what do you recommend and what time should I have it delivered?

Dominos delivers most often. We recommend delivery time 45 minutes after the start of the party; for example 11:15 for a 10:30 – 12:00 party or 5:15 for a 4:30 – 6:00 party. 

Most often we see Dominos and you can order online (www.dominos.com) and pre-order, pre-pay and set up delivery in advance. Please note guests will eat after pottery painting and we are in no way affiliated with Dominos – just offering some help.

Can we eat first and then paint pottery?

Our parties follow a particular time schedule and we always paint first. Once the painting is complete, we are happy to serve food and/or cake.

I have my own paper goods, can I use them? Can I get a discount because I am not using yor stuff?

You are welcome to bring in your own paper goods. Or, you can use some or all of our components; whichever works best for you.  Our plates and napkins are kind of fun though and fit right in with the painting theme. We do not offer a discount or credit if you provide your own paper goods.

Can I switch themes after the party is reserved?

Absolutely, please give us at least 1 weeks’ notice so that we can be sure to have the theme pieces set aside for your group.

How soon will the party pieces be ready?

Generally, party pieces are ready in 7 days. During holiday or peak times, this time may be extended.

Can I mix themes, for example, a blend of Box-It-Up and Party Animal?

We offer a great selection of pieces within each theme; we do not allow mixing themes, as it creates second-guessing and confusion among guests.

Can I let the guests pick their own pieces from the studio?

Unfortunately, no. However, we do offer a great variety of pieces within each theme that appeals to various ages, as well as both girls and boys.  If you want to give the children an “open” selection, please reserve the studio for a private event, which occurs after studio hours.  

Can an older sibling paint something different than the chosen theme?

Sure! If siblings choose to paint something outside of the theme, they are charged the price of the bisque.

Can I have the parents pick up the individual pieces instead of me picking up all of the pieces at once?

Each piece will be individually wrapped and labeled with a gift tag with the painters’ names so they are easy to distribute. The birthday family picks up all of the pieces and then distributes them accordingly. No exceptions, please.