Clay Dance for Children

Clay Dance groups offers a playful explorative session, integrating clay with movement and dance. The goal is to foster connection to self and others, creative exploration and self empowerment.

There are four sessions during they day - the morning sessions are for ages 5-7, and the afternoon sessions are for ages 8-10. Each session is 1.5 hours. Please choose one that suits best.
Please note that the workshop entails group interaction, music, movement, and contact with clay, and consider if your child will be comfortable with all these - contact us if you have questions!

We aim to start each session on time. Please plan to arrive 20 minutes before the session starts. To give ample time for orientation and housekeeping.
You will be asked to sign a consent form when you arrive.

We do encourage parents to drop off their children. There is a small hallway with chairs cum waiting area outside the workshop room. You are welcome to wait in the hallway.

Children will create, but won't be taking anything home - we are not using air dry clay - and our focus is on the process, not the product in this workshop.

You will find us at The Meteor, 1 Victoria street, Hamilton Central. Please make your way to the back entrance. There is a small staircase leading down to the back of The Meteor building from Meteor Theatre Car Park. We will be putting up a small event signage at the top of the staircase!.

There is allocated parking for guests at Meteor Theatre Carpark, casual rates applied and payable via Parkable app. Street parking is available along Victoria Street and the first 2 hours are free.

These workshops are facilitated by The Play Lab Collaboratives -four creative therapists who between them have experience in working with children, using art, dance and movement, collaborating to bring this very unique offering to children.

Who is the Play Lab Collaboratives?

Hilda Mali is a dance movement therapist and an art therapist trainee in her second year of Master of Creative ArtsTherapy (Clinical) Whitecliffe College, Auckland. She integrates ancient and indigenous wisdom with Western psychotherapeutic approach through modalities of creative & expressive arts.

Ruth Foulkes is a fully registered teacher and a registered Clinical Arts Therapist. She has more than 35 years’ experience working with children. Ruth recognises the value of creativity, playfulness and movement in well-being and healing, and believes that we should all have an opportunity to be seen and heard.

Elske Reyneke-Barnard is a registered Clinical Arts Therapist in private practice - Soul Images Expressive Arts Studio. She believes in the power of art to connect, explore, express and heal and she works from a place of playfulness and curiosity.

Ruth Clarke is a trainee creative arts therapist about to complete her qualification at Whitecliffe College. She has a background in teaching and psychology, and uses a range of materials and modalities to support tamariki in recognizing, expressing, and processing challenging emotions and experiences.

What is Creative Arts Therapy?
Arts therapy employs creativity alongside therapeutic processes and a supportive non-judgemental therapeutic relationship to support and enhance well-being. Art becomes a language to express feelings, and explore/understand self to facilitate growth and healing. Children sometimes need help to connect or reconnect – with their bodies, their emotions, their relationships.
Arts therapy can be a powerful force for change in the lives of children.