A kids' art workshop · Sundays 11am · South Yarra

Dot Pumpkins

An unhurried afternoon where your child meets Yayoi Kusama, the artist who covers the whole world in dots, and makes a big, bold polka-dot pumpkin to take home and keep. Everything is set up and ready. No experience needed, just a love of colour.

Small group of 8 · All materials included · Led in person · Ages 8 to 12

New dates soonEmail us to be told first
La Vita Nova51a Grosvenor St, South Yarra
Ages 8 to 12Mixed ages welcome
90 minDrop off or stay nearby
$45 / childEverything supplied
Take-homeFinished piece + sketchbook
What they'll make

A polka-dot pumpkin that pops.

Just like Kusama, children cover a big bold pumpkin in endless dots, until it hums and pops right off the page. Playful, hypnotic, and completely their own.

  • Every child leaves with a finished pumpkin, ready to hang
  • Plus a little sketchbook and a wallet of coloured paper to keep creating at home
  • All materials, tools and a smock supplied, nothing to bring
  • Pitched so a five-year-old and a twelve-year-old both make something they love
More than a craft afternoon

What your child actually gets out of it.

It looks like colour and glue and fun, and it is. Underneath, it is doing real work that parents care about.

Confidence

There is no wrong way to do it, so every child finishes something they are genuinely proud to show you.

Real creativity

Open-ended making, not colour-by-numbers. They make their own choices and watch their own ideas come to life.

Focus, screen-free

Ninety absorbed minutes of cutting, arranging and deciding. No screens, just a quiet, busy kind of happy.

Hand skills

Cutting, tearing and placing build the fine-motor strength and control that also help with writing.

A real keepsake

They leave with a real finished piece for the wall and a sketchbook to keep going, not a craft that is binned by Tuesday.

A love of art

They meet a genuine master and learn how she worked, so it sticks long after the glue has dried.

How the session runs

Story, then making, then a little gallery.

01

Meet Kusama

A short, warm story about the artist who sees dots everywhere and covers the whole world in them.

02

Dot everything

Build a big bold pumpkin and cover it in endless dots, in paint and colour, until it truly pops.

03

Finish & share

Add the final touches, walk the little gallery, and take it all home.

The practical bits

What's included, and what to bring.

We bring everything

  • A ready-to-go materials box for each child: a pumpkin base, paint, dot-markers, colour and a sturdy backing board
  • Mounted on a sturdy board, so it is ready to hang the moment it is done
  • A take-home sketchbook and a wallet of coloured paper to keep creating
  • A smock for each child, and all the mess stays with us
  • A warm, experienced facilitator guiding every step

You bring almost nothing

  • Clothes that can handle a little glue (a smock goes on top anyway)
  • A named water bottle
  • A nut-free snack, if you would like one
  • Your child, ready to make something bold. That is it.
You're in good hands

Small, supervised, and set up for every child to shine.

8

A small group

Places are capped, so every child gets real attention and help when they need it.

WWCC

Safe hands

Run in person by a friendly facilitator with a current Working with Children's Check.

8–12

Every age supported

The make is differentiated by hand, so younger and older children both finish something they love.

100%

Supplied & allergy-aware

All materials included and low-mess, and we work around anything you flag on the form.

Why this exists
"I wanted the opposite of the craft that falls apart in the car on the way home. One real artist, one bold thing made properly, and an afternoon where kids can just create while everything is already set up for them. I cannot wait to make with your little ones."

Jen, Masters in the Making, at La Vita Nova

Book

Save your child a spot.

Small group, so places are limited. Send the details below and we'll confirm by return with payment and everything you need to know.

Small group, so places are limited. Pick your date, pay in a couple of minutes, and we'll email you everything you need to know before the day.

Questions? Email info@lavitanova.com.au

Book online

Choose your Sunday and pay securely with Square. Card or Apple Pay, and the spot is yours straight away.

Book and pay →

$45 per child. Ages 8 to 12. Square will show you what is still available.

Rather ask a question first? Send this and we will come back to you.

No payment now. Send this and we'll email you to confirm your child's place and payment.

Good to know

Questions, answered.

My child has never really done art. Is that okay?

More than okay, it is exactly who this is for. No experience needed at all. Dots are the most forgiving, joyful thing to make, and first-timers often make the boldest work in the room.

Is it suitable for mixed ages?

Yes, it is built for it. Younger children make bold, simple shapes; older ones build fuller, more layered compositions. The same technique stretches across the whole age range, so everyone leaves proud.

Will it be messy? What should they wear?

There is some paint, so every child wears a smock and we keep it well-contained. Pop them in clothes you would not mind a smudge on.

How big is the group?

Small and capped at eight children, so there is always a hand nearby and no one gets lost in the crowd.

Do parents stay?

Whatever suits you. You are welcome to settle your child and come back for the little gallery at the end, or stay close by. We will confirm the details when you book.

What does it cost, and how do I pay?

$45 per child, covering all materials, the finished piece and the take-home sketchbook. There is no payment on the form. We will confirm your spot by email and send simple payment details then.

What if my child has allergies or extra needs?

Just note it on the booking form. Materials are age-appropriate and low-mess, and we will happily work around anything you flag so your child is comfortable.

What if we can't make it on the day?

Let us know as soon as you can and we will move you to the next session or sort out a refund. Life with kids happens.