BY CAROLE ROSNER
When it’s 110 degrees, you’ve already baked cookies, cupcakes and brownies, and have spent too much money on amusement parks, water parks and laser tag, head over to Froggy’s Arts & Crafts in Toluca Lake for a fun, inexpensive and creative way to spend a day.
Froggy's owner Ali Porter had a successful career in entertainment management and event planning. Photo: Karen Young
Located at Tujunga and Camarillo, Froggy’s will keep kids busy all year long. As a matter of fact, forget the little kids — it can keep teens and adults busy too!
Froggy’s Arts and Crafts is the brainchild of Ali Porter, who envisioned a drop-in place for kids and adults where they could embellish clothing, paint, make jewelry, do woodworking and cook. It’s a place where it’s okay to be messy, dirty and imaginative.
The colorfully designed space also incorporates music, storytelling, puppeteering within its walls.
Kids and adults can work together or separate. Those older than 6 years old can be dropped off. Adults can come alone, and don’t need to be accompanied by a kid.
Birthday parties at Froggy's are available for children and adults. Photo: Courtesy Froggy's
Porter decided to open Froggy’s after the births of her two children and very successful careers in both entertainment management and event planning. Her experience clearly correlates as to how best to please the customer and handle every minor detail to make one’s experience ideal.
Froggy’s offers a wide array of activities, classes and events. There are drawing classes, cooking workshops, knitting nooks, and gardening projects. Birthday parties, baby showers or a “Girls Night Out” can be also be hosted here. Most recently, there was a “Hello Kitty” party for women.
Shelves are lined with a diverse assortment of individually priced “do-it-yourself” projects in a range of prices. Froggy’s has a boutique with unique gift items, and even carries American Apparel tees for fashionista kids and adults.
Through mid-August, Froggy’s also offers a daily Summer Camp with a different theme each week.
Storytime with an art project. Photo: Courtesy Froggy's
“I like making monsters out of paper and foamy paper. I like making edible Play Doh,” said Nora, 6, who was creating at the Froggy’s camp.
“Froggy’s manages to be both kid-friendly and parent-friendly at the same time. Usually kid places are, by design, loud and overpowering,” says her mom, Jill. “At Froggy’s you can sit with your child and do art projects. Or sit off to the side on the nice cozy couch and read. I like being there as much as my six-year-old.”
Drop-in studio rates are $6 per hour plus the cost of the project. (These range from $3-$10, with one or two projects slightly higher.) Froggy’s offers a monthly membership which costs $55 per child with unlimited studio time, as well as a Rewards Program where you earn 5% back on all your Froggy’s purchases.
Froggy's sits on the edge of Toluca Lake.
Froggy’s two hour private birthday parties include full use of the studio and outside patio. The host can choose from many projects. As a special treat, each guest decorates a square of a “Birthday Quilt” and Froggy’s assembles the quilt and gives it to the birthday child as a wonderful keepsake.
There’s plenty of free parking in the back as well as metered parking on Camarillo. And there’s wi-fi. What more do you need?
11332 Camarillo Street Toluca Lake, CA (818) 980-3764(FROG) Log onto www.froggysartsandcrafts.com for more information and upcoming events.
Carole Rosner is a native Valley Girl who has lived in Studio City for the past 11 years. She is a strong supporter of her local public schools and an active volunteer in her neighborhood. Some of her favorite things to do in Studio City are to celebrate 4th of July at CBS Radford, walk along Ventura Blvd. and browse through the racks at Crossroads Trading Company.
About Karen Young
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