Things to Do in Monroe

At PLaY! Music and Art, children try their had at different artistic ventures in an intimate and supportive environment. Students test their tiny fingers on the fretboard of a violin or viola or shred sounds on a flute, clarinet, or saxophone during private music lessons. Children also grip brushes and pencils in one of several art classes exploring basic drawing, painting, basic Photoshop editing, and Monopoly-money counterfeiting. PLaY! Music and Art hosts birthday parties that blend pizza with artistic endeavors and summer camps in music-video creation or Native American art. The studio also equips parents with free WiFi.

Pottery painting and glass fusing are two of the most celebrated crafts at Earth Paint and Fire. Spirited and inclusive, the studio’s BYOB classes and art sessions invite guests to indulge as they customize a plate or fuse colored glass to create ornate dishware and jewelry. During special project sessions, the staff members also assist artists by helping them customize works with painted accents such as the footprint of a newborn baby, the paw of an aging pup, or the tire tread of a beloved robot butler.

The training staff at TLEC leads students toward their riding goals on picturesque grounds, instilling the necessary basics for riders of all ages. The staff helps tackle areas that may include horsemanship, grooming, tacking, and riding styles such as English and Western.

More than 90 nontoxic paint colors, 600 pottery pieces, and an unlimited amount of creativity—that’s what guests find at Splatters Pottery, Painting & More when creating their own masterpieces. During a painting session, guests take the first step by selecting a plate, mug, or other glass or mosaic piece, and then cover it in doodles or paint. Once guests are satisfied with their work, they hand it over for firing and return in a week to pick up the finished product. The kiln-fired pieces are also food safe and wash easily, making them extra efficient for eating soup in the bathtub. For avid artists, parties and camps let guests sculpt their own pottery from clay, make a mosaic, or drizzle colored sands together.

When you walk into Jeronimo! and see the massive, inflatable slides and bounce houses, you'll understand why the open area resounds with children's laughter and squeals of delight. Here, kids can jump, climb, and maneuver through the colorful structures to their hearts' content, the thought of town criers announcing bedtime far from their minds. For youngsters aged 2 and younger, there's a separate, soft play area with a smaller bounce castle. All inflatables and toys are cleaned daily to ensure kids' health and safety.

Parents can sip fresh coffee or tea while they surf the web on one of the facility's computers. When the jumping is done, kids and adults head next door to send golf balls around transportation-themed obstacles at the indoor Putt 'N Play course. The center also boasts a dance floor and rock-climbing wall that turn parties into adventures and rents out inflatable slides, castles, and water mazes to liven up at-home events.