Things to Do in Winder

Handprints in a rainbow of paints coat the white walls and even the ductwork of Dip 'n Dab's spacious studio, surrounding students who are swiping equally bright brushes against canvas. Kids and adults follow step-by-step instructions to create their own interpretations of decorative pieces and great works by Matisse, Van Gogh, and Monet, often while enjoying BYOB drinks and snacks. The studio also offers open studio time, scrapbooking sessions, and Mommy and Me classes, where children create a piece for immediate crushing criticism from their parents.

Inflatables abound inside the family-owned indoor playground of HippoHopp, where kids leap about in bounce houses, glide down slides, and navigate their way through obstacles courses. Free air hockey and foosball keep kids of all ages busy, and play castles and age-appropriate bouncers entertain youngsters in the toddler area. While the tots are busy, free WiFi and magazines are available to parents, who join their children at the bistro-style café for snacks such as paninis made each morning, fresh-ground fair-trade coffee and biscotti, and kid-friendly options including chicken nuggets and grilled-cheese sandwiches. Along with encouraging health-conscious exercise in kids, the staff at HippoHopp maintains an eco-conscious space by cleaning its facility with nontoxic, biodegradable products and only using windstorms to inflate the bounce houses.

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.

Matt Janke dreamed of landing the perfect glass-blowing job. After moving to Atlanta in 1986, he realized there wasn't a single glass studio in town, granting his art a ready-made niche. After settling in, he returned to grad school, earning an MFA in glass with the intent to launch his own university program and ultimately procure his own space. By the time he graduated in 1992, Matt further honed his skills, stockpiled equipment, and, in 1996, opened his own studio and hired himself.

Beyond the perks of being his own boss, having his own studio affords Matt a great deal of creative freedom. He infuses all his handblown light fixtures, tumblers, and vases with the prismatic swirls of his signature style, in which precise lines and natural variations vie for attention across undulating surfaces. A downtown gallery space facilitates sales of these works.

But the studio has also fulfilled more than Matt's original goal of finding glass-blowing employment, going on to catalyze a glass-blowing community. From single apprentices in the early days, the studio is now a full-fledged classroom, with space for five instructors, a dozen students, and the kilns that must melt their glass until they each finish their training by capturing and taming a fire-breathing dragon.

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.