The Spirit of Waiheke Cottage
92 The Esplanade
Surfdale, Waiheke Island
Upcoming Schedule![]()
Afterschool Pottery Classes for Kids and Teens
Enjoy having fun and being creative while learning the basics of hand building and glazing clay.
The six weeks will consist of four clay building lessons. Each week we will explore a different hand building technique,
including slab, coiling, pinch and sculpture through guided open ended projects. The clay creations will then be dried
and kiln fired. The two remaining classes will be an introduction to glazing/coloring before the final firing.
Sophie has been offering a range of hand built pottery classes for all ages and abilities for the past 3 years prior to moving to Waiheke Island. Through tutoring pottery she has had the privilege of working with a number of different organisations supporting inclusive community education and wellbeing. Sophie’s pottery tutoring approach focuses on teaching skills and techniques and guiding students to explore their own creativity through play.
Wednesdays-Starting 11th of February (total of 6 weeks)
Thursdays- Starting 12th of February (total of 6 weeks)
*Express interest for additional class days.
Time: 4:00-5:30pm
Ages: 6 and up
Full term price: (6 weeks) $35 per class
Individual class price: $40 (min.2 classes and dependent on class numbers)
Tuition, clay, tools, all firings and glazes
Contact for more details and to book: Sophie Elliot
sophie.elliot94@gmail.com
Bluebell Summer Program- January 2026
Hannah’s Workshops at
The Spirit of Waiheke Cottage
2026 School Holiday Program coming soon!
Home baking, music and singing, outdoor games, foraging and cake decorating, jewelry making, knitting, shell art, clay play, language classes, painting, paper mache, storytelling and performing arts.
Contact: Hannah Lewis
hannah@islandworkshops.com
Directions to the Cottage:
Go to the end of Blake Street in Surfdale. Make a left into the Seaside Trust. Follow the driveway to the end to the yellow cottage.
The Cottage is available for workshops, holiday programs and events for children and parents. Please email us at hello@thewaihekespirit.com for more information.
To learn more about our trust visit our website thespiritofwaiheke.com
Report
We are happy to report that we have been actively offering programs and workshops at the cottage since the completion of the cottage renovation in 2023. We have had parent/teen workshops, Bluebell Summer and Holiday Programs, Hannah’s Workshop, Talking Tree Hill Art Classes, Creative Seed, Thula Mama, a weekly parent/child tea and many children’s events. We will continue to offer a variety of classes and events moving forward. Please look at our updated schedule!
Thank you again to all who volunteered their precious time to restore this lovely cottage. 500 hours of volunteer service from our amazing Waiheke community! The children and parents absolutely love the space and we are so grateful be able to offer this to the community.
With our tough economic conditions we need your support. The average term fees are $350 per student. We have sponsored many children this year for various after-school activities and continue to get applications every week. The trust has sponsored over a 100 grants thanks to your generous contributions! We have paid the tuition for school trips, piano, violin, guitar lessons, gymnastics, dance class/exam fees, Bluebell Summer Program, Hannah’s Workshop, Talking Tree Hill, Creative Seed, Cottage Workshops, tutoring for math and reading, Sea Scouts, Jiu Jitsu, Waiheke High School racing/sailing team, Aims Games, Football Academy and swim lessons.
We hope you will consider a donation so we can continue to support families that would like to keep their kids in these programs and to have experiences they would not otherwise have. We see changes such as increased confidence, new friendships formed and the sheer joy of achievement. It can be truly life changing!
If you would like to donate, purchase books or inquire about using the cottage for workshops or programs for children and parents please email Anne Simoni at
hello@thespiritofwaiheke.com
Best wishes, Anne and Rosey
The Cottage is used for:
- Meetings and processing applications to help island children with tuition for after-school programs
- Community events for young children
- Workshops and guest speakers for children, teens and parents.
- Holiday Programs and after-school classes