We spend a lot of time in our family discussing what the future may or may not hold: Traveling to the four corners of the globe, finding a cure for Type 1 Diabetes, becoming a WWE wrestler. Another plan for the future that constantly comes up is living together while creating art in a warehouse, complete with a comic book shop and cafe on the first floor. While a place like this may seem out of this world, fun like this is just around the corner. Our travels through the Riverwards this week set off an echo of excitement and, perhaps, a glimpse into the future from all four of our kids.

An industrial-style elevator ascended us to our first stop, an art studio, in a robust warehouse located at 3237 Amber Street. This, however, is no ordinary art studio: It’s Yay Clay!, owned and operated by the talented and welcoming Keith Grabowsky. This kid-friendly studio boasts an assortment of child-centric odds and ends including a foosball table, arcade video games and a fabulously inviting hammock that hangs from the ceiling (where I really wanted to enjoy a “Calgon, take me away!” moment). Keith worked with each little artist, one-on-one, as they got their hands dirty on the pottery wheel.

For this mama, there is no better feeling than watching children discover their creative side. Despite their varying ages, the children engineered wonderful sculptures, working at their own pace and in their own style. Afterward, we moved away from the wheel and spent some time personalizing our bowl with texture tools and stamps.

The great part for our family is that our session was actually broken into two visits, preventing the classic “we were there way too long” situation. In the interim between our visits, the staff would fire our pieces in the kiln—they kindly explained exactly how that process works—after which they would call guests in about two weeks to finish up. After some heated foosball action and a few rounds of Pac-Man, the kids picked out their paint colors and finished up. We are now anxiously awaiting our call to pick up our crafts! I’d definitely recommend Yay Clay! for a special occasion (and parents, it’s BYOB!)—the ambiance and staff make it well worth the trip!

Only blocks away sits a hidden gem: Ontario Street Comics. You may have driven by the white Buick adorned with a decal of Batman carrying Superman that is parked out front and wondered what exactly lies beyond that giant inflatable Hulk that greets customers. Well, the answer to that is “plenty,” and it has family-friendly fun written all over it.

Imagine my delight when I discovered the section in the back of the store of gently-used action figures where WWE figures (our prize of choice) were only $5 a piece! There is also a generous selection of superhero and cartoon figurines for $4 each.

Ontario Street Comics’ stock is updated often, so my boys have no problem giving a home to a toy in need. I mean, we all saw Toy Story 3, right?

Meanwhile, my daughter thoroughly enjoys the store’s Anime/Manga section, and spends most of her time perusing the My Little Pony comics. Oh right, comics! There are thousands of comics available here, with many comic books sold for under $5. The beauty of a kid who collects comics is that the hobby can actually be pretty affordable—until they start searching for that elusive Batman No.1 comic book. The collector’s items are all safely stored behind glass, making it kid-friendly in every capacity. The staff, father and son comic extraordinaires Bill and Steve, know their stuff and graciously share their knowledge on any topic. Chances are, a visit to Ontario Street Comics will make your little ones happy and make you happier. I know the Perrys look forward to each and every visit!