10 Fun Workshops You Can Try This Rainy Season (2019 Edition)

(SPOT.ph) Ah, the rainy season. Every year, it brings gloomy weather, worse traffic, and wet sneakers. So we totally understand if all you want to do is cuddle up in bed, read a book, and take a nap. But if you want to shake off those rainy-day blues, here's what we recommend: fun workshops! These workshops are perfect for the rainy season thanks to their indoor venues—we’re also sure they won’t dampen anyone’s spirits. 

Here are 10 cool workshops you should try during the rainy season: 

Raglan Sweater Knitting Workshop

When: August 17, 24, 31, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Where: Gantsilyo Guru Selections, Emerald Place, 604 Shaw Boulevard, Kapitolyo, Pasig City
Workshop fee: P3,500
Contact: Gantsilyo Guru Selections

Sweater weather could really take on a whole new meaning if you’re actually making your own sweaters. Well, now you can with this three-day raglan sweater knitting workshop. The workshop covers the basics of pattern reading, raglan shaping, and other knitting/stitching techniques. Take note: You’ll need some prior knowledge in knitting for this workshop. 

Swim Central's Basic Swimming

When: July 30 to September 15 (Batch 5)
Where: Locations vary around Metro Manila
Workshop fee: P3,920 for eight sessions
Contact: Swim Central, 0917-843-7815, divein@swimcentral.com.ph

It’s never too late to learn how to swim. With the rains and floods happening in the Metro, it’s best to be equipped with some swimming techniques (okay, that’s a little extreme but swimming is an essential skill for anybody). With eight sessions, Swim Central coaches can teach you freestyle swimming, breaststroke swimming, treading, and other skills in survival swimming—like what to do when you get leg cramps in the middle of the ocean. With the many time slots and different venues to choose from, you'll surely fit in eight 1.5-hour sessions in your busy work schedule. You might even find an indoor venue near your place.

Synthesizer Fundamentals

When: August 17 and 18, 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Where: Pineapple Lab, 6503 R. Palma Street, Poblacion, Makati City
Workshop fee: P2,000 per class
Contact: Pineapple Lab

The Synthesizer Fundamentals workshop is perfect for anyone who’s ever wanted to learn how to turn any bleep, blip, or boink sound into a catchy melody. It’s completely beginner-friendly, plus you’ll be guided by composer, Pepe Manikan, whom you might recognize for his works in independent films like Rekorder (2013), Kiko Boksingero (2017), and Last Viewing (2009).

Basic Pottery Workshop

When: August 17, 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: Cafe Feliza, Aloha Hotel, 2154 Roxas Boulevard, Malate, Manila City
Workshop fee: P3,000, inclusive of pottery materials and lunch
Contact: Tahanan Pottery Shop

If watching pottery-making videos just satisfies your soul, then you’d do well to take a class to learn the basics yourself. After all, pottery is a beautiful form of art, plus there’s a sense of accomplishment after creating something with your own hands. You can also take home whatever piece you make. Who knows? You might just find your new favorite hobby. 

Brush Lettering Workshop

When: August 24, 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Where: Craft Carrot, 19 East Capitol Drive corner San Rafael Street, Kapitolyo, Pasig City
Workshop fee: P990, inclusive of lettering kit and light snack
Contact: Seven Brush Strokes

Calligraphy as a hobby is still alive and well, and in case you missed the trend when it first peaked, here’s your chance to learn the basics of those beautiful brush strokes for yourself. From writing birthday cards to making invitations or even creating personal projects, this skill will definitely come in handy. 

Portrait Drawing and Painting Workshop

When: August 17, from 10:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Where: Art Bar, Alabang Town Center, Alabang, Muntinlupa City
Workshop fee: P4,200, inclusive of materials and handouts
Contact: Steph Alvarez

For artists out there who want to pick up some portrait drawing and painting skills, you wouldn’t want to miss this intensive one-day workshop. Here, you’ll learn how to draw and paint from scratch, as taught by two talented portrait artists themselves: Steph Alvarez and Jen Consumido. Soon, you’ll be wowing everyone with beautiful portraits of your friends. 

Chibi Doll Workshop

When: August 24, 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Where: Art Bar, UG/F Building B, SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City
Workshop fee: P2,800, inclusive of materials, tools, handouts, certificate, and snacks
Contact: Little Figures

Remember when everyone had those Chibi Doll keychains with their names hanging from their backpacks? Learn how to make your own using air-dry clay (or cold porcelain) you can give to family or friends. This workshop—happening at Art Bar's newest branch at SM Megamall—is perfect for just about anyone: little kids, teens, and, yes, even adults. 

Woodcraft Furniture: Simple Side Table

When: August 17, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Where: Builtable Coworking, CBC Corporate Center, 724 Shaw Boulevard, Mandaluyong City
Workshop fee: P4,990, inclusive of materials
Contact: Builtable Coworking

The hosts for this workshop, Kate Ngo and team, are dedicated to creating heirloom-quality furniture made from local hardwood. By attending this woodcraft furniture workshop, you can learn traditional techniques in furniture building, all while respecting the natural quality of the wood. This workshop includes theories on handling basic hand tools, powertools, practice carving, assembling, and sanding. Plus, you’d be going home with your very own sweet handmade side table.

Reef Nomads' Starter Pool Session

When: August 17 to 18, and 31; September 1, and 21 to 22
Where: Scuba Studio, 308 Seaview Street corner P. Guevarra Street, San Juan City
Workshop fee: P2,290 for three hours, inclusive of gears
Contact: Reef Nomads, info@reefnomads.com

The rain has nothing on this skin-diving class for beginners, which is held at Scuba Studio's 20-foot pool. You can widen your swimming skills as this workshop will teach you how to swim with fins in deep water as well as teach you the basics of skin diving. Maybe you can now live your mermaid dreams?

Robotics Workshop

When: August 24 to 25
Where: 8F Citynet Central Building, 1550 Sultan Street, Highway Hills, Mandaluyong City
Workshop fee: P8,000, inclusive of a robot car kit, learning manuals, mobile app, certificate of participation, and lunch
Contact: Anonimouse, info@anonimouse.tech

If you’ve been on the fence about taking a tech-related class or course, this robotics workshop might help you decide. Over the course of two days, you can learn the basics in designing a robot, the software and hardware that go with it, and creating an interface that can control it. You'll also be making four kinds of robots: one that can push out another robot outside a circle like a sumo wrestler (thus its name, sumobot); a car robot that follows a line drawn on the floor; one that you can control with your phone; and a robot that can turn away from obstacles on its path.