Christmas is rushing in and school soon will be out until after the new year arrives. If you still have a lot to do before the holidays or can use a couple of days to get over them after 2020 arrives, the Albany Museum of Art has a three opportunities to help relieve some of that holiday stress.

First up is the 6^th annual Libby Womack Holiday Workshop for children K4-5^th grade. It is set for Thursday, Dec 19 and Friday, Dec 20. Schools will be closed and the engaging art workshop will keep your “little elves” busy in creative and constructive ways from 9 am-4 pm. And we’re happy to accommodate your busy schedule by letting you drop off your child as early as 8 am with late pick-up at 5 pm, both at no extra charge!

The Libby Womack Holiday Workshop offers hands-on art experiences, crafts and games. The young participants are placed in groups according to age and grade level. The cost for each full day is $30 for AMA members and $40 for future members. Each half-day (9 am-noon or 1-4 pm) is $20 for AMA members and $30 for future members.

The workshop honors the memory of the late Libby Womack, a long-time friend, educator and trustee at the Albany Museum of Art. Her husband, Jim, a trustee for the museum, continues to honor her life and the significant contributions she made in the community.

“We love spending this special time before Christmas with the kids,” Annie Vanoteghem, director of education and public programming for the museum, said. “It's a magical time for them. They bring so much cheer to the AMA.

“We will be tapping into that holiday spirit with Christmas- and winter-themed art projects that they can keep for themselves or even give to someone as a gift. They will get to work with different media and make artwork they will be proud of.”

There will be plenty of variety offered during the day to keep the campers engaged.

“We will also have 'reindeer' games for them to play, such as Christmas song charades and pin the nose on the snowman,” Vanoteghem said. “Best of all, kids will get to share their joy and excitement with their friends as they prepare for precious time with family.”

After the workshop comes the busiest day of the year for many parents—the final Saturday before Christmas. If you have errands you need to take care of or just want a little quiet time before the holiday, you can bring your child to the AMA from 9 am-1 pm on Dec 21.

Kids don’t even have to dress up for the event. It’s our first Holidays in My PJs pARTy

“Kids are encouraged to come in their holiday pajamas if they like,” Vanoteghem said. “It’s going to be a special morning filled with art and fun, including something we haven’t done before—a waffle bar.”

The party is a fundraiser for the AMA’s Teen Art Board, whose members will help prepare the waffles. The kids will get to choose and add toppings

“They’ll create two gifts that they’ll wrap, plus a keepsake Christmas ornament,” Vanoteghem said. “We’ll watch a couple of Christmas movies and we may even have a surprise visitor if he can work his schedule out this close to Christmas!”

Once New Year’s Day arrives, the AMA’s 2^nd annual Parents Holiday Recovery Camp comes just in time to bridge the period of time before schools reopen. It is set for Thursday and Friday, Jan 2-3, 2020.

Parents can drop campers off and rest up after the holidays with the knowledge that their kids will be engaging in creative, entertaining art fun before area schools reopen. It also is designed for children ages K4-5^th grade

“This is probably as much for the parents as it is the kids,” Vanoteghem said. “The holidays can be exhausting to grownups, but children never seem to run out of energy. We just want to help make sure it gets focused in a creative way with art.”

The camp also is 9 am-4 pm with early drop-off every day at 8 am and late pick-up at 5 pm. Half-day camps are 9 am-noon and 1-4 pm. Daily prices are $30 per day for a full day for AMA members and $40 for future members. A half-day is $20 for members and $30 for future members.

For both the Libby Womack Holiday Workshop and the Parents Recovery Art Camp there is a 10% discount for any additional campers from the same family.

To register your child for an art camp or the holiday pajama party, contact Annie Vanoteghem at 229.439.8400 or email [email protected].