The year-end holidays will be here before you know it, which means school holiday breaks also are just a few weeks away.

For busy parents who are looking for safe, creative ways for their children to spend their winter break from school, the Albany Museum of Art has a pair of popular holiday art camps that will fill their days with art, activities, and fun while encouraging them to use their imagination.

The Libby Womack Holiday Workshop is Monday-Thursday Dec 19-22, and the Parents Holiday Recovery Art Camp is Tuesday-Friday Dec 27-30. Each camp is 9 am-4 pm, with free drop-off at 8 am and free late pick-up at 5 pm each day. Campers can register for the whole day, or for a half-day (9 am-noon or 1-4 pm). A lunch plan is available, and everyone enjoys free pizza on the last day of each camp. A maximum of 20 campers ages K-7th grade will be enrolled in each camp.

"These two camps always bring so much joy and warmth to the AMA,” Annie Vanoteghem, director of education and public programming for the AMA, said. “The holidays are a magical time, and we are so thrilled to be able to provide a safe place for creative expression, friends, and all-around good cheer as we make our way into 2023!"

The Libby Womack Holiday Workshop, named for the longtime educator and AMA Trustee, provides an opportunity for kids to get creative at the museum in the days leading to Christmas, a period when many parents are busy attending to important last-minute details. The workshops offer gallery explorations, art instruction, and fun art-making projects, with different instruction and activities planned for each day.

After Santa’s visit, parents can be understandably fatigued. To help them get over the bustle, the AMA’s Parents Holiday Recovery Camp keeps campers engaged creatively as they make the transition from the holidays to the restart of school in the new year.

The daily cost for each camp is $30 for AMA members or $40 for future members. Each half-day of camp is $20 for AMA members or $30 for future members. Campers can bring a brown-bag lunch, or the AMA will provide lunch for an additional $10 per day. All campers get a free pizza lunch on the last day of each camp.

“These art camps usually fill up early, and we are already signing ups kids,” Vanoteghem said. “Parents will want to register their campers soon, while space is still available.”

Parents can register their children online at the secure link at www.albanymuseum.com/winter-holidays-camps.