Before the school year sweeps your kids into a tornado of homework and after-school extracurricular activities, consider taking a creative approach to family bonding time with these fun-filled craft workshops. Whether your kid loves baseball or Barbies, the activities are a surefire way to get the imagination flowing. Craft days give your family the time and artwork to make lasting summer memories.
 
The  Art Nest at the Wassaic Project 
Wassaic
Fridays 3-7 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays 12-5 p.m.
Described as a “big tree house,” the Art Nest prides itself on having free materials and readily available projects for the whole family. Based on a theme each month, the space gives kids the opportunity to try many types of art. The summer sessions are based off of the current exhibit, Change of State, which is housed at the Wassaic Project.  
 
Day of the Bird at Storm King Art Center 
New Windsor
August 12 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
This month, Storm King Art Center holds a day devoted to our feathery friends. The event focuses on birds through an artistic lens, while also including activities which promote bird advocacy and highlight environmental issues. Your family can roam the picturesque grounds of Storm King while picking and choosing which events to attend. 
 
Drop-In and Create Saturdays at Hudson Valley Center for Contemporary Art
Peekskill
Saturdays 1-4 p.m.
Each Saturday, HVCCA hosts creative activities that change monthly to reflect the themes of current exhibitions. This month’s craft, based off of Peter Bynum’s art, encourages kids to explore abstraction and embrace different materials. Through the craft, kids not only gain a basic understanding of abstract art, but also learn that accident and chance can be valuable. 
 
Family Day at Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art 
New Paltz
August 12 2 p.m. 
The Dorsky Museum’s Family Day involves making Cyanotype prints on fabric using found objects. Cyanotype is the process of using sunlight to imprint objects so your family can still enjoy the summery weather while trying something new. The beautiful artwork is sure to inspire your kid and provide a new way of looking at seemingly mundane objects.  
 
Making a Mastodon at New York State Museum
Albany  
August 15 10-11:30 a.m.
This craft combines elements of science and art to create a multi-dimensional perspective of an Ice Age creature. Based on the original excavation of the mastodon, “Making a Mastodon” allows kids to use different approaches to understand the history behind a mastodon. Kids can build their own mastodon “skeleton” while learning about how the mastodon was discovered.
