With school out, one pressing question remains in the minds of many parents: how to make the most of summer for their kids. Recently launched by Visit Athens, the official tourism marketing organization for Athens-Clarke County, the Pup Pass is a new digital passport that’s taken care of the heavy lifting to find kid-friendly attractions and experiences in town.
The Pup Pass, which is free and mobile-exclusive, compiles listings for over 20 destinations — including the Georgia Museum of Art — that range from galleries, restaurants and parks to hotels, retail shops and creative class spaces. A variety of kid-friendly activities include nature explorations, local history tours, sweet treats and crafts. Many of the participating locations offer special activities or perks, such as scavenger hunts, games and free or discounted items.
“Athens is full of experiences that delight children and families, and Visit Athens wanted to compile these tips and treats into a single, user-friendly digital guide,” says Hannah Smith, director of marketing and communications at Visit Athens. “We’re very excited to be able to share Athens as a destination for family fun this summer. There is so much more to do than meets the eye. We’re sure that children will love experiencing the creative energy of Athens just as much as their grownups do!”
The Georgia Museum of Art offers free admission to exhibitions and family-oriented programs. Several opportunities are designed to introduce children to the arts while fostering creativity and exploration.
Backpack tours are designed to engage and educate children about different topics in art as they move through the galleries. Inside each backpack are materials and instructions for completing a series of activities related to works of art in the museum’s permanent collection. Available in both English and Spanish, these interactive, self-guided tours can be done at any pace. Interested families can check out a backpack at the museum’s front desk before entering the galleries.
In addition to backpack tours, the museum offers free Toddler Tuesdays and Family Days once a month. Toddler Tuesdays, intended for families with children ages 18 months to 3+ years, include art-viewing and storytime in the galleries followed by an art activity. Upcoming themes include “Under the Sea” (June 10), “Tunes and Tones” (July 8) and “Brilliant Faces” (August 12). Toddler Tuesdays are held 10 – 11 a.m., and spots can be reserved by emailing gmoa-tours@uga.edu.
Family Days, held 10 a.m. – noon, offer hands-on Art Cart activities and a take-home art project. “Visual Beats” (June 28) will take inspiration from the exhibition “Feel the Beat: Rhythm, Music and Movement,” “Fun in the Sun” (July 26) will celebrate summer and “Brilliant Exiles” (August 23) will explore Parisian culture through the exhibition “Brilliant Exiles: American Women in Paris, 1900 – 1939.” For those who cannot attend in person, Family Day To-Go Kits are available for pickup beginning at 1 p.m. on Saturday through the end of the day Sunday, while supplies last.
The Pup Pass can be downloaded for free at visitathensga.com/things-to-do/family-friendly/pup-pass. Residents and visitors alike are encouraged to deepen their sense of place and make new memories by checking out what Athens has to offer.
“Residents may have been to top attractions in town, but they may not know about special activities like scavenger hunts or the current Family Days or special events schedules,” says Smith. “Visitors in particular will really find their time in Athens enhanced by discovering these under-the-radar spots.”
Authored by:
Jessica Smith
