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NYC to babysit 500 kids for ‘Parents’ Night Out’

By

Michael Sol Warren

Published Jul 12, 2026

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New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani delivers remarks and cuts the ribbon at the opening of the new Shirley Chisholm Recreation Center in Brooklyn.

 

Courtesy of the mayor's office

By

Michael Sol Warren

Published Jul 12, 2026

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The parks department wants to do something nice for all you parents out there.

City officials said Sunday that the parks department will host a “Parents’ Night Out” on August 16, giving parents the chance to drop their kids off at a city rec center for a few hours of free childcare.

“Every parent knows that a few hours to yourself can feel like a luxury. It shouldn't be,” Mayor Zohran Mamdani said in a statement. That's why we're launching New York City's first-ever Parents Night Out, so that parents can get a little time on their own to catch a movie, run errands, or go on a date without worrying about who will take care of the kids — or how much it will cost. Making New York City more affordable isn't just about lowering costs, it's about giving people back their time.”

The city will use one rec center in each borough for the event:

Each rec center will host 100 kids ages 6 through 13. Parents must register their kids online in advance, and registrations will be taken on a first-come-first-served basis, with no walk-ins allowed. Registration opens at 8 a.m. on Monday and runs through July 20.

Parents will drop their kids off at the rec centers at 4 p.m. and pick them up at 8 p.m. Specific programming will vary by location, but will include sports, arts and crafts, and nature education. It’ll all be led by parks staff, and dinner will be provided for the kids.

“Parents and caregivers spend so much of their time taking care of everyone else, and they deserve an opportunity to recharge,” NYC Parks Commissioner Tricia Shimamura said in a statement.

Subsidized childcare has been a cornerstone of Mamdani’s tenure as mayor. He added 2,000 3-K seats this year as part of a $1.2 billion investment from Gov. Kathy Hochul. In the fall, the city is also set to launch a new program for 2-year-olds.

Tagged

Zohran Mamdani

childcare

new york city

parks and recrecation

Michael Sol Warren

Michael Sol Warren covers New Jersey for WNYC and Gothamist, and previously reported on issues around the Garden State for NJ Spotlight News and NJ Advance Media. He can be reached at [email protected].

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