Need After School Care?
As a working parent I know how daunting it is to secure affordable child care. Harder still is finding affordable and reliable care when the bell rings at 2:40 and work isn’t over. Figuring out options, where programs are located near home or school and what it will cost is often fraught with the stress of trying to make it all work. Never mind holidays and breaks when school is closed for days or months!
I wanted an app like Yelp that mapped out all the afterschool programs in my neighborhood with details that made sense to me —a working parent with 2 kids in public school.
Since the City didn’t answer the call, I’ve focused on creating solutions for working parents.
Find Free Afterschool Near You!
Why this search tool is better :
It was created according to a working parent’s perspective
You can start with the location of a school where your child is already enrolled or hoping to attend, to then identify nearby programs to help with enrollment decisions.
It organizes schools based on entry grade level (3K, PreK, K).
It includes all free afterschool programs -not just some.
School pop up information includes all grades, school size, and a website link.
Each location
The search tool includes all NYC Public Schools with kindergarten classrooms including schools that start in 3K, PreK or in Kindergarten.
The map includes all free afterschool programs managed by the NYC Department of Youth & Community Development that serve children ages 4+, including COMPASS elementary, COMPASS middle school, and Beacon, usually serving a mix of ages as well as Cornerstone programs located in neighborhood public housing projects, also serving a mix of children and adults.
To find what you want use the + / - to zoom into your neighborhood.
Select the entry grade you want. If you have a child who would be entering 3K in the fall, select ONLY 3K schools.
Select the type of free afterschool program that fits your needs.
COMPASS afterschool is usually on site at elementary or middle schools.
Beacon afterschool can be either on site at a local school or at a local community center and may serve students from multiple neighborhood schools.
Cornerstone youth programs are offered in partnership with NYC Housing Authority projects and local community-based organizations. They serve children to young adults ages 5-21.
School data is valid from the DOE My Schools website as of January 2026.
The DYCD information is from the DYCD NYC Open Data portal based on fiscal year 2025 —the most recent data available on the portal.
A call for an education-childcare system that supports working parents -and why the gap exists.
Shares exciting new tools and a promising vision.
