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Marketing & Special Events

 

Recreation Programs

Wake Up New York (July - August)

Wake Up New York, a free family fitness program started in the Summer of 2003, is designed to encourage and facilitate the development of healthy lifestyles and help participants' self-esteem through immersion in non-taxing, energizing, non-competitive physical activity. The program runs Tuesday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. at four parks in the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Manhattan. Wake Up New York is a collaboration between Parks, the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, NYC Health and Hospitals Corporation and Asphalt Green.

Shape Up New York (September - June)

Shape Up New York is the continuation of the Wake Up New York program. Shape Up also offers free fitness and nutrition for children and adults at nine Recreation Centers citywide. The program runs Tuesday through Saturday from 4:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. with a special focus on children during after-school hours and adults in the evening. Saturdays have a family focus, offering special classes and workshops for parents and children to enjoy together. Shape Up New York is a collaboration between Parks, the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, the Department of Education, NYC Health and Hospital Corporation and Asphalt Green.

Visit our Shape Up New York page for more information.

Playground Associate Program

Every summer, Parks recruits and hires Playground Associates for over 200 playgrounds citywide. Parks' Playground Associates are caring adults who oversee playgrounds and organize special events, sports, games and arts and crafts for local children ages 3-14. Our busiest sites serve over 10,000 children each summer.

Learn more about the Playground Associate Program.

Mobile Unit Program

The Mobile Unit Program provides free structured activities to children who might not otherwise have access to organized recreation or recreational facilities. Between May and October, eight Mobile Units are deployed throughout New York City visiting block parties, picnics, festivals and other community events. The Mobile Units provide free, state-of-the-art activities for children, teenagers and community groups. Mobile Units unclude five Skatemobiles stocked with Rollerblades and safety equipment and three playmobiles carrying sports equipment, games and crafts.

United States Youth Games

First held in 1966, the Youth Games foster teamwork and camaraderie between youth from across the country and serve as a showcase for future athletic stars and community leaders. Boys and girls, ages 13-15, compete against teams from fifteen other U.S. cities in a variety of sports including basketball, golf, soccer, double dutch, chess, tennis, track & field and volleyball. Approximately 1,000 children try out for one of the 150 spaces on the NYC team.

Visit the United States Youth Games page.

Adopt-a-Center

Recreation centers are the nuclei of their communities. Private partners are offered the opportunity to demonstrate their commitment to the communities in which they are located by adopting a recreation center. Sponsorship of a recreation center can include volunteer days, mentoring and in-kind donations, in addition to overall support.

Learn more about the Parks Recreation Centers.

"Learn to Play" Series

"Learn to Play" programs allow youth ages 12 and under to learn the basics of the following sports: field hockey, lacrosse, soccer, tennis, and swimming. Each "Learn to Play" sport is an individual program, and each runs approximately six to eight weeks (with the exception of Learn to Swim, which runs year-round).

Learn more about the Learn to Play programs.