23 places and programs for kids in and around Bushwick, Brooklyn (10 free): sports, playgrounds, libraries. Includes DeKalb Library and Maria Hernandez Park Playground.
At DeKalb Library, the youth collection covers everything from lap-sized board books to graphic novels, and the space doubles as a quiet after-school spot for Bushwick students. Programs for young children and school-age kids have included Story Play, Book Adventures and Kids Tech Time. Note that the elevator has been temporarily out of service.
Bushwick Library is the Bushwick branch of Brooklyn Public Library, with a children's collection and regular early-literacy programs when the building is in service. Right now the building is closed (closed for renovations beginning June 2026, about two years; staff run neighborhood programs and Bookmobile visits), so families should use nearby branches or the mobile/pop-up services in the meantime.
Maria Hernandez Park Playground offers a dedicated children's area in Bushwick, where kids can climb and play on structures made for them. Accessible swings let children who need extra support share the swing set with everyone else. On hot summer days the spray showers switch on, and kids run through the water to cool off.
Bushwick climbing gym with bouldering and roped climbing where kids 5 and up can join an after-school or weekend climbing club. Youth teams, summer camps and outdoor climbing trips are also offered.
Kids learn to skateboard in beginner group lessons held every Sunday morning, plus after-school sessions with pickup from schools in Williamsburg, Greenpoint and Bed-Stuy. The club also runs a summer camp and holiday skate trips.
A Bushwick paint-your-own-ceramics and art studio with classes for all ages and toddler art playgroups. Kids can also come for day camps, school trips and birthday parties.
Little ones and school-age kids in Bushwick can browse the picture-book and early-reader shelves at Washington Irving Library, borrow games and use the computers after school. Recurring kids' programs lately have included Story Play, Kids Game Night, Kids Create and Ready Set Kindergarten.
A Bushwick boxing club that runs dedicated youth classes several afternoons a week plus Saturday mornings. Young boxers work on technique and conditioning in a group setting with the club's coaches.
An NYC-themed soft play facility in Bushwick/Bed-Stuy for ages 1-10 with a ball blaster, climbing structures, slides and an obstacle course.
A Bushwick bouldering gym with walls at many angles and serious training boards. Teens 13 and up can join its Youth Training Center team, and minors climb after a parent-signed waiver and an on-site safety orientation.
A Brooklyn circus arts company offering cirque classes for all ages and ability levels, including aerial skills, along with performances. It also provides rigging and specialty apparatus instruction like sway pole.
Bushwick roller rink with a hand-painted 7,000 sq ft floor and family-friendly sessions on weekend afternoons and Friday evenings.
Swim school focused on babies, toddlers and young kids, with small classes grouped tightly by age from infant water-comfort sessions up through stroke development for 7-9 year olds. Semi-private, private and prenatal lessons are also offered.
A Bushwick boxing studio that runs a Youth Boxing Academy for young athletes. Kids train boxing fundamentals in classes booked through the studio's online scheduler.
A volunteer-run festival where Bushwick artists, galleries and creative spaces open their doors for a weekend of studio visits, exhibits and events. It's an easy way for families to see street art and meet working artists in the neighborhood.
Bushwick Playground is a NYC Parks play area at Knickerbocker Ave between Woodbine St and Putnam Ave, with climbing structures and play equipment scaled for kids. Ground-level activities and transfer platforms make much of the play area reachable for children with mobility needs. A spray shower makes it a go-to summer stop when children need to splash and cool down.
Bushwick Playground in Bushwick has a mid-size outdoor pool plus a separate wading pool for toddlers. Kids can splash and swim for free during the summer season, and NYC Parks often runs free Learn to Swim sessions at outdoor pools. Bring a padlock and swimwear.
A Bushwick mixed martial arts gym with a dedicated kids program. Children learn striking and grappling fundamentals in classes separate from the adults.
A Brooklyn karate dojo open since 1999 that teaches traditional and WKF competition karate to kids and adults. Young students learn kata and sparring, and the school has a strong competition program.
Heckscher Playground offers a dedicated children's area at Linden St between Central Ave and Wilson Ave, where kids can climb and play on structures made for them. It is one of the city's accessible playgrounds, with universally accessible swings in the mix. A spray shower makes it a go-to summer stop when children need to splash and cool down.
A 30,000-square-foot community youth center in Bushwick run by a long-standing Brooklyn non-profit. Local young people and their families use the space to build new skills and interests in a supportive setting.
Kids head to Rudd Playground in Bushwick to climb, explore and run around on equipment built for children. Accessible swings let children who need extra support share the swing set with everyone else. In warm weather the spray showers turn a playground visit into an easy water-play outing.
Irving Square Park Playground gives Bushwick families a free spot to play, with structures sized for young children. A spray shower makes it a go-to summer stop when children need to splash and cool down.
LittleGotham lists 23 places and programs for kids in Bushwick, Brooklyn. The largest groups are 8 sports programs, 5 playgrounds, 3 libraries.
Yes. 10 of 23 are free to attend, including DeKalb Library, Maria Hernandez Park Playground, Bushwick Library.
15 listings are indoors, such as DeKalb Library, Bushwick Library, MetroRock Bushwick.