Ms. Rachel joins Mamdani to promote free child care for 2-year-olds

NEW YORK - Mayor Zohran Mamdani spent Friday morning singing with preschoolers alongside YouTube star Ms. Rachel, spotlighting a major push to expand free child care in New York City as federal funding faces new uncertainty.

What we know:

Mamdani and Ms. Rachel (Rachel Griffin Accurso), visited the District 2 3K/Pre-K Center on Washington Street, where they led a classroom of young children in renditions of "The Wheels on the Bus" and "If You’re Happy and You Know It." 

Ms. Rachel, known for her language-development videos for toddlers, has built a massive online following, with about 18 million subscribers and more than 13 billion views on YouTube.

What they're saying:

After the singalong, the mayor spoke with the children about emotions, telling them he felt happy following Thursday’s announcement that New York City will move forward with universal child care for 2-year-olds.

Why was Ms. Rachel in NYC?

The backstory:

The visit came as child care providers nationwide raise concerns over a federal funding freeze tied to the Trump administration’s tightening of oversight on the $12 billion Child Care and Development Fund, a key program that helps subsidize care for low-income families. 

The fund supports about 1.4 million children across the country, including tens of thousands in New York.

Federal officials have cited allegations of fraud, without providing specifics, and now require states to submit additional documentation before receiving funds — a move advocates say could delay payments and destabilize child care programs.

NY childcare

Against that backdrop, Gov. Kathy Hochul this week announced a sweeping statewide investment aimed at expanding access to affordable child care for children under five. The plan includes a new partnership with Mamdani to launch free child care for 2-year-olds in New York City and strengthen the city’s existing 3K program.

"There’s one thing that every family in New York can agree on — the cost of child care is simply too high," Hochul said in a statement.

What is the ‘2-Care’ program?

Under the proposal, New York City would roll out a new "2-Care" program offering free child care for 2-year-olds, starting in high-need neighborhoods as early as 2026 and expanding citywide over four years. The state would fully fund the program’s first two years. Hochul and Mamdani also pledged to stabilize and expand 3K with the goal of reaching universal access.

If fully implemented, the initiative would significantly reduce out-of-pocket costs for families in a city where child care expenses often rival rent and access to early childhood programs has varied widely by neighborhood.

Statewide, Hochul’s broader plan would provide affordable child care to nearly 100,000 additional children by:

• Guaranteeing pre-K access for all 4-year-olds by the 2028–29 school year
• Increasing funding for pre-K seats to at least $10,000 per child
• Expanding child care subsidies, with most eligible families paying no more than $15 per week
• Raising income eligibility to about $114,000 for a family of four

The proposal also includes creating a new Office of Child Care and Early Education, piloting community-based care programs outside New York City, expanding the early childhood workforce, and increasing the child and dependent care tax credit.

Mamdani said the state-city partnership could reshape how government supports working families, even as officials acknowledge that uncertainty around federal funding could complicate long-term implementation.