Former US President Barack Obama and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani met on Saturday afternoon at the Learning Through Play Pre-K Center on Union Avenue in the South Bronx, where they spent time with preschool children in a visit that quickly went viral online. The highlight of the event was a cheerful sing-along of the children’s song “Wheels on the Bus,” which drew widespread attention on social media and added momentum to Mamdani’s push for expanded universal childcare.

During the approximately 90-minute visit, Obama and Mamdani sat with around 20 preschoolers, read the picture book Alone and Together, and participated in interactive activities with the children. The group also sang nursery rhymes together, while the children taught the leaders the song “Soda Pop” from the K-pop film Demon Hunters. At one point, Obama joked, “You made the mayor feel really old,” as laughter filled the classroom.

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Videos shared online showed the two leaders laughing, dancing, and taking turns leading verses of the songs alongside the children. The informal and playful interaction became the focus of the visit, with clips rapidly circulating across social media platforms. In an Instagram post, Mamdani described the event, writing that they “read to a group of toddlers” and discussed a vision for the city “where New York’s cutest have the strongest start possible.”

Speaking to local reporters after the visit, Obama emphasized the importance of early childhood investment. “This is what we need, making an investment in these amazing kids,” he said, adding, “Thank you for the good work, everybody who’s doing this terrific program.” His remarks reinforced the visit’s broader focus on early education and childcare support.

City officials noted that Obama and Mamdani had previously spoken by phone in November 2025, shortly before Mamdani’s election as a first-time city leader. Saturday’s meeting marked their first in-person interaction, during which they also held a private discussion and met families to talk about early childhood education priorities.

The visit comes as Mamdani marks 100 days in office and continues to center his administration on expanding childcare access. Earlier this month, he announced an agreement with Governor Kathy Hochul to extend free childcare to children as young as two across New York City, a key part of his broader universal childcare agenda.

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