NYU Opens Daycare-Like Lounge for Adult Students

The Nest at NYU's Kimmel Center offers coloring books, board games, and stuffed animals as a screen-free zone for students.

Published on Mar. 7, 2026

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New York University has opened a new student lounge called "The Nest" at its Kimmel Center for University Life. The lounge is filled with coloring books, board games, stuffed animals, and other childlike activities, providing a screen-free space for students to unwind and reconnect with their childhood. The university says the lounge is part of its broader "NYU IRL" initiative to get students offline and interacting in the real world.

Why it matters

The creation of The Nest highlights concerns about the mental health impacts of excessive screen time and smartphone use among college students. By providing a designated space for students to engage in analog activities, NYU aims to address the "anxious generation" phenomenon discussed in Professor Jonathan Haidt's book "The Anxious Generation."

The details

The Nest, located on the second floor of NYU's Kimmel Center, features tables covered in arts and crafts supplies, giant board games like Connect Four, Etch-a-Sketches, polaroid cameras, and a record player. Phones are locked away in charging cubbies while students revisit their preschool years by molding clay sculptures or completing puzzles. The lounge officially opened on February 24 at NYU's main campus as well as its locations in Abu Dhabi and Shanghai.

  • The Nest officially opened on February 24, 2026.

The players

Avani Advani

A 19-year-old sophomore business major from India who works as a student employee at The Nest.

Alexandra Robinson Bellin

An 18-year-old freshman drama major from Chicago who enjoys the activities and events at The Nest.

Zihao Huang

An 18-year-old freshman education major from Brooklyn who appreciates The Nest as a screen-free space to unwind.

Jonathan Haidt

A professor at NYU's Stern School of Business whose book "The Anxious Generation" inspired the university's "NYU IRL" initiative, of which The Nest is a part.

Heather MacDonald

An author and fellow at the Manhattan Institute who is critical of the "infantilization of students" with initiatives like The Nest.

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What they’re saying

“I love that the school is encouraging digital-free zones, especially because everything is so focused on your laptops and your phones.”

— Alexandra Robinson Bellin, Freshman drama major (The Post)

“Without this place, I don't feel like I would be playing games that I used to play in my childhood … It's such a nice way to connect with things that you used to do so you feel that sense of belonging.”

— Avani Advani, Sophomore business major and student worker at The Nest (The Post)

“It's a nice place to come to unwind, eat, and maybe play a game of Uno after class. It's good to take a break from the devices that we are connected to every single minute of every single day.”

— Zihao Huang, Freshman education major (The Post)

What’s next

NYU plans to continue operating The Nest as part of its broader "NYU IRL" initiative to encourage students to spend less time on their devices and more time engaging in real-world activities.

The takeaway

The creation of The Nest at NYU reflects growing concerns about the mental health impacts of excessive screen time and smartphone use among college students. By providing a designated space for students to unplug and reconnect with analog activities, NYU is taking a proactive approach to addressing the "anxious generation" phenomenon.