Once upon a nap time, a quiet revolution began. In a London neighborhood in 2010, a new parent was struggling with the now-familiar situation. How could she work without sacrificing time with her child? And, conversely, how could she parent without giving up her career?
The answer didn’t exist, so she built it. Third Door is the world’s first co-working space with full-service childcare. It was a modest idea with radical potential: What if working parents didn’t have to choose between their children and their professional lives?
Early U.S. pioneers
The idea spread slowly but meaningfully. By 2013, similar models were popping up in the U.S. Nido, in Durham, North Carolina, is a Montessori-inspired workspace that allows parents to toggle between meetings and milk breaks without skipping a beat.
These early pioneers weren’t just offering desks and daycare. They were reimagining what modern work — and modern parenthood — could look like.
A pandemic turning point
It took years for the concept to gain traction. But then, the pandemic happened. Office buildings were emptied as kitchen tables were turned into workspaces. Parents were suddenly juggling Zoom calls with snack prep and deadlines with diaper changes.
For many, that shift didn’t end when the lockdowns lifted. Remote and hybrid work became permanent fixtures of life and the need for reliable childcare became more crucial than ever.
A new kind of lifeline
For working parents — especially those without traditional 9-to-5 schedules — childcare has always been a puzzle with far too many missing pieces.
The pandemic just made that puzzle painfully obvious. And in that gap, co-working spaces with childcare have found new relevance. These hybrid havens offer more than just desks and daycare. They’re a lifeline. A place where families can work, learn and grow without having to be in two places at once.
RELATED: Working Remote but Need Space? A Complete List of Washtenaw’s Shared Workspaces
Michigan roots
Southeast Michigan was one of the first regions in the state to embrace the movement early on.
Ponyride, a Corktown, Detroit nonprofit began offering on-site childcare in 2017 as part of its Cowork + Coplay program. And Detroit Parent Collective was founded the same year with a mission to blend co-working, cooperative preschool and community-building under one roof. While Ponyride’s childcare services were discontinued in 2021, their impact helped shape the conversation around what working parents truly need.
Moving forward
Today, a handful of spaces in the region are continuing the momentum. As the demand for flexible work environments with integrated childcare grows, new spaces are emerging to meet the needs of working parents.
Still rare — yes — but powerful. Part office, part preschool, part support network, these hybrid havens give parents the freedom to work without worry and kids a place to learn and play nearby.
One thing is clear: for today’s working parents, co-working with childcare might be the key to actually having it all. Even if “all” includes goldfish crackers and sippy cups under your desk.
Spaces in Southeast Michigan
Little Break CoWork & Parents Center
A cozy, creative nook carved out of a game store, this space gives parents a quiet corner to work while their children enjoy a nearby play area under caring, adult supervision.
Detroit Parent Collective
A hybrid co-working and co-operative preschool model where grownups focus, children learn and the whole community grows together under one shared roof.
8418 W McNichols Rd, Detroit
Cokaré
A modern, multifunctional co-working concept designed with caregiving in mind — blending professional space, childcare and wellness support for the full spectrum of parenting.
Coming Soon to East Detroit
