Christchurch now has its first co-working space designed specifically for parents with childcare on-site. Messy Mates in Hornby lets you focus on work whilst your child plays safely in a supervised environment just steps away.
Something interesting just opened in Hornby. Messy Mates at The Hub has launched a co-working programme where parents can work whilst their kids play in a fully supervised space next door.
It’s the first setup of its kind in Christchurch, and it’s tackling something a lot of local parents have been quietly struggling with: how to get work done when you’ve got a toddler at home.
Read more: Messy Mates is Opening at The Hub Hornby: A New Dedicated Sensory Play Space For Kids
What to Know About This New Co-Working Space for Parents:
How It Works
The concept is straightforward. Your child spends time in the Messy Mates studio doing sensory play and creative activities. You’re in a separate workspace with Wi-Fi and coffee, getting through whatever’s on your list. The two spaces are connected, so you’re nearby if needed, but separate enough that you can actually concentrate.
The workspace itself is parent-only, which means no background noise whilst you’re trying to write an email or join a video call. It’s quiet, there’s decent Wi-Fi, and the coffee’s free. That’s basically the dream for anyone who’s tried working from a café with a three-year-old in tow.
Who This Is For
This seems designed for the growing number of Christchurch parents working from home, running their own businesses, or studying whilst managing childcare. The kind of people who’ve definitely tried to take a Zoom meeting whilst simultaneously preventing their child from eating crayons.
It’s also useful for parents who don’t need full-time daycare but could use a few solid hours of focus time each week. Whether that’s getting invoices done, studying for an exam, or just having uninterrupted time to think, the setup gives you that without being separated from your child.
The Practical Bits
You need to book at least 48 hours ahead, which makes sense given they need to sort staffing numbers. You can cancel or move your booking up to 24 hours before if something comes up.
Bring your child’s drink bottle, snacks, and whatever they need to feel comfortable. Standard early learning health rules apply, so if they’re sick, they need to stay home until they’re better.
What It Costs
There are monthly membership options:
- Mini Mate (1 hour per week) – $27.50 per month
- Midi Mate (4 hours per month) – $109 per month
- Max Mate (8 hours per month) – $119 per month
- Mega Mate (12 hours per month) – $299 per month
Or you can book casual sessions at $31.50 each. If you’ve got two kids, there’s a sibling add-on for $45 plus a $5 joining fee that lasts six months.
Where It Is
The studio’s inside The Hub Hornby Mall, opposite ASB Bank. Easy to find if you’re in Hornby, Hei Hei, Islington, Sockburn, or anywhere around that part of town.
Why We’re Excited
Christchurch doesn’t have much when it comes to flexible childcare options that also give parents proper workspace. Most solutions are either full childcare or nothing at all. This sits somewhere in between, which is where a lot of working parents actually need help.
It’s a practical option for the reality of modern parenting: needing to work, wanting to keep your child close, and desperately needing a few hours where you can focus without feeling guilty about screen time or parking them in front of the telly.
Whether it catches on depends on whether enough Christchurch parents have been looking for exactly this. But for families juggling work and childcare in the western suburbs, it’s worth knowing it exists.
Bookings are open now through Messy Mates website.
