Hopscotch Labs is Boston's first coworking playspace - designed to support working families how and when they need to work. 

This Mission: 

To change the narrative around working parents and provide the space and resources for families to thrive emotionally, mentally, and physically.

The Problem: 

We have a childcare crisis in the US. Nearly 3 million American women have left the labor force since 2020 in order to take over caregiving responsibilities, daycares and schools are closing due to exposure protocols, and on top of this - the childcare staff are underpaid and under-appreciated. 

Many parents don't want to leave the workforce all together, but feel like there is no alternative. 

Additionally, parents feel overwhelmed by "parent-guilt" constantly feeling torn between work and family, leaving them feeling depleted and uninspired. 

Our Solution: 

Hopscotch labs is a boutique coworking experience that combines the amenities of an office with the convenience of an on-site playspace designed for busy families. 

We are more than a workplace - we are a lifestyle - and we believe parents shouldn’t have to choose between their personal and professional goals, and that career and family life can go hand-in-hand. 

Our drop-in, Montessori-inspired playspace is led by engaging caregivers who take an intentional approach to foster natural curiosity through play-based learning and exploration. We help simplify the lives of working parents with an all-in-one space, allowing families to work, grow, and thrive together.

Finally, the future of working parenthood is here.

Not quite sold yet? 

No Commute and Flexible Workspaces 

We offer flexible workspaces on site that eliminate your daily commute. Our flexible workspace provides options for workers whether you are here to focus fully on a project or spend a few hours catching up on your to-do list. 

No More Guilt

Never miss another milestone. First steps, we got you! Still nursing or want to continue connecting with your babe during feeding time?  Sure! Hopscotch truly takes away the parent guilt placed on many working families. Pop-in anytime to check on your little one, share meals and breaks.  

Make You Own Schedule

Don’t pay for days or times you don’t need! We offer multiple drop-in sessions a day and a variety of purchasing options - giving you the flexibility to buy childcare that works for you and your schedule. 

Small-Batch Experience

Our space is small - and on purpose! We want you to feel known and cared for. We also want you and your little ones to be safe and healthy in the age of COVID, and our small class size accounts for both. 

Our Team: 

Deborah Lee

Debbie was born and raised in California and has been in Boston long enough to feel like a Boston native. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Boston University and a Master's in Education - Curriculum and Instruction - from Boston College. She has taught in a variety of educational settings, including Montessori.   

After years of teaching, Debbie began working in Boston's bustling healthcare ecosystem and health-tech innovation. The lessons learned in healthcare innovations have inspired her to discover better childcare options for working families. 

Anna Raborn

Anna is a North Carolina native, mother of three, and a former classical vocalist. She holds a BA from Elon University in North Carolina and half a Master's degree from BU. Anna spent her first years out of school performing opera, oratorio, and music theatre across the US and Europe before settling into Boston's innovation ecosystem. 

Before founding Hopscotch Labs, Anna was the Director of Business Development for Manifest Boston, and HubWeek, Boston’s only large scale civic collaboration focused on celebrating innovation at the intersection of art, science, and technology. 

Debbie and Anna began as neighbors living in a typical Jamaica Plain triple-decker. Although they no longer live together in that home, they've grown as a family - miraculously able to stay friends through babies, puppies, moves, and growing a business. 

So How Are We Going To Use This Money? 

Pay teachers living wages

The average pay for childcare workers in Massachusetts is hovering around minimum wage. You heard us right - the daycare worker caring for your child is often making less than a Starbucks barista (and isn't getting the same benefit package either). 

At Hopscotch we are committed to paying a decent hourly rate. We have a starting wage of at least $18 per hour, and plan to increase that to around $25 per hour as soon as is financially feasible. 

Paying our program associates and educators a decent wage is important for several reasons - first being we want to maintain and cultivate top-rate talent, and second - our educators are taking care of your precious children, a responsibility they do not take lightly - and it's in our character as a company to treat the educators, and everyone who works for us, with kindness, decency, and respect. We will never budge on that. 

With your support - we will have a pot of money in the bank with which to guarantee payroll for our program associates for the first few operating months.

Work with the best up-and-coming vendors

Hopscotch Labs only exists as a business because another woman-owed small business - Commonwealth Circus Center - gave us a chance and gave us space, rent free. To honor that act of good faith, we are committed to working with up and coming vendors as we build out our space. We know what it means to be a scrappy startup, and we think everyone deserves a shot at making their small business their full time work. So far, we've worked with companies like Kerry Looper Interiors (interiors of our West Roxbury space), Marian & Co (shirts and merch), and many others. Your support goes to our continued commitment to find, and pay, these talented women as they journey into entrepreneurship themselves. 

Site #2 and expansion

Considering how trying the childcare ecosystem is in the Boston area, it's probably hard to imagine how bad it is in other regions. Hopscotch Labs is committed to serving as many families as possible in areas of the country that are considered "childcare deserts". We plan to launch a second site in the Boston area in the next three years, as well as plan for spots in other cities on the east coast. 

Your support will help us start to plan for our three year expansion, and the continued growth of the company so we can impact more families, as quickly as possible. 

We are so thankful for everyone we've met along our journey to start this small business, and we hope together we can change the narrative around what it means to be a working parent, and we can see more families thrive - together.