There was a time when the Slumberkins brand simply offered emotional support stuffies coupled with helpful board books (for anxiety attacks, family separation, and everything in between), but it’s a much bigger world now. Most recently, the Slumberkins team announced the upcoming release of an entire album of kids’ songs featuring collaborators that grown-ups love, plus familiar stories and characters their kiddos are already attached to.
For most of us, Slumberkins is synonymous with taking cute-but-useless stuffed animals and turning them into a chance to teach kids valuable lessons in social skills, mental health, and emotional well-being. Each of the Slumberkins creatures comes with its own emotional values. Hammerhead is learning to express his frustration without hurting others. Alpaca is addressing their worries and learning to deal with stress. There are “kins,” the average-sized stuffies, “biggies” (sometimes) that are bigger than the kins, and “snugglers,” where each stuffie is half animal, half blanket.
Slumberkins has become so popular that they even started a parenting group where parents can help each other with Slumberkins questions and general parenting issues (and, of course, show off their massive collection of kins because, for many families, having “just one” isn’t enough).
With such obsessive and caring fans, it’s not surprising the Slumberkins world has expanded beyond those stuffies and books to create an all-encompassing brand offering emotional support and tips across multiple platforms — from a TV show to branded MagnaTiles to subscription kits.
Yes, there’s a Slumberkins album on the way.
“The album is called ‘Together We Shine,’ Vol. 1, because we wanted to make music that WE as parents and adults want to listen to together with our kids, creating those meaningful moments of connection we strive to foster in everything we make here at Slumberkins,” Slumberkins’ co-founders, Callie Christensen and Kelly Oriard, shared in a post on the Sumberkins Social page.
“We have always known the importance and power of music when it comes to expressing and feeling emotions. Music has the power to speak to us on a deeper emotional level than spoken word alone. These songs truly feel like they supercharge the power of affirmations and now can be enjoyed anytime, anywhere, in any moment that music can be played.”
While no full album release date has been announced yet, the very first single is available now and already topping the charts. “Heart Family” is based on Slumberkins’ Otter line, and the song features lyrics from the book Otter’s Heart Family. Oh, and no big deal or anything, but it’s also performed by the Grammy-winning duo A Great Big World.
There’s even a super cute animated video.
The album is expected to drop later this summer, featuring additional Slumberkins-inspired songs from even more artists you probably already know and love, like AHI, Trevor Hall, Britnee Kellogg, Ingrid Michaelson, and Rachel Platten.
Obsessed yet?
There’s also a Slumberkins TV show.
If you’re not properly obsessed with Slumberkins-driven emotional learning, you’ll be thrilled to know there’s an entire season of Slumberkins on Apple TV+, too. The show features puppet versions of some of their most popular kins, including Bigfoot, Yak, Unicorn, and Fox. Slumberkins also came with its own soundtrack, sung chiefly by the Slumberkins voice actors, with a few songs from Ingrid Michaelson. That entire album is on Spotify right now.
Bring the characters into playtime.
Kids often work in one of two ways: Either their toys remind them of a show, or a show introduces them to a toy. The show might be one way to introduce your kiddo to the beloved creatures. From there, there are a bunch of ways to go. You could simply gift a kin and let your child find their own fun. But, if they get fully obsessed, there are even more options.
This summer’s “Space Camp” kit comes with books, a kin costume, mini-creatures, and activity ideas so your kiddo can head to space with their kin and continue their journey toward emotional well-being. Slumberkins also brought back their set of pastel-colored MagnaTiles starring Dragon. (Which may or may not already be stashed away for Christmas.)
Most exciting for many parents, though, are the new “Kinspiration Kits.” Each mail-order kit comes with the following:
- Fold out backdrop
- A new book starring a well-loved kin
- Adorable wooden models of the “star” kin from the book, plus friends
- 12 activity cards
- Various play pieces to help kiddos dive into activities
The kits arrive once a quarter and focus on various types of play. By the end of the year, you’ll have collected wooden figures of Yeti, Hammerhead, Sloth, Unicorn, Dragon, Sloth, Bigfoot, Lynx, Ibex, Yak, Narwhale, and Alpaca. Plus, other play pieces and multiple books and backdrops.
Feeling overwhelmed?
There’s a kin for that! But, also, don’t be. Not everyone goes “all in” with Slumberkins, and that’s OK, too. As with all things kid-related, there are almost no wrong answers and tons of right answers. As long as you’re doing your best to keep your kid healthy and happy, that’s all that matters. If, however, you want to go buck wild and grab up the entire Slumberkins brand? Well, same.
