Helping Littles Manage Big Feelings: Why We Love Slumberkins
Kids love stuffed animals. They snuggle with them, pile them on their beds, and play with them. They’re so ubiquitous that you might think Slumberkins are just another stuffed toy at first glance.
But you’d be wrong.
The Slumberkins go beyond a typical stuffed animal. They’re educational tools that help kids with social and emotional learning by combining stuffed animals and books. If you’ve got little ones, you know that learning how to manage big feelings and adjust to life changes can be difficult for them. Having a tool like the Slumberkins stuffed animal and book can help.
Different Slumberkins For Different Feelings
Each Slumberkins stuffed animal helps kids connect to a different social or emotional need. Slumberkins simplifies and explains coping skills in an easily digestible way. Each book begins with a story and ends with an interactive part where the child repeats positive affirmations. For instance, Slumberkins Bigfoot supports children as they learn self-confidence and reminds them that they are kind and strong, and the world is better with them in it. At the end of the story, your child repeats the following after the reader, “I am kind. I am strong. I am brave and unique. The world is a better place because I am here. I like me.”
Slumberkins is truly a brand that empowers parents to be the first teachers of their children’s emotional learning journey. Take a look at a few of our other favorites:
- Slumberkins Otter reminds little ones that no matter how far apart may be from loved ones, they are always connected by the love felt in their hearts.
- Slumberkins Sprite provides comfort to children coping with grief and helps caregivers find a place to start as they help a child navigate loss.
-
There’s even a line of tiny Slumberkins Mini creatures that are perfect for tiny hands. One of our favorites is the Slumberkins Yellow Snail Mini + Lynx Intro Book, which reminds kids that even someone small has plenty of love to give.
Slumberkins Yellow Snail Mini + Lynx Intro Book
How Slumberkins Were Created
Founded by a special education teacher and a family therapist, Slumberkins was created to bring effective early emotional learning tools into as many homes and schools as possible. Born as a living room side-hustle, Slumberkins expanded to craft fairs and Etsy. In 2017, Slumberkins appeared on Shark Tank and introduced their creatures to a global audience. Though the “Sharks” didn’t invest, the Slumberkins creators moved forward, expanded their team, and eventually opened up a headquarters in Vancouver, Washington. Since then, they have expanded their creature collection with interactive storylines and affirmations. They have also brought their work back into schools, with a cohesive curriculum that strengthens the home-school connection and supports all of the adults involved in students’ emotional growth.
What Parents Are Saying About Slumberkins: Reviews
Take a look at what parents are loving about these incredible learning tools.
“I love the concept of Slumberkins. I purchased one over a year ago for my then 3-year-old grandson who was experiencing Big feelings and my daughter loved it. This one is for my other grandson's first birthday later this month. He can grow into it and it'll be around when he might need it.”
“I’m a foster parent and I bought this to help our foster kids transition to a new home. The kids are very little and after reading the book I’m hopeful this will start to help them understand the upcoming transition. Very worth the purchase and I plan to buy this again for future kids that come into our home.”
“I've been a Slumberkin supporter for a while now. We purchased Hartley & Alpaca for my toddler over the past 2 years - the connection was IMMEDIATE. When I say obsessed, you have no idea. Those are the only two animals he sleeps with every single night. I had no idea when I bought it that it would be that big of a deal. It's like hard for us to even wash Hartley because of how attached he is!! When my youngest was starting to go through a tough growth spurt, I knew she needed her own. She's already obsessed. Cuddles & plays. And she likes to suck on the little unicorn horn. I love the books with these. They are favorites in our house & this was no exception. Keep up the great work!!”
“My grand-angel was having her first birthday. Her mom sent me her Wish List for the little one. I gasped at the price but went ahead with it anyhow. So glad I did! All of the features of the snuggly are created with stitching. There are no eyes, nose, etc. that a young one can bite off and choke on. It's also totally FLAT with no stuffing within it, making it safe for very young littles to sleep with. My sweetie fell on the super-soft snuggy (she totally ignored the book, of course) upon opening the package. Nap time was coming up and she held the snuggy close the entire time. There's no doubt this is a pricey thing, but my grand-angel received it well, and she'll appreciate the book later on.”
Our Verdict on Slumberkins
Slumberkins is an amazing social and emotional learning tool, helping kids adjust to life changes, navigate big emotions, and learn how to communicate with others. For parents trying to raise kind, empathetic, strong kids, Slumberkins can help you do it.