Slumberkins
Slumberkins designs social-emotional learning products — plush creatures, books, and curriculum — for children ages 0-8 and their educators. Founded in 2015 by a teacher and therapist, the company sells DTC online with an educator channel and an Emmy-nominated Apple TV+ series.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersVancouver, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Slumberkins does
Slumberkins is an educational emotional learning company that designs social-emotional learning (SEL) products for children, primarily ages 0–8. Founded in 2015 by Kelly Oriard, a teacher, and Callie Christensen, a therapist, the company combines plush creatures ("Kins"), children's books, and affirmation-based content into a coordinated system intended to teach emotional literacy, regulation, and resilience. The product portfolio spans core plush creatures (Kins, Snugglers, Minis), books, activity kits, therapeutic play kits, and a classroom SEL curriculum. The company has extended into multimedia through an Emmy-nominated animated series on Apple TV+, a mobile affirmations app, music content, and a parenting guide book authored by its founders, "All Feelings Welcome: Parenting Practices."
The business is primarily direct-to-consumer e-commerce through slumberkins.com, powered by Shopify with a Shop-app-integrated loyalty rewards program and a separate educator/curriculum sales channel that includes an educator membership program. Wholesale distribution and partnerships with Ronald McDonald House Charities, Seacrest Studios, and We Are Teachers provide additional reach into institutional and healthcare settings. Marketing is community-led and content-led, with a Facebook community group (SlumberFam), blog and caregiver resources, email newsletter, and PR placements in outlets such as ESPN, Good Housekeeping, Motherly, Romper, Yahoo, The Bump, and Goop. Customer engagement is reinforced through tiered loyalty rewards and a referral program offering $10 incentives per qualified referral.
Slumberkins reports that over 1.5 million books and creatures have been delivered to families and that its curriculum is used by educators in classrooms across all 50 U.S. states, with over 10,000 five-star reviews on platform. The company has raised approximately $21.6M in disclosed funding across rounds from 2018 to 2021, the largest being $18.78M from WomensVCFund in December 2021. Slumberkins Inc. is a privately held corporation governed by Washington State law, headquartered in Vancouver, WA, with 11–50 employees. The leadership team consists of co-founders Kelly Oriard and Callie Christensen (co-CEOs) and CFO Mark Schneider.
Slumberkins firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Slumberkins
- Legal name
- Slumberkins Inc.
- Website
- https://slumberkins.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Slumberkins designs social-emotional learning products — plush creatures, books, and curriculum — for children ages 0-8 and their educators. Founded in 2015 by a teacher and therapist, the company sells DTC online with an educator channel and an Emmy-nominated Apple TV+ series.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Slumberkins industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Children's Educational Products / Social-Emotional Learning (SEL)
- NAICS
- Hobby, Toy, and Game Retailers (459120), Educational Support Services (6117)
- SIC
- Dolls & Stuffed Toys (3942), Games, Toys & Children's Vehicles (No Dolls & Bicycles) (3944)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Student Activity Materials & Manipulatives (Hands-on Learning Kits) (EDACAJAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Family Engagement & Take-Home Learning Materials (Home Packs, Parent Guides) (EDACAJAL), Dolls, Plush & Action Figures Retail (CRALAFAD), Children’s Activity & Practice Books (Workbooks, Puzzles, Handwriting) (EDAGAIAE), Kids Crafts & Educational Craft Kits Retail (CRALACAG)
Keywords
Where Slumberkins is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Vancouver
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Slumberkins business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Product Sales (Kins, Books, Snugglers, Sets): Direct-to-consumer sales of plush creatures, books, activity products, and bundles through slumberkins.com. Products include category lines: Kins (plush creatures), Snugglers (larger plush), Books (including educator big books), Activities & Tools, Sets, and Minis.
- Educator/Classroom Products: Separate product line for educators including social-emotional learning curriculum, educator big books, and therapeutic play kits. Sold through dedicated educator shop section and educator membership program.
- Parent Book: Parenting guide book authored by founders Kelly & Callie titled 'All Feelings Welcome: Parenting Practices' available for purchase as a standalone product.
- App & Digital Content: Interactive app for affirmations on-the-go, plus free resources for parents and educators. The Apple TV+ series is Emmy-nominated.
- Loyalty Program: Points-based rewards program where customers earn points on purchases and can redeem for discounts, free products, or donations to nonprofit partners. Points expire after 12 months of non-usage.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard Product Pricing |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Referral Program |
| Subscription | Annual | Loyalty Program Tiers |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels9 records
Slumberkins product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Slumberkins designs and sells children's social-emotional learning products, primarily plush creatures (Kins), children's books, and SEL curriculum. The portfolio also includes Snugglers, Minis, activity sets, therapeutic play kits, bundled sets, an educator membership, a mobile affirmations app, an Emmy-nominated Apple TV+ animated series, and a parenting guide authored by the founders.
Product overview
Slumberkins is an educational emotional learning company offering a multi-product portfolio centered on social-emotional learning for children. The core offering consists of three interlocking components: Books (teaching emotional lessons), Kins (plush creatures bringing lessons to life), and Affirmations (building inner voice). Supporting products include Snugglers (larger plush companions), Minis (portable companions), Sets (bundled book + kin combinations), Activities (therapeutic play kits and tools), and Curriculum (educator-focused social-emotional learning programs). The company extends its reach through a Parenting Book by founders, an Emmy-nominated Apple TV+ animated series, a mobile App for interactive affirmations, Music content, and free resources for caregivers and educators.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Kins (plush creature companions) Plush creature companions that bring emotional learning lessons to life; each Kin represents a different emotional theme (e.g., emotional regulation, grief, resilience) and is designed for children ages 0–8.
- Books Children's books that teach emotional lessons and are used alongside plush Kin companions to reinforce social-emotional learning at home or in the classroom.
- Social-Emotional Learning Curriculum Social-emotional learning curriculum designed for classroom use, covering topics from emotional regulation to grief support; adopted by educators across all 50 U.S. states.
- Snugglers Larger-sized plush companions offering extra comfort for children during emotional moments.
- Activities and Tools Activity sets and therapeutic play tools that engage children in hands-on emotional learning experiences.
- Sets (bundled plush + book combinations) Bundled product combinations pairing books with plush Kin companions for complete emotional learning experiences.
- Minis (portable plush companions) Smaller-sized plush characters offering portable emotional support companions for children on the go.
- Therapeutic Play Kits Specialized kits designed for therapeutic use with children, addressing specific emotional needs.
- The Colors Within Keychain Set Keychain set featuring story companions that help children celebrate their emotions from the inside out.
- Hammerhead's Big Feelings Adventure Set Toddler-sized plush set including XL Hammerhead and Micro Mini sea creature friends designed to help children explore the feelings beneath their anger.
- All Feelings Welcome: Parenting Practices Book Parenting guide authored by founders Kelly and Callie offering simple practices for supporting children's emotional development.
- Slumberkins Mobile App Mobile application providing interactive affirmations on-the-go for children.
- Slumberkins Apple TV+ Series Emmy-nominated animated series on Apple TV+ that brings Slumberkins characters and emotional lessons to streaming audiences.
- Slumberkins Music Musical content featuring lessons that engage children through audio and song to reinforce emotional learning.
- Educator Membership Membership program providing educators with exclusive access, resources, and benefits for classroom implementation of Slumberkins SEL curriculum.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 1.5 million books and creatures delivered to families
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Slumberkins
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Slumberkins technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
Feature3 records
Slumberkins partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC)coreSlumberkins proudly partners with RMHC to bring effective early emotional learning tools into homes and schools. Products may be available through RMHC locations to support families in need.
- Seacrest StudiosminorPartnership to bring emotional learning content to children through Seacrest Studios, which provides entertainment experiences in hospitals.
- WRTS (We Are Teachers)minorPartnership with We Are Teachers to reach educators and promote social-emotional learning tools in classrooms.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Slumberkins competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Lovevery: Lovevery sells stage-based developmental toys, books, and play kits for children 0–5, with a subscription and educator-aligned positioning. It directly overlaps with Slumberkins' plush + book + SEL curriculum stack for early childhood.
- Big Little Feelings: Big Little Feelings offers SEL-focused digital courses and tools for parents of toddlers and young children. It targets the same social-emotional learning pain points for parents as Slumberkins' parenting book and resources.
- KiwiCo: KiwiCo designs hands-on activity and STEAM kits for kids across multiple ages, sold via subscription and direct e-commerce. It mirrors Slumberkins' activity kits, educator offerings, and DTC subscription-style loyalty programs.
- Tonies: Tonies combines character plush figures with audio content for young children, mirroring Slumberkins' plush-plus-content model. Both monetize IP across physical characters and audio/digital content for ages 0–8.
- Cuddle + Kind: Cuddle + Kind sells hand-knit dolls for children with a purpose-driven, mission-led brand and charitable giving component. It competes in the same purpose-driven plush category that anchors Slumberkins' 'Kins' line.
Broad incumbents
- Melissa & Doug: Melissa & Doug is a long-established maker of plush toys, educational toys, and children's books sold through major retail and DTC. It competes broadly with Slumberkins' plush and book offerings, but lacks an SEL-specific content/curriculum layer.
- Sesame Workshop: Sesame Workshop produces SEL-focused children's media (e.g., Sesame Street) with global distribution and licensed consumer products. It overlaps with Slumberkins' SEL curriculum, TV content, and character-driven plush category at a much larger scale.
- Happiest Baby (Snoo): Happiest Baby sells premium infant sleep and soothing products (notably the Snoo smart bassinet) and parenting content. It targets the same parent demographic for emotional regulation and infant wellness, with broader sleep-focused positioning.
Emerging players
- Yoto: Yoto makes screen-free audio players for kids with a content marketplace, pairing physical hardware with curated children's audio. It shares Slumberkins' physical-plus-content approach for young children and competes for parent share-of-wallet.
- Cubcoats: Cubcoats sells plush animals that transform into children's hoodies, blending plush toys with apparel. It competes in the purpose-driven plush category with similar gifting and seasonal demand patterns as Slumberkins.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Slumberkins social profiles
Digital presenceSlumberkins financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Slumberkins leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Slumberkins funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds5 records
Investors5 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Slumberkins M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Slumberkins
What does Slumberkins do?
Slumberkins designs and sells children's social-emotional learning products, primarily plush creatures (Kins), children's books, and SEL curriculum. The portfolio also includes Snugglers, Minis, activity sets, therapeutic play kits, bundled sets, an educator membership, a mobile affirmations app, an Emmy-nominated Apple TV+ animated series, and a parenting guide authored by the founders.
Is Slumberkins a public or private company?
Slumberkins is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Slumberkins founded?
Slumberkins was founded in 2015. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Slumberkins based?
Slumberkins is headquartered in Vancouver, United States, in the North America region.
How does Slumberkins make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Product Sales (Kins, Books, Snugglers, Sets) is the primary driver. The others are educator/Classroom Products, parent Book, app & Digital Content and loyalty Program.
Who are Slumberkins's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Lovevery, Big Little Feelings, KiwiCo, Tonies and Cuddle + Kind. Broad incumbents are Melissa & Doug, Sesame Workshop and Happiest Baby (Snoo). Emerging players are Yoto and Cubcoats.
Does Slumberkins have an API?
No public API is recorded for Slumberkins.
What industry is Slumberkins in?
Slumberkins's product category is Children's Educational Products / Social-Emotional Learning (SEL). Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDACAJAG, Student Activity Materials & Manipulatives (Hands-on Learning Kits), with a secondary code of EDACAJAL, Family Engagement & Take-Home Learning Materials (Home Packs, Parent Guides). Its NAICS code is 459120 and its SIC code is 3942.