Slumberkins Plush Toy Update | Shark Tank Season 9

Most off-the-shelf baby toys lack educational value and a focus on bedtime routines. Kelly Oriard and Callie Christensen, seeking solutions for their own children, created Slumberkins—cuddly toys that actively teach positive life skills through bedtime interaction. Did the sharks find this business worth investing in? Read on to find out more in this Slumberkins update and pitch recap.

If you’re short on time, here’s a quick overview of what happened to Slumberkins after Shark Tank.

Kelly Oriard and Callie Christensen entered Shark Tank Season 9 to pitch Slumberkins, seeking $175,000 for 5% equity. After their pitch, none of the sharks were convinced about the scalability of their invention, so they left the tank without a deal.

In terms of a Slumberkins update, despite their setback, the company is still in business and thriving. They brokered a major deal with The Jim Henson Company and launched several initiatives to promote their product, now generating $3 million in annual revenue.

Shark	Result
Daymond John	No offer
Kevin O’Leary	No offer
Lori Greiner	No offer
Mark Cuban	No offer
Robert Herjavec	No offer

Shark Tank Slumberkins Pitch

• Entrepreneur: Kelly Oriard and Callie Christensen
• Business: Plush lovies with educational books
• Ask: $175,000 for 5% equity
• Result: No Deal
• Shark: None

Kelly and Callie, both educators and moms, saw a need for bedtime companions that help kids develop emotionally and socially. 

To fill this gap, they created Slumberkins—soft, cuddly creatures that come with rhyming books to teach important life skills like self-esteem and mindfulness.

Each Slumberkins set includes a plush animal, a bedtime rhyming book, and an encouraging letter. These sets are more than just toys; they help children grow emotionally and socially. 

The plush animals come in different characters, each focusing on a skill like self-esteem, mindfulness, or dealing with changes.

The rhyming books use stories and gentle language to make these concepts fun and relatable for kids. 

Besides teaching emotional skills, Slumberkins offers comfort and security with its soft materials and cuddly design, making bedtime easier.

Kelly and Callie highlight how their product promotes positive parent-child interaction during bedtime routines. 

Slumberkins also helps children cope with anxiety, transitions, and conflict resolution.

Suitable for newborns, infants, toddlers, and kids of all ages, Slumberkins provides a comforting approach to emotional well-being.

Each unit costs $15 to make, and they sell for $44 to $52 each, including the book.

Their major promotion channel is Instagram. In 2016, they made $200,000 in sales, and they expect to reach $500,000 in 2018.

They need the money to purchase inventory to meet current demand. Recently, they found a new manufacturer who will reduce costs to $6 per unit.

Daymond John was the first shark to drop out, citing past bad experiences with plush toys.

Kevin O’Leary considered the valuation too high and also exited.

Follwing Kevin, Mark Cuban shared similar concerns and dropped out.

Lori Greiner didn’t feel the product was unique enough, so she exited as well.

Robert Herjavec believed scaling the business wasn’t a good idea and felt they would make more money with their current model.

He also dropped out, leaving Slumberkins without an offer.

What happened to Kelly and Callie after they failed to secure a deal? Find out in our Slumberkins update.

Shark Tank Slumberkins Update

Despite missing out on a deal on Shark Tank, Slumberkins has continued to grow. Since the show, the company’s annual sales have grown to over $3 million.

In 2018, our Slumberkins update found that the company partnered with The Jim Henson Company to create a live-action series.

The show debuted in 2021, bringing bedtime comfort and joy to many households.

In 2019, Slumberkins secured $2.8 million in venture capital funding.

The company’s success was further recognized in 2020 when it ranked 270 on the Inc. 5000 list, showing an impressive 1,657% revenue growth over three years.

During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the founders launched the Slumberkins online school. This virtual resource was designed for children in remote learning. 

It offers story time videos narrated by the Slumberkins books, along with activities and coloring sheets to keep children engaged.

Despite not getting a deal on Shark Tank, we’re calling this Slumberkins update a success.  

Before you go, you can find the other company updates from Season 9 Episode 11 here:

• ProntoBev Update
• Cut Buddy Update
• Reely Hooked Fish Co. Update

For more updates, check our Shark Tank Season 9 page!