For a while now, I have been following the Slumberkins team on Instagram. They have a fabulous social media presence, and I often found myself daydreaming of having my own Slumberkins hoping to get one for my sweet daughter. By pure luck, I won a giveaway and was sent our very own Relaxation Bundle!
So, what is a Slumberkin? A Slumberkin is a lovey that addresses a socio-emotional life skill. Each bundle comes with the lovey and coordinating book, covering Relaxation (Slumber Sloth), Self-esteem (Bigfoot), Mindfulness (Yeti), Transitions (Fox), and Conflict/Resolution (Hammerhead). A few of the Slumberkins have the further option of ultraplush or silken fur, and different colors.
I opted for the ultraplush Slumber Sloth in Ashe (grey). I have to admit that I was slightly concerned about how the ultraplush would feel. I do not think that it photographs particularly well, and almost looks like matted animal fur. Yikes! But, since I had won the giveaway, I figured we would give it a go.
The ultraplush is amazing!!!
The Slumber Sloth is one of the most luxurious kid’s item I have ever felt. It is so soft and incredibly fluffy, but not that annoying kind of fluffy that tickles your nose and makes you sneeze. Quite simply, it is the perfect cuddle material! Due to the longer fur, though, the ultraplush is not recommended for teething babies (opt for the Silken instead). Slumber Sloth has a soft embroidered face, and the head is stuffed with hypoallergenic fibrefill. The body of the sloth has no stuffing, so it becomes this great meld between a stuffed animal and a lovie blanket.
Slumber Sloth is a great size, stretching almost the entire length of my hand and forearm from top to bottom. I love the clever design of the body, with long arms that can be tied around items (it comes packaged “hugging” its affirmation card), a thin middle, and a flare out to the “legs”, almost like an hourglass. This shape provides so many easy spots for little hands to grab.
We have not yet had to wash our Slumberkin, but this might be an area that it loses some points with me. This luxury material comes with some luxury washing instructions, unfortunately. It is recommended to hand wash in cold water and lay flat to dry, or if it needs a more thorough cleaning, place it in a lingerie bag and wash on delicate. Make sure to use no fabric softener, as this can result in matted fur. For an item that will be slept with, drooled on, and dragged around, I would much prefer something that was more easy care.
The accompanying board book contains a sweet rhyme about relaxing before sleep. The illustrations are soft and dreamy, and the rhyme has your child follow along with their own actions. I think the book is fantastic, and would be lovely for an older child, but if the intended recipient is under 2, I would forgo the bundle and just get the Slumberkin by itself.
The Relaxation Bundle with the ultraplush Slumber Sloth rings in at $44, which seems like a lot, but after experiencing the Sloth myself, I feel it is totally worth the price! Check out the Slumberkins website to order your own!