The Jim Henson Company has entered a development deal to produce a live-action puppet preschool series based on mindfulness educational children’s brand Slumberkins.
Co-founded two years ago in Vancouver, Washington by educator Callie Christensen and family therapist Kelly Oriard, Slumberkins targets Millennial and Gen Z parents and their children with a line of plush and book products that teaches positive, social-emotional life skills.
The brand features a range of creatures including Bigfoot, Sloth, Fox, Yeti, Hammerhead, Narwhal and Unicorn that attaches each character to a specific social-emotional life skill, such as self-esteem, relaxation, transition/coping with change, mindfulness, conflict resolution, growth mindset and authenticity.
With Henson CEO and president Lisa Henson and the company’s head of television Halle Stanford as executive producers, the new series will encourage kids to take action against a number of problems that affect them, including change, self-confidence, bullying and uncertainty in a mixed-up world.
Since its launch and an appearance on ABC reality series Shark Tank in 2017, Slumberkins is tracking to sell more than 250% more product in 2018 versus last year. The line is also expanding to target a zero-to-eight age range. Products are currently available via e-commerce, specialty brick-and-mortar retailers, baby registries such as Babylist, and subscription box partnerships.
Henson’s latest toy/book adaptation follows a pair of new book-based TV projects for the company—Harriet the Spy and The Kissing Hand—as well as a new animated series based on a line of female action figures from IAmElemental.