Totally Booked with Zibby Do Your Kids Like Slime?
Mar 25, 2026
Sara Schiller, experiential entrepreneur who built the Sloomoo Institute to spark sensory play. Melissa De La Cruz, bestselling storyteller and co-writer of the Sloomoo graphic novel. They chat about turning a tactile slime attraction into a graphic novel. They discuss slime types, recipes, sensory installations, STEM-forward characters, original songs, and how play brings joy and resilience to kids and families.
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How Slime Sparked A Creative Collaboration
- Melissa de la Cruz and co-founders turned a childhood obsession into a book project after Melissa's daughter introduced Karen to slime and they attended SLU-MU together.
- The book grew from that friendship and a long development process where founders asked Melissa and Mike to craft an origin story.
Founding SLU-MU From Shared Joy After Trauma
- Sara Schiller describes founding SLU-MU after seeing her disabled and neurotypical daughters play equally with slime brought by Karen.
- Their mutual trauma and that moment of shared joy converted a PowerPoint idea into a funded immersive experience now in seven U.S. locations.
Play As A Purposeful Antidote To Stress
- SLU-MU positions tactile play as an antidote to modern stress by offering immersive, phone-free sensory experiences like walkable slime and make-your-own-slime.
- The experience pairs craft, science, and take-home creations so families leave with both memories and tangible items.
