“Strawberry Shortcake” Returns to the Toy Box With New Plush Collection for a New Generation

Everything old can become new again.

As some of the most recognizable children’s brands from decades past continue finding renewed life with today’s families, Strawberry Shortcake is once again returning to the toy box.

WildBrain is teaming up with Kids Preferred for an all-new collection of Strawberry Shortcake plush and infant toys, bringing Strawberry and her Berry Besties to some of the youngest members of a brand-new generation.

Set to launch across the U.S. and Canada in 2027, the collection will feature stylized plush dolls designed around imaginative play and early childhood development. The line will combine the colorful and instantly recognizable world of Strawberry Shortcake with Kids Preferred’s focus on toys built around comfort, sensory exploration and play.

But this is also another piece of a much larger return for the classic character.

Originally introduced in 1979, Strawberry Shortcake has remained one of those rare children’s properties capable of being reinvented for generation after generation. Different eras have brought new designs, animation and products, but the heart of Strawberry and her world of friendship has continued to carry the character forward.

Now, WildBrain has been steadily building the next era.

Alongside new entertainment and consumer products, the company has continued finding ways to introduce Strawberry and her Berry Besties into the everyday lives of today’s children while still embracing the generations who grew up with the character themselves.

The new Kids Preferred partnership takes that strategy all the way back to the beginning.

By bringing Strawberry Shortcake into nurseries and early-years play, the brand has an opportunity to become part of childhood from some of its earliest stages. At the same time, parents who once had Strawberry Shortcake dolls of their own can now introduce the character to their children through a new collection created specifically for them.

It’s a balance we’re continuing to see across the children’s entertainment landscape as classic IP finds new relevance. Nostalgia may help reopen the door, but keeping these characters alive means giving today’s children their own reasons to form connections with them.

For Strawberry Shortcake, that next chapter is looking increasingly familiar—and perhaps that’s exactly the point.

The berries are heading back to the toy box, only this time for an entirely new generation.