squishy

The toy is also called kawaii squishy, kawaii meaning "cute" in Japanese. • Illustration — Squishy keychains. Originating in Japan, squishies became available in the US in the spring of 2017. In the following years, the toys became popular around the world. Squishies became popular among children, orphans and adolescents, but also among adults, for the tactile pleasure that one experiences squishing them, which is said to relieve stress. In addition to relieving stress, squishies can also enhance focus and help regulate emotions by serving as a pleasant distraction. This makes it useful and popular among those who have anxiety or ADHD.

Squishies are a recent member of a more general class of mindless manipulation toys that includes stress balls and fidget spinners. The genre may be seen as very old, including, for example, the 16th-century cup-and-ball toy (bilboquet). Non-foamed materials can also be referred to as squishies. This might involve highly plasticized rubber or crosslinked polymers that generate squishy materials. The latter might provide a healthier alternative as it contains no small migratable molecules if prepared properly. The squishiness of the material can be controlled by controlling the crosslink density. If there are too few crosslinks, the material might remain squashed. In the 2010s and 2020s, squishy-style toys became widely commercialized. In addition to the classic slow-rising polyurethane foam squishies, manufacturers have produced various tactile sensory toys with similar properties. In 2026, squishies that looked like sticks of butter, or NeeDohs, made an Internet trend on TikTok and YouTube.

The Danish Environmental Protection Agency tested 12 squishies and found that they all release unacceptable levels of harmful substances, such as dimethylformamide, leading to their removal from the Danish market and the recommendation that all squishies be discarded and that they can safely be disposed of as household waste. Squishies have also been taken off the market in Norway because of their potential choking hazard and their popularity with small children between the ages of 6–12.