8 of the best squishies toys
Cute foamy toys with faces that you can squish are the latest playground trend in the UK - but what kinds of squishies can you buy? How much do they cost? And where do you get them from?
If you have a child aged 5-12, chances are you’ve stumbled on to the squishy toy craze, taking over YouTube.
The idea is you simply squish them, squeeze them and marvel at how slowly they rise from their compact position, all in the palm of your hand.
The craze started about 2 years ago in Japan, with soft, squishy toy peaches, which are made from memory foam and are kind of similar to stress balls.
From there, the squishies got cuter, they’re sometimes scented, and we promise you, if your child hasn’t talked about squishies yet, they'll be doing so soon.
In fact, they're so popular that many UK retailers sell out of brands like Shopkins and Smooshy Mushy right now - so keep your eyes peeled in the run up to Christmas 2018.
How to speak Squishie...
Believe it or not, you're gonna need a new dictionary if you wanna learn all about the uber-cute world of squishies. So, here's some terminology you need to know before you buy...
- Slow-rising: how slow it takes for your squishy to bounce back to its regular shape
- Defective: as these are mostly foam-based toys, sometimes they have air bubbles or seams which YouTubers call defective
- Kawaii: a Japanese word for 'cute Japanese culture', in this case describing the super cute faces on the squishies
- Puni Maru: one of the original brands of squishies: they’re pricey but special
- Mochi-animal: a silicone based squishy, usually really small in size
Here are 7 of the best squishies you can buy in the UK in 2018...
1. Smooshy Mushy Frozen Delights, £9.99
Age: 6+
What it is: Open the cute bottle and find inside (blind-bagged obviously, as it adds to the thrill!) a Smooshy Mushy scented squishie toy, plus a miniature bottle and another tiny squishy too!
Why we love it: Definitely winning on the cute factor, and with only 8 in this range to collect, as opposed to hundreds, you can collect them all without breaking the bank. It’s a cute factor overload.
There’s also spin off ranges like the Frozen Delight specials too, though you’ve got to be quick as they’re selling out as soon as they hit the shelves. New characters are coming this March and June.
Available at: Argos
2. Scented Kawaii Tooth Squishy, £5
Age: No recommended age given, but we’d suggest 5+
What it is: Seriously, the most adorable little scented squishy tooth with an adorable kawaii face.
Why we love it: All the squishies on Cutesy Kink this site are imported from Japan, so you’re getting a better quality slow-rise (the toy springing back into shape). A definite plus - as little ones find it fascinating! Plus, this little tooth smells sweet, and it is genuinely very tactile to the touch.
Available at: Amazon.co.uk
3. Cake Pop Cuties Surprise Multi Pack, £9.99
Age: 5+
What it is: Multiple small character squishies, plus a surprise one to unwrap which comes in a cake pop style holder.
Why we love it: Great for younger kids, these mini foam squishies fit in small hands, and there’s enough in one box to feel like you’re getting more for your money. Keep in mind that aren’t the squishiest of squishies - they're more foamy than anything else.
Available at: Argos
4. Slither.IO Mini Squishies, £3.99
Age: 3+
What it is: A collectible little rubber worm squishy, based on the hugely popular app, Slither.IO
Why we love it: This is a very different type of squishy, not made from foam, but rubber, and they bounce! Squeeze them hard, and they get a bubble of goop pop out of them. Plus, they’re massively on trend as they come blind-bagged, so each one is a surprise!
Available at: Smyths Toys
5. Squishy 15-Pack Mini Keychains, £9.99
Age: 3+ (though we’d be cautious of the little key chains with pre-schoolers)
What it is: A giant multi pack of keychain-style squishies.
Why we love it: Feels like you’re getting a lot for your money. One of our staffers actually bought these as a party bag gift and they went down a storm with the 7-year-olds at the party.
A word to the wise, you get a random bag of squishies, not all the ones you see in the picture and although not the best quality, they’re still fun and affordable.
Available at: Amazon
6. Jumbo Panda Bun, From £1
Age: No recommended age given, but we’d suggest 5+
What it is: Squishy experts recommend this super slow-rise, hand sized, marshmallowy Panda bun as your first squishy.
Why we love it: It’s got an incredibly cute kawaii face, on an incredibly squishy bun. It’s super cheap - you often just pay postage for squishies from this site, but they are being shipped from China, so do expect it to take anything up to a month to arrive. Don’t expect the best quality, but do expect affordability!
And if you’re pondering whether or not to order from this site, one of our MFM writers has done so multiple times, and knows they have a very easy refund policy.
Available at: Wish
7. Shopkins Squish-Dee-Lish Blind Bag, £9.99
Age: 6+
What is it: Blind-bag collectable Shopkins character squishies. 2 toys per pack - and you don't know which 2 you'll get.
Why we love it: It's blind bag! And it's Shopkins! The Shopkins craze is showing no sign of slowing down, and this is officially a new wave…
These food-based squishies are just as you’d expect: the cutest Shopkins faces, but on palm-sized squishies. Some seem to be more squishy than others and a note for your purse: there’s a whopping 40 of them to collect, and that’s just series 1!
Available at: Argos
8. Soft 'N' Slo Squishies Animal Pals Ultra, £9.99
Age: 8+
What it is: One of 12 super-sized (27.5cm high) squishies, with cute kawaii animal faces. Available as a colourful penguin, cat, pug, seal or cute lil bunny, among others.
Why we love it: Small squishies are a dime a dozen, but these bigger squishies really do have the wow factor.
Parents have called it well-made, better quality than other, non-branded squishies and said it keeps their kids entertained for hours.
Available from: Argos
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