Squishies & Dumpling Squishy Toys: Why Children Can’t Get Enough of Them

4 min read

Last Modified 20 October 2026 First Added 20 October 2026

Author Hasina

From adorable animals to hilarious food-inspired characters, squishies have become a must-have toy for children who love collecting, squeezing and sensory play.

Powered by the Squishy Dumpling craze, these squishy bao buns took the world by storm and collecting them in different colours and finishes has become an obsession for many who love the hours of hands-on fun they provide. Here we look at these popular toys and why they’ve taken the world by storm.

What are Squishies Actually For?

Designed for sensory play, these squishable toys act as stress relieving fidget toys that are fun to play with and great to collect. Made with soft and stretchy materials, they bounce back into shape when squeezed providing tactile fun again and again.

The fun shapes and characters also help encourage imaginative play as you can create adventures or stories for them to follow. The variations in colour and design, along with the randomised mystery bag element of many of them, means that there is also a collectable element to them, making them great to trade with friends.

Why Are Children Obsessed with Squishies?

There are so many factors contributing to the popularity of squishies that the craze becomes more understandable once you break it down.

  • The Satisfying Squish: The tactile element of these squishies is incredibly satisfying, offering a soothing appeal of smooshing the toys and then slowly watching them return to shape. This also offers up a durability to them that makes them great for children who are likely to drop or knock over items.
  • Collectability: The cutesy characters and varying styles, designs, and colours make them very collectable with so many to get your hands on. The relatively cheap cost makes them a perfect pocket money toys that can then be traded and swapped if you pick up duplicates.
  • Portable Play: Easy to fit in pockets and bags, these toys can be taken anywhere and played with on long journeys making them ideal for car or train rides, and for taking with you on holidays.
  • The Element of Surprise: Many squishies come in mystery boxes or blind bags, adding a randomness to which squishy you will receive. As such, the excitement of unwrapping them and seeing what you’ve picked up all feeds into the thrill of getting one of these toys.
Squishy

Why are Squishy Dumplings So Popular?

You’d be hard pressed to have not heard about Squishy Dumpling’s given how they’ve managed to capture the attention of children and adults alike. Collectors have gone crazy for these colourful characters that come in their own traditional bamboo steamer shaped containers.

A viral sensation, the randomness of what dumpling you will get in each steamer seems to add to their appeal as people search out shiny ones, character and animal themed ones and even special seasonal versions.

What Are the Most Popular Squishies?

The boom in squishies has seen many different types becoming extremely popular.  A few of the most popular names in squishy toys are:

  • Crazy Fun Squishy Dumplings: The original online hit, these squishy dumplings remain extremely sought after, with special editions and rare versions still generating a lot of attention.
  • The Big Squij: Oversized squishies that often have the novelty of being larger than life, these squashable characters come in an awesome array of fun designs.
  • Goo Jit Zu: Stretchable versions of your favourite characters, Goo Jit Zu bring stretching superheroes to life. Often with hard heads and then soft stretchy bodies, the likes of Sonic the Hedgehog, Spider-Man and The Minions have all had their own Goo Jit Zu characters.

For our full range of squeezable, squashable fun, check out our Squishies today.

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About the Author

Hasina

With extensive experience in brand and category management, Hasina has become a trusted voice in helping customers discover products that truly stand out.

As a mother of three, she brings a thoughtful, real‑life perspective that makes choosing the perfect gifts and essentials feel effortless.

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