The Squishy Craze Taking Over the UK

If it feels like squishies are suddenly everywhere, you’re not imagining it.

From dumplings and butter blocks to cute animals, food shapes and colourful fidget toys, squishies have become one of the biggest toy trends in the UK in 2026. The British Toy & Hobby Association’s Toy Fair highlighted squishies, pocket-sized collectibles and sensory toys as major themes this year, with children enjoying them for collecting, swapping, displaying and, of course, squeezing.
Why Are Squishies So Popular?

A big part of the appeal is simple: they’re fun to touch.

Squishies are soft, tactile and satisfying to squeeze, which makes them easy to pick up and play with again and again. Some slowly return to their original shape, while others have different textures, firmness levels or funny designs.

They’re also brilliantly simple. There are no complicated rules, no screens and no batteries needed for most designs — just pick one up and squish.
Social Media Has Made Them Even Bigger

Like many toy crazes, social media has helped squishies explode in popularity.

TikTok, YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels are full of squeezing videos, collections, unboxings and people showing off their latest finds. Squishy dumplings in particular have become one of 2026’s biggest children’s toy trends, helped by surprise packaging, collectability and thousands of unboxing videos online.

And once one person in the playground has something new, it usually doesn’t take long before everyone wants to see it.
Collecting Is Half the Fun

Today’s squishies come in so many shapes, colours and styles that collecting them has become a big part of the craze.

You might start with a cute animal, then spot a giant piece of cheese, a chocolate bar, a banana or a colourful block of butter.

Before you know it, one squishy has become five.

The collectible side of squishies fits perfectly with another big 2026 toy trend: small toys that children can collect, swap, display and take with them.
The Weirder, the Better

One of our favourite things about the current squishy craze is that the designs don’t have to make much sense.

Why would anyone need a giant squishy block of butter?

No idea.

Why is a squishy capybara with a bubble coming out of its mouth so funny?

It just is.

That mixture of cute, colourful and completely ridiculous is a big part of what makes squishies so much fun.
A Quick Word About Squishy Safety

As squishies have become more popular, there have unfortunately also been warnings about poor-quality and counterfeit products entering the UK market. Trading Standards has removed non-compliant squishies from sale, while Which? has warned parents to take care when buying imitation versions of some viral toys.

There have also been serious warnings about a dangerous social-media trend involving children heating gel-filled squishies in microwaves. Squishies should always be used as intended and never heated or microwaved.

For parents and carers, it’s worth buying from a seller that provides clear product information, appropriate safety markings and age guidance.
What’s Next for the Squishy Craze?

That’s difficult to predict — and that’s part of the fun.

Toy trends move quickly, but sensory toys, fidget products and collectibles continue to be a major part of the UK toy market in 2026.

At Squisheroo, we’re keeping an eye out for the funniest, cutest and most satisfying designs we can find.

So whether your favourite is a dumpling, a capybara, a giant chocolate bar or something even stranger, one thing is certain:

the UK has well and truly caught the squishy bug.