Here’s Why Squishy Toys Can Be Good for Small Kids

For kids, play isn't just about having fun—it's one of the ways they learn about themselves and the world around them. From creating masterpieces with Legos to putting puzzle pieces together, simple play activities give children opportunities to move, explore, experiment, and express themselves.

Simple yet viral and trendy these days are squishy toys—these soft, spongy, elastic toys can offer more than a moment of sensory fun. When children squeeze, press, stretch, or manipulate these toys, they engage the small muscles in their hands and fingers.

What might be such a simple act of squeeze-and-release motion quietly helps support children’s fine motor skills, which are integral in holding a pencil, using scissors, buttoning clothes, and eventually writing.

A classroom action research study examined the use of squishy toys to develop fine motor skills in young children, with results showing gradual improvement across two cycles, indicating that squishy toy play can support fine motor skill development in early childhood.

The soft, spongy, and elastic nature of a squishy toy can help improve fine motor skills, which involve the use of small muscles of children’s fingers as well as hand-eye coordination. The act itself of squeezing squishy toys can help strengthen and improve a child’s finger and hand movements.

Even visually impaired students had a positive impact on improving fine motor skills through the use of squishy toys, according to this study.

An Indonesian research involving 80 children aged 3–6 years admitted to Rizani Paiton Probolinggo Hospital found that squishy toy play therapy, administered twice daily for three consecutive days, reduced the average anxiety score from 2.54 before therapy to 1.56 afterward, with the Wilcoxon test showing a statistically significant effect. This test checks whether two paired data sets differ by testing the same group twice.

The findings suggest that squishy toy play therapy is a simple, accessible, and time-efficient intervention for hospitalized preschoolers providing both distraction and relaxation.

Findings from Kemampuan Komunikasi Anak Autisme Setelah Pemberian Mainan Squisy (Communication Skills of Children with Autism After Playing with Squishy Toys) showed a significant relationship between communication development before and after the children received the squishy toy intervention.

Children with autism typically have sensory processing differences: they may be over‑responsive (easily overwhelmed by noise, touch, light) or under‑responsive (seeking strong input, not noticing touch/pain). Sensory play can provide structured, predictable input and support self-regulation. Sensory play can also significantly improve fine motor skills, while sensory-rich manipulation activities such as squeezing, molding, and grasping varied textures can be therapeutic. In terms of communication, sensory play can open opportunities for social interaction during shared play.

During the first six years of life, a child’s brain develops rapidly, creating new neural connections through sensory experiences, movement, emotions, and exploration. Research suggests that activities involving different textures, shapes, sounds, scents, and movement can stimulate the sensory cortex while also engaging brain regions associated with executive function, problem-solving, and creativity.

A squishy toy is a form of sensory play because it gives children a hands-on tactile experience through its soft, flexible, and squeezable texture.

If used thoughtfully—and with attention to safety and age appropriateness—squishy toys can be a simple, low‑cost addition to a child’s play and learning environment.

As with any other toys, let us be wary of counterfeit or fake squishy toys. Fake ones usually lack standard safety testing and may contain high levels of toxic chemicals or unknown substances that can be harmful to children if these substances were inhaled or ingested.

In addition, there is a viral social media trend in which children (and teens) microwave or heat up gel-filled squishy toys to make them softer. US health experts warn that this can cause the toys to explode, spraying scalding-hot gel that sticks like glue and causes severe burns.

This article covers how parents can nurture baby's motor skills as early as infancy.