Fidgets toys have exploded in popularity over the last year - as a way to provide stress relief for children, particularly children with ADHD or anxiety. Just think of the fidget spinners that rose to popularity in early 2017, soon followed by the rise of 'pop-it' toys.
Squishies are another fun (and totally adorable) stress relief toy, which children can squeeze, again and again, relieving tension and giving them something to play with. Taking the form of cute animals such as turtles, elephants and dolphins, squishies might look like simple toys from the outside, but don't underestimate them! Their impact on self-regulation and hand-eye coordination is notable and hugely beneficial to young children.
Before moving on to our list of the best squishy toys on the market, we've outlined the benefits of fidget toys in more detail.
What are the benefits of fidget toys?
Fidgets toys are a fab way to relieve children (and adults) of nervous energy and can increase overall concentration and focus. If you find your child is often restless and fidgety, toys such as squishies can be a useful way to keep them busy and calm. Also, using a fidget toy can help replace other more harmful anxiety-related habits such as nail-biting.
Best squishies UK
Description
Your little one will enjoy the calmness and relief that comes hand in hand with squeezing these adorable toys. This set includes a cake, a donut, a unicorn and a narwhal made of durable and long-lasting plastic, meaning they won't fall apart on day one!
Review: "It's great value and good quality too. Quite generous size. Children love them. Great value compared to the squishy from Sainsbury's which are £10 each."
Description
From animals to fruit, bread to ice cream, the variety of squishies in this pack is unmatchable. The squishies are soft, slow-rising for extra satisfaction and even double as backpack charms thanks to the added chain.
Review: "My daughter saw these and wanted them as soon as she saw them. Good selection from animals to food and other cute items. My daughter is happy and they arrived quickly. Great customer service from seller and a happy daughter."
Description
One for the wildlife-loving kiddos, these squishies come in the form of our favourite animals in the kingdom. There's a monkey, giraffe, elephant, puppy, kitty and even a little bunny that your will one will enjoy squeezing all day long. Also great for putting your little one's animal vocabulary to the test! Suitable for children over three years.
Review: "Yes, we're very happy with these. The colours are strong and the squishy feeling is good with a slow-rising rebound. They came individually packed - note the smell when you open them so I would suggest taking them out of the plastic wrapping for airing before giving them to children to play with."
Description
We are obsessed with this assortment of 40 mochi animal squishies. Not only are they super value for money, but they're also made of non-toxic and reusable rubber material. Unlike other squishies on our list, these bounce back to their original shape quickly, providing hours of fun.
Review: "These are brilliant, I got them for my year 1 class in school and they all love them, there are loads of different designs included and all are a cute little size, I’d say on average they are a little bigger than the size of an average ring box."
www.argos.co.uk
Description
Welcome to Squishville! This six-pack comes with the whole gang of Squishmallows, two of which will be a surprise so you'll never know what you'll find. They're plush, made of high-quality material and around two inches in size, so perhaps most suited to younger kids. Also fab for imaginative play.
Review: "My grandson absolutely loves these little fellas. I can’t believe it, all the big expensive birthday presents and he only wants to play with the baby squishmallows, the turtle is his favourite."
Description
The best thing about these squishies is that they're scented, meaning you won't have to deal with the nasty smell of plastic. They come in the form of fries, a burger and popcorn, with great texture and a slow release after being squeezed. Overall great quality and very long-lasting.
Review: "My children love these! They have a great squish to them and then have a slow release as they go back to their normal shape. Which my children said was great and just what they wanted! Lovely size too as my children wanted a larger set of squishy’s to add to their collection. Vibrant colours that appear to be good quality with no sign of wear and tear so far. Really happy with this set!"
Description
Another food squishy - getting hungry yet? Unfortunately, this adorable smiling chocolate chip cookie is not edible but is squeezable, perfect for your restless little one.
Review: "Bought this for my daughter's homemade squishie advent calendar. It was the big one for the last day. She loves it."
Description
Whether your little one is stressed or can't sit still, this adorable set of squishies will help them get through. From heart-eye emojis to croissants, this pack includes all types of squishies you can imagine. They can be attached to backpacks and even keys, meaning you or your bubba can have a squeeze wherever you may be!
Review: "Cheap and cheerful, perfect for party bags, kids all loved them. They didn’t fall apart in 30 seconds and most still going strong after 2 months."