The Journal · The Guide

The squishy trends of 2026, explained

Dumplings with secrets, butter you can't eat, and grown-ups who can't stop squeezing. A field guide to the softest craze of the year, for children and the grown-ups who share their shelves.

28 September 2026 · 7 minute read

A flat lay of squishy toys on ivory linen: a pastel dumpling, a stick of butter, an ice cube, gummy bears, a capybara and Marshmallow Cloud in the centre

If it has felt as though every pocket, pencil case and lunchbox now contains something squishy, you are not imagining it. In the United States, sales of squishy toys grew by more than 100 per cent in the first four months of 2026, in both money spent and toys sold, according to the market researcher Circana. Squishies have become one of the fastest-growing kinds of toy there is.

So what is everyone squeezing, and why? We looked at the research, the reports and a great many videos of people squashing things. Here is what we found.

100%+

growth in US squishy toy sales, January to April 2026 (Circana)

40m+

Mystery Squishy Dumplings sold worldwide (RMS, via BSCkids)

35%

of US toy industry growth came from people aged 18 and over (Circana)

No. 01

The mystery dumpling

The squish of the summer. Mystery Squishy Dumplings, made by the toy company RMS, are palm-sized, liquid-filled dumplings sold in blind packaging, so you don't know which one you'll get until you open it. More than 40 million have been sold worldwide.

Part of the thrill is rarity. According to Which?, most are a single solid colour, rainbow and holographic ones are less common, and glitter ones are the rarest of all. Rare dumplings that cost around £6 in the shop have been resold for more than £20.

Why it's funOpening one is a tiny mystery. Is it plain? Rainbow? The very rare glitter? Nobody knows until the wrapper comes off.

Grown-up noteWhich? has warned about copies. The Office for Product Safety and Standards recalled one lookalike, ‘Squeezy Dumplings’, for containing too much benzene, and more than 1,000 were seized in Hull in July. Some copies also contain water beads, which carry a government safety warning. Buy from a shop you trust.

Three squishy dumplings on small plinths: one plain, one rainbow holographic and one glittery — Plain, rainbow, glitter. Rarity turns a squishy into a treasure hunt.

No. 02

The butter stick

Yes, butter. In 2026, squishies shaped like wrapped sticks of butter took over TikTok and YouTube, with videos of them being pressed, tapped and scooped out of ice buckets. In some places they sold out, leaving shelves empty.

Why it's funIt is funny, it looks exactly like something from the fridge, and the slow squeeze is strangely hard to put down.

Grown-up noteButter squishies are toys, not food, and look very convincing. Keep them well away from little ones who might try a bite.

No. 03

Ice cubes and gummy bears

Food, or things that look like food, is the running joke of the year. CNBC named squishy dumplings, ice cubes and gummy bears among the hottest toys of 2026: cheap, colourful and very squishy.

Why it's funA clear, wobbly ice cube that never melts. A gummy bear you can squash as many times as you like.

Grown-up noteLook for a UKCA or CE mark and a UK address on the packaging, as you would for any toy.

No. 04

Capybaras and handmade squishies

The capybara, the calmest animal on the internet, has become a squishy favourite, alongside handmade ‘taba’ squishies, which are often kept in a clear pouch and squeezed right through it. On TikTok, people share unboxings, collections and even how-to videos for making their own.

Why it's funCapybaras look as though nothing in the world could bother them. Squeezing one feels a bit the same.

Grown-up noteHandmade squishies vary a great deal. If you can't tell what it is made of or who made it, it is worth choosing something else.

No. 05

Collecting, swapping and the blind box

Squishies are no longer bought one at a time. The Toy Association reports that more than half of parents bought a blind-box toy in the past year. Children collect, compare, swap and show their shelves off, and a big part of the fun is the set you are building.

Why it's funA collection tells everyone what you love. And swapping with a friend is half the adventure.

Grown-up noteBlind boxes can add up. Some families set a simple rule, such as one new friend a month, so the surprise stays special.

No. 06

Grown-ups are squishing too

It isn't only children. Circana found that people aged 18 and over accounted for 35 per cent of the US toy industry's growth in early 2026, and the Toy Association says adults now make up roughly a quarter of US toy sales. Its ‘Cozy Culture’ trend describes families choosing low-tech and no-tech play to balance out screens.

Strong retail performance and social-driven discovery are transforming sensory toys from a niche segment into a scalable growth category.
Kristen McLean, Circana

Why it's funNobody is too old for something soft to squeeze. Just ask the grown-up with one on their desk.

Grown-up noteA squishy is a nice way to have a screen-free minute together. There are no batteries and nothing to switch on.

Which squish are you?

You love surprises? You are a mystery dumpling.
You love a joke? You are a butter stick.
You are calm when everyone else is busy? You are a capybara.
You like taking your time? You are a slow-rise marshmallow.

Where Squish fits in

We love a trend, but we make Squish to outlast one. Our friends are slow-rise foam, with no liquid inside, no added fragrance and no small parts, each made as a single moulded piece. Every design is independently tested to EN 71 and UKCA marked, and every batch is tested for chemicals, including DMF. You can read more in how to choose a safe squishy toy, and meet Marshmallow Cloud and Sunny.

For grown-ups: a quick trend check