The Edit — Craft
Are Squishy Toys Safe? What the Tests Found
Denmark tested 12 foam squishies in 2018 and found problem chemicals coming off all of them. What that study measured, what US toy law requires, and why the age on the box is also a testing label.
This guide is research-led: we have not handled these units ourselves. If you buy through our links we may earn a commission — it never changes a pick. How we choose
This page reads Denmark’s 2018 squishy study and the US toy rules, then 3 squishy toys against what owners report about their smell, as How we choose describes. Nothing here was handled, smelled or tested.
Original BigBlok Premium Stress Cube
Good fit Anyone who wants a squeeze with no smell reported
Not for Anyone worried about a leak
Jelly Blox Creative Kit, 20 blocks
Good fit A toddler, once the blocks have aired
Not for Anyone who cannot air them before play
Slimygloop Gelli Gels, Blue Squishmallows
Good fit A Squishmallows fan, for daytime play
Not for Rough play, which can split it
Denmark found solvents coming off all 12 squishies it tested
The Danish Environmental Protection Agency bought 12 foam squishies in 2018 and measured what they gave off into the air. In a scenario where a young child falls asleep hugging one, all 12 released unacceptably high levels of N,N-dimethylformamide, triethylenediamine and cyclohexanone 1 hour after unpacking.
The agency re-measured 4 of them after 3 days. Dimethylformamide and triethylenediamine were still too high. The chemicals did not pass into artificial sweat, so the concern was breathing them in, not touching the toy.
A strong smell on opening is the thing to act on
The Danish test measured the toys straight out of their packaging, which is when the levels were highest. A foam squishy that smells of chemicals or heavy perfume is giving off exactly what the study measured.
Owners report the same thing on ordinary listings. Several owners of Jelly Blox describe a strong chemical smell on opening, while owners of the BigBlok cube from Squeez’M say it has no odd smell at all.
Jelly Blox Creative Kit, 20 blocks
2,467 ratings at 4.7, soft building blocks for toddlers, with several owners reporting a chemical smell on opening.
Current price shown on Amazon. We may earn a commission.
| Type | Soft jelly-textured blocks |
|---|---|
| Sold for | Toddler and preschool |
2,467 ratings at 4.7. Owners love the jelly feel and call the blocks durable and easy to clean. Several report a terrible chemical smell out of the box. Leave them somewhere ventilated for a few days before a toddler gets them.
Buy it if
- A toddler, once the blocks have aired
Don't buy it if
- Anyone who cannot air them before play
US toys for children 12 and under must pass a lab test
Since the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008, the toy safety standard ASTM F963 has been mandatory in the US. A toy designed mainly for children aged 12 or younger must be tested by a CPSC-accepted laboratory, and its maker must issue a Children’s Product Certificate.
That standard includes limits on hazardous substances. It does not mean every squishy has been tested for the solvents Denmark measured, but it does mean a lab has checked it against the toy rules.
Read the age on the box as a testing label
Many squishies and fidget toys on Amazon are sold for adults and teens, or for kids and adults at once. A toy aimed at buyers older than 12 can sit outside the US third-party testing requirement.
For a young child, buy a squishy sold for children, from a brand that names itself. A toy marketed to children carries the testing requirement with it; a toy marketed past them may not.
Slimygloop Gelli Gels, Blue Squishmallows
1,132 ratings at 4.3, a gel squishy where owners split on whether it smells, and on how long it lasts.
Current price shown on Amazon. We may earn a commission.
| Type | Slow-flow glitter gel |
|---|
1,132 ratings at 4.3. It is sold under the Squishmallows character, and it was 1st in Toys & Games Best Sellers on 5 October 2026. Owners love the thick, sparkly texture. Smell splits them, with some noting none, and durability splits them too: some report it breaking after a day.
Buy it if
- A Squishmallows fan, for daytime play
Don't buy it if
- Rough play, which can split it
Silicone and gel toys are the lower-smell choice
The Danish study tested foam squishies, the slow-rise kind shaped like food and animals. Silicone boards and gel-filled toys are made differently and were not part of it.
If smell is the worry, a silicone toy such as a push-and-peel board is the simpler pick. The sensory and fidget toys comparison ranks 9 toys by material, and board game age ratings explains what the other number on a toy box means. For a soft toy with no foam to air out, interactive plush toys compares 6 that sing and move.