DIY
Paper squishy
Paper, tape and stuffing: the homemade squishy everyone’s making at school.
Read the guide →Homemade and store-bought squishies
Squishies: make them, choose them, trade them
Squishies squeeze, squish and slowly pop back into shape. You can make them out of almost nothing, and they’re the stars of fidget trades.
There are two kinds: homemade squishies (paper, balloon), free and perfect for “mini fidget trading”, and store-bought squishies (foam, silicone, blind boxes), some of which were flagged in safety warnings and consumer tests in France in 2026. Here are our guides.
DIY
Balloon squishy
A balloon filled with cornstarch: the classic homemade stress ball.
Read the guide →
Trending
Taba squishy
The super-soft, slow-rising silicone squishy taking over TikTok.
Read the guide →
Trending
Squishy dumpling
The mystery-box craze, and the warnings about counterfeits.
Read the guide →
DIY
DIY squishy dumpling
A kawaii paper-and-tape dumpling: zero risk, perfect for trading.
Read the guide →Which squishy should you make?
The three DIY squishies in our guides don’t need the same supplies or the same amount of supervision. Here are four questions to help you choose before you start.
By age
- With younger kids, the paper squishy is the simplest, as long as an adult handles the scissors and keeps the plastic bags used for stuffing away from little ones. Tissues or cotton balls, listed in the tutorial, can replace the plastic: the squishy just bounces back a little less.
- The balloon squishy isn’t for kids under 8 without an adult watching, as balloon packages warn: a piece of a popped balloon can choke a young child. It isn’t suitable for anyone with a latex allergy either.
- The silicone taba squishy isn’t something to make with a child: two-part liquid silicone is for adults only, with gloves and a well-ventilated room.
By the supplies you have
Your pencil case is all you need for the paper squishy: white paper, markers, scissors, wide packing tape or regular tape, and some stuffing. The balloon squishy takes two balloons, 6 to 8 tablespoons of cornstarch or flour, an empty bottle that’s completely dry, a funnel and a permanent marker. The DIY dumpling uses the same supplies as the paper squishy, with white or cream paper.
By the time you have
Plan on 20 to 30 minutes for your first paper squishy. The DIY dumpling follows the same steps, plus the pleats and the face to draw: allow at least as long. The balloon squishy has no drying time and no waiting: it’s ready as soon as the knot is tied and the second balloon is on.
By what you want to do with it
- Trade it: paper squishies and the DIY dumpling are made for mini fidget trading. They cost almost nothing, so nobody loses an expensive item.
- Squeeze it without messy hands: the balloon squishy is sealed inside rubber, so it doesn’t stick to your fingers like slime.
- Have the trendy design: instead of a cheap store-bought squishy dumpling, whose copies triggered official warnings in 2026, make the DIY dumpling out of paper.
Common mistakes
- Stuffing the paper squishy all at once: the stuffing bunches up into a ball. Push it into the corners a little at a time with a pencil.
- Drawing a shape full of points: a simple, rounded shape is much easier to close.
- Using just one balloon: the second one, stretched over the first, makes the ball sturdier and hides the knot.
- Filling the balloon with slime: it can dry out or get moldy inside. Cornstarch is the better choice.
Safety in one sentence
No microwave, no heat, and throw away any squishy that smells like solvent or feels sticky: that’s the August 2026 warning from the DGCCRF, the French consumer safety authority, explained in the parents’ guide.