Squishies · Trending
Taba Squishy: What Is It, and Can You Make One?
The taba squishy, the slow-rising silicone squishy all over TikTok: what it is, why kids love it, the safety tips, and an easy paper version to make at home.
A “taba squishy” is a silicone squishy, often handmade, that is super soft and slow-rising: you squish it flat, it changes shape completely, then it slowly comes back. Many look like food or animals, and some have a “slime” or gel center. The name spread on TikTok, where slow-motion videos of tabas and squished squishies have been racking up views since 2024.
Why everyone wants one
- The feel: super soft to the touch, with a hypnotic “slow rise.”
- The handmade, small-batch look, which makes each one a little unique, so they’re in demand for trades.
- The videos: squishing, stretching or chilling a taba has become its own genre.
Can you make a taba squishy at home?
Real tabas are cast in two-part liquid silicone: you mix a base and a hardener, pour it into a mold and wait for it to cure. It’s a craft technique for adults: you need gloves and a well-ventilated room, and you have to follow the manufacturer’s instructions. It isn’t an activity to hand over to a kid.
For kids, the risk-free version is the paper squishy: the same fun of making and trading, with paper, tape and stuffing. For a more “gel-like” feel, the balloon squishy comes close.
Buying a taba: smart habits
- Buy from a seller you can identify, who lists a minimum age (and the CE mark, in Europe).
- Be wary of very low prices and copies of well-known designs: counterfeit squishies triggered official warnings in 2026 (see the squishy dumpling page).
- Don’t use a squishy that smells strongly of gasoline or solvent, or that feels sticky or oozes.
“Experiments” you shouldn’t copy
In August 2026, the DGCCRF, France’s consumer protection authority, asked people not to copy the experiments seen on social media with these toys, especially putting them in the microwave, after a child was burned. A heated squishy can be scalding inside while the outside only feels warm. Keep it at room temperature.
Taba, NeeDoh, classic squishy: how to tell them apart
A “classic” squishy is made of lightweight polyurethane foam. NeeDoh are rubber balls filled with gel. A taba is silicone, denser and slower. Each one is described in our guide to popular fidgets.
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