More and more unusual toys are regularly “thrown” onto the market. Bakugans were once in trend, then spinners became fashionable. Now the recognized favorite is the squish. The toy came from the vastness of the Internet. According to information in the public domain, it was developed by a company of enthusiasts with money collected through one well-known site. The first video explaining what a squishie is dates back to 2014. The peak of demand came in 2016. Perhaps it is worth figuring out: squishies, what they are and how they can be used.
Squishy - what kind of toy is this?
These toys are part of a popular trend called fidgeting. This is a process when people of all ages unconsciously fiddle with something in their hands. Most often, this is caused by a desire to calm down, but fidgeting, on the contrary, also allows you to focus on something very important.
The definition says that squishy is a small toy that can be made in the form of a cute figure, such as a Japanese cartoon character, or all sorts of tasty treats. The exact translation from English "squishy" is squishy, viscous.
Another question that may arise is what is the correct spelling: squash or squish? Some manufacturers call these toys squash, although the correct spelling is squish. Squash is an indoor sport.
For reference! How much a single toy will cost depends on many factors. Simple funny milk-colored children's animals will cost parents up to 100 rubles. If you buy a squish from a famous American brand, it can cost a thousand rubles or more.
Description of the toy - what does a squish look like
This is a small toy that is not only for children but also for adults. Inside each one there is a pleasant to the touch material that needs to be crumpled.
The toy has such a feature as restoring its original shape after squeezing. Squish is credited with an anti-stress function. Most likely, this is due to the fact that there are nerve endings on the fingertips.
The toy also has a characteristic pleasant smell. It can be used not only as a sedative, but also as a fragrance, for example, by hanging it in a car.
What types of squishies are there? There is a huge range of such toys on the market. They can be made in the form of:
- cute animals;
- cakes;
- cakes;
- coffee cups.
Most often, these are all sorts of tasty treats. Bright color and unobtrusive aroma are another external feature of this toy.
The game process consists of squeezing. When physically affected, the figure is pressed and the soft structure literally envelops the fingers. The toy is not afraid of even strong crumpling. It will wrinkle and crumple, and then begin to slowly "come to life" and straighten out.
Important! Even strong compression usually does not lead to deformation of the shape. A high-quality squish always takes its original shape.
How are they different from slimes?
Squishes and slimes are anti-stress toys. But still, these are completely different materials. What is an anti-stress squishy? It is an elastic and very soft toy, somewhat reminiscent of a sponge. In most cases, it is made of polyurethane or soft rubber. Less often, silicone or materials containing polyester are used to create it. Unlike slimes, squishies always take their original shape, regardless of the force of impact on them.
Slime is a toy that does not have a permanent shape. If left untouched, it simply spreads over a flat surface. The elastic and stretchy mass in the classic version consists of a material containing a polysaccharide and with the addition of a thickener.
What's inside a squish
Inside each squish, regardless of the price category, there is soft porous foam rubber. It is somewhat reminiscent of polyurethane foam or a fine-grained sponge.
Sometimes manufacturers put some surprise in this toy, for example, a small squish. The filler is essentially no different, regardless of the price of the final product. That is, the squish is filled with rubberized foam, which easily restores its original shape when pressed.
Pros and Cons of Squishes
Experienced squishers, along with a lot of advantages of this toy, note only a few, but very significant disadvantages:
- A squish is a short-lived toy.
- Cracks quickly.
- After a fairly short time, the paint peels off.
- The flavors that manufacturers add are very stable.
If we are talking about hand-made products, the pros and cons of squishies are as follows:
- Pros: cheap source material and the ability to create a custom toy.
- Cons: the elasticity of a homemade squish will differ from the original, and a homemade toy will break faster than a store-bought one.
Despite all the disadvantages, a self-made figurine will not only save money (and this is far from one ruble), but also guarantee a fun time in the evening.
The main purpose of squishies
The toy is designed to be squeezed in the hands of not only children, but also adults. It helps to relax and distract from pressing problems. Squeezing a small figure, which can have a variety of shapes, a person calms down and gets a lot of pleasure from the tactile sensations received.
Also squishies are:
- A toy that helps develop fine motor skills. Very useful for small children.
- A great gift or present for "daily surprises".
- Allows you to increase the level of tactile sensitivity. For example, it is suitable for students who write a lot during the session.
- Squish is a budget toy. It can also be used in role-playing games. For example, when a child cooks in a toy improvised kitchen.
Thanks to its unique and often very unusual execution it can easily lift your spirits.
How to care for toys
It is important not to forget that squishies need to be washed regularly. It is best to use warm water for this purpose. After "water procedures" the toy must be thoroughly dried.
If the dirt is heavy, it is recommended to use liquid soap or regular soapy water. Strong seams allow you to even wash squishies in the washing machine.
Attention! If a low-quality anti-stress toy was purchased, it may tear or become damaged under strong impact.
Interesting facts
Just like slime, squish can be made at home. In the case of slime, this procedure is quite simple. But making squish at home will be more difficult.
It is important to understand that a squish made by yourself will not have the same filling as the original.
To create it you will need to take:
- foam sponge;
- acrylic paints;
- Moment brand glue;
- materials for decoration (this could be air-filled plasticine, multi-colored paper, quick-hardening clay).
First, you need to paint the lips well and dry them thoroughly. After gluing the dry blanks, you can start cutting out the desired shape. The decoration process depends on the planned result.
Some people make squishies from regular paper. There are a huge number of different recipes on the Internet that allow you to make an artistress yourself.
Pediatricians and psychologists recommend this game for children with disabilities. Pleasant tactile sensations and the ability to deliver a pleasure impulse to the brain through sensitive fingertips have a beneficial effect on the child's overall condition. According to psychologists, such monotonous actions are akin to meditation. They allow you not only to calm down, but also to put your thoughts in order.
Using the anti-stress squish will not only help you occupy yourself during the minutes of rest that you have, but will also allow you to literally dissolve in the process of “squeezing”.
