Is it safe to let kids play with silicone-filled squishy toys?

What's actually in it

Squishy toys and stress balls range from genuine platinum-cured silicone (food-grade, inert) to unknown polyurethane gels, slime-like polymers, or PVC with mystery fillers. The packaging rarely tells you which is which. Cheap checkout-aisle squishies sold at dollar stores are more often the second type. They emit a distinctive chemical smell right out of the package.

Kids squeeze these for hours, sometimes chew them, and leave them in warm bedrooms.

What the research says

A 2026 study in Ecotoxicol Environ Saf quantified hazardous VOC emissions from tactile toys. Cheap squishy toys emitted significantly higher VOCs than marked silicone products. Certain foam and gel products had emissions that exceeded safety benchmarks for small rooms. The worst offenders were the cheapest and most strongly scented.

For real silicone, look for "food-grade" or "platinum-cured" on the label, plus a reputable brand (Olababy, Kinto, Comotomo). Food-grade silicone passes the FDA 21 CFR 177.2600 standard. Cheap "TPR" squishies from dollar stores or grocery store checkouts are worth skipping for young kids, especially toddlers who chew. For teens and adults, air out new squishy toys for a week before use, and toss them if the smell never fades.