Back in 2017, Amazon’s top-10 best-selling toys were all spinners. Nearly a decade later, sensory toys haven’t gone away—but the most popular are . . . mushy!
The latest obsession is NeeDoh, a goo-filled blob that returns to its original shape after you smoosh it. “It’s so satisfying when it slowly goes back to its shape,” says Julia Klein, 10, from New York City. “Squeezing it helps me stay calm.”
Science backs this up: A 2021 study found kids felt calmer, with lowered heart rates, when using soothing toys at a dental visit. A 2025 study found that squeezing a ball relieved stress during a medical procedure. “Kids are always growing, and they have a lot of energy to get rid of,” says Dr. Julie Luttinger, a pediatrician in New York City. Squishy toys “allow them to calm themselves and not disrupt other kids.”
But it’s not a new fad. Touch tools have soothed people throughout history. People from ancient cultures rubbed “worry stones”—smoothed rocks—in their hands. The ancient Chinese were the first to manufacture similar devices called Baoding balls. Today the global market for touch toys is $2 billion!