Squishy toy craze

Middle and high school students cannot get enough of squishy toys like NeeDohs and Rainbow Mystery Dumplings. The toys come in different shapes, colors and sizes and are filled with a stretchy, dough-filled glob. One squeeze explains the craze but finding them on store shelves can be a challenge.

“Every kid has a squishy,” said Kenley Petrelli, a sixth-grade student at Rocky Heights Middle School. The toys have even made their way into classrooms. “Teachers know about them. Some of them are fine with it. Some don’t want us to have them out if they become a distraction,” Kenley added.

At Castle Toys in Castle Rock, owner Cindy Mendus said NeeDohs have quickly become must-have items.

“For us, the craze started several weeks ago,” Cindy said. “We announced on Instagram that we had a shipment of the new 2026 items in and it’s been non-stop since.”

Big box stores like Target and Walmart, and some Hallmark locations, also carry NeeDohs, but inventory varies. Kids look for specific styles they have seen online or that friends have, and parents frequently check on restock days.

Besides NeeDohs, Mystery Dumplings by Crazy Fun, which went viral on TikTok and Instagram, are causing similar chaos. One South Denver metro mom tracked down enough for her daughter Sami’s soccer team’s Valentine’s Day gift exchange. “Sami had been calling stores and couldn’t find them anywhere locally,” Amy Ziereis said. “When I heard the soccer team was exchanging valentines, I thought it would be a fun idea if we could get our hands on Dumplings.”

After striking out locally, Amy called a Five Below store in her hometown in South Dakota. A shipment had arrived, and an employee held enough for the team. Her mother picked them up and mailed them in time. “We were lucky to find them and buy enough for all 17 girls on the team,” said Amy.

Kenley has experienced the hunt, too. At a birthday party, the girls convinced the birthday girl’s mom to take them to Five Below near Park Meadows. The store was out but a shipment was arriving the next day. “All the girls called me from the birthday party and begged me to go Tuesday morning,” said Molly Petrelli, Kenley’s mom. “I was the second in line when the store opened. There was a line probably 20 deep. It was all moms and one grandma.”

Customers were limited to five Dumplings each. Molly bought five and even tried to convince the woman behind her to buy more.

Despite the popularity among teens, Cindy said the toys appeal to all ages. NeeDohs are made by Schylling, which she says has struggled to keep up with demand.

“In our shop we have samples of the products out because you really need to try before you buy,” said Cindy. “It’s one of those sensory experiences a person doesn’t even realize they’re missing until they try it.”

The only real challenge now is getting your hands on a squishy toy before it sells out.