Picture a living room that is flooded with plastic packaging. A 10 year old frantically rips through plastic packaging, sometimes accompanied by a groan. This is the reality of the Dumpling Squishie, the new viral product that young children beg their parents for. This product floods social media, from TikTok to Youtube to Instagram. However, beneath bright colors and the thrill of unboxing lies a hidden danger that content creators aren’t telling you.

I strongly advise you to stop buying these from online websites or in store. Many hazards come with this little stress toy. They can expose your child or you to a lot of danger.

Viral videos on social media show things like microwaving or freezing the squishie to make them softer. However, microwaving them cause the cheap internal gel to heat up to temperatures that are not safe for children. This could lead to the squishie exploding and causing instant burns.

Most things that frustrate people is buying fake or knockoff squishies. When things become viral, that becomes regular. Usually, knockoff squishies are not safe for children to use. “We immediately noticed that it smelled really bad — like paint or paint thinner,” says Jordan Collinet, a father who was suspicious about the dumpling shaped toy. After testing it, he found that even the actual toy emitted high levels of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). This can cause immediate physical irritation, systemic organ damage, respiratory complications, and an increased risk of cancer.

We should stop buying these toys that could actively harm you. I also think influencers could look more into safety of children. These people advertise this toy as a child-friendly toy and don’t look into the safety of children, as reflected on with the microwave trend. Stop buying these, and keep everybody safe.