I re-discovered squishy toys last month after ignoring them for oh. thirty? thirty years?? I think so, gosh. The ones I had in the nineties, silicone gel in a neoprene-ish fabric-covered ball, were deeeelightful up until they died. Which involved silicone gel leaking out, soaking the fabric, and covering your hands, making them feel both sticky *and* slick for a few days. Terrific squish, not worth the tactile cost. These new ones are FANTASTIC, holy cats! wow! if I can make sure not to get sticky ones. Even when they die, they just drop some sticky gel that washes right off.
It turns out I am not the only family member who thinks they're beyond wonderful. Tristan thinks they hung the white shiny orb thing in the ceiling of the outdoors room during dark time[*]. He wants to squish them gently in hix teeth, stretch them between his mouth and paws, and also bite them hard in his teeth. He's got that soft soft cocker mouth, so he has real difficulty damaging them even when he's using his fangs & paws to stretch them as m7ch as he can. Sooooo I got him a pack of really cheap ones, and I let him play with them for a few minutes a day. It takes him a few days to tear them from their plastic wrap, then another few days to puncture them. For ~50¢ each and his sheer delight during the limited play, an excellent deal.
[*] they hung the moon, if you haven't the spoons for silly tortured phrasing
