Clever Activity Teaches Kids about Refraction

There is something ridiculously satisfying about squeezing a squishy toy. I’m not entirely sure whether it is the soft texture, the slow return to shape, or simply having something in your hand while you are thinking, but these little sensory toys have a way of ending up on desks, beside beds and tucked into handbags.

Squishy balls and homemade stress toys are also surprisingly easy to make. Some use balloons filled with flour, birdseed, slime or water beads, while others are shaped from memory foam and painted to look like tiny doughnuts, slices of watermelon or pieces of pizza. You can even make paper squishies with little more than printable templates, tape and stuffing.

These DIY squishy toy ideas are lovely for older children and teenagers, but they are certainly not just children’s crafts. A homemade stress ball can be handy during long phone calls, study sessions, stressful afternoons or those moments when you need to keep your hands busy without reaching for another biscuit. Not that there is anything wrong with the biscuit, obviously.

For younger children, always supervise these projects carefully. Balloons, water beads, slime and small fillings can become choking hazards if the outer covering breaks, so check homemade sensory toys regularly and discard them as soon as they show signs of damage.

Easy DIY Squishy Stress Balls From CraftBits

Birdseed Squishy Stress Balls

This classic CraftBits stress-ball project uses birdseed and several layers of balloons to create a wonderfully textured squeeze ball. The clever outer balloon layer is snipped with small holes so the colour beneath peeks through, giving the finished ball a cheerful patterned appearance. You can even add elastic and turn it into a squishy yo-yo-style toy.

DIY Water Bead Stress Balls

These colourful water bead stress balls are beautifully tactile and especially appealing when made with a clear or pale balloon. The tutorial uses a disposable bottle to transfer the hydrated beads into the balloon, which is far less fiddly than trying to spoon them in one slippery bead at a time. These need particularly careful supervision because loose water beads must never be swallowed.

Balloon Critter Fidget Stress Balls

This is the sort of craft that quickly develops personalities. Flour-filled balloons are shaped into funny little faces and finished with wool, pipe-cleaner hair, googly eyes or drawn-on expressions. They make sweet handmade gifts, classroom activities or amusing desk companions for adults who could use something squishy during a difficult email.

Homemade Memory Foam Squishy Toys

DIY Pizza Squishy Toy

A small piece of memory foam becomes a soft pizza slice in this wonderfully approachable project. The foam is trimmed into shape and decorated with watered-down acrylic paint, including a crust, cheese and colourful toppings. Once it has dried overnight, it is ready for plenty of squishing.

DIY Watermelon Squishy Toy

This watermelon squishy is made from solid memory foam cut into a curved slice and painted with fabric paint. It is a particularly good first foam project because the shape is simple, forgiving and still looks charming when the curve is slightly wonky. The same method can be adapted to make fruit, animals, cakes or whatever else your crafty imagination dreams up.

DIY Squishy Doughnut

A doughnut is practically begging to become a squishy toy, isn’t it? This version uses memory foam, acrylic paint and puffy paint to create a raised icing effect with colourful sprinkles. It requires a little drying time between layers, but the finished doughnut looks delightfully cheerful and much more complicated than it really is.

Memory Foam Squishy Shapes

This tutorial explains how to carve and decorate several different squishy shapes from a memory foam cushion. One cushion can produce quite a collection, making it a useful project for a school holiday craft session or a group of teenagers. Begin with chunky shapes rather than tiny details, as rounded edges are easier to cut and tend to survive repeated squeezing better.

Paper Squishy Toys With Printable Templates

Printable Paper Squishies

Paper squishies are a clever option when you do not have balloons or memory foam on hand. These free printable designs are coloured, covered with tape, cut out and lightly stuffed to create cute squeezable toys. They are not quite as indestructible as foam squishies, but they are inexpensive enough to make an entire little collection.

Paper Squishies With A Free Printable

This paper squishy tutorial gives you a printable design and walks through the process of sealing and stuffing it. It is an easy project for children who enjoy drawing faces, inventing characters and decorating everything within reach. Clear tape helps protect the paper surface and gives the finished toy a smooth, slightly glossy feel.

Strawberry Paper Squishy

This strawberry paper squishy comes with printable templates, making it an easy choice for crafters who would rather not draw their design from scratch. The plump strawberry shape is wonderfully cute and can be embellished with rosy cheeks, tiny seeds and a smiling face. It would also make a sweet little party activity or handmade addition to a child’s calm-down box.

Slime-Filled Squishy Stress Balls

DIY Slime Stress Ball

This project turns ordinary homemade slime into a squeezable balloon stress toy. Feeding the slime into the balloon can be gloriously messy, so this is definitely one for a covered table rather than the good carpet. Use a sturdy balloon, remove as much trapped air as possible and inspect it frequently for weak spots.

Ninja Flour Stress Balls

These colourful ninja stress balls begin with flour-filled balloons and are covered with contrasting balloon layers to create masked faces. They are simple, inexpensive and particularly good for parties or group craft sessions because each child can choose different colour combinations and expressions. Making the outer layer also helps strengthen the finished squishy ball.

Tips For Making Homemade Squishy Toys Last Longer

Homemade balloon stress balls are always more durable when you use good-quality balloons and add a second protective balloon layer. Cheap, thin balloons may split quickly, particularly when filled with coarse materials such as rice, birdseed or beads.

Do not overfill the balloon. A little empty space allows the filling to move around and gives you that satisfying squishy texture. Overfilled balloons are firmer, harder to tie and more likely to burst when squeezed.

When making memory foam squishies, remove small pieces gradually rather than attempting to cut the final shape in one go. Rounded corners and soft curves are easier to paint and less likely to tear than thin ears, pointed limbs or delicate decorations.

Paper squishies should be lightly stuffed rather than packed firmly. Too much filling places pressure on the taped edges and makes them difficult to squeeze. Scraps of soft toy stuffing, tissue or lightweight plastic bags can all work, depending on the tutorial.

Most importantly, remember that homemade squishy balls are consumable craft projects rather than permanent toys. If a balloon becomes stretched, sticky, cracked or thin, it is time to replace it. Thankfully, making the next one is half the fun.