Organisation warns families about dangers of squishy and slime toys bought from unknown sources
- Last updated: September 28, 2026 | 17:57
Gulf Today, Staff Reporter
Children watch videos every day featuring popular toys such as squishies and slime. Curiosity may prompt them to ask for these toys or buy them from a shop or online platform without paying attention to where they come from, the age group for which they are intended, or their instructions for use.
With toys of unknown origin increasingly easy to obtain, the Child Safety Organisation, affiliated with the Sharjah Family and Community Council, warns that misuse and poor-quality manufacturing can turn a much-loved toy into a source of danger.
The organisation notes that most parents focus on making their children happy, but checking that a toy is safe and appropriate for the child’s age is equally important.
It stresses that this advisory is not intended to cause alarm about play or deprive children of the toys they enjoy. Rather, it aims to help families distinguish reliable products from others, pay attention to safe use, and monitor what children watch on social media, particularly when a toy becomes the subject of an experiment or challenge for which it was never designed.
The risks begin on screen
The US Consumer Product Safety Commission has warned about videos encouraging children and teenagers to put squishy toys in a microwave to watch them expand or change shape.
Heating the toys can cause them to burst and release hot material that may stick to the skin and cause burns.
They may also become dangerously hot when left inside a hot car, in direct sunlight, or near other heat sources.
This highlights the importance of teaching children that an exciting experiment seen online is not necessarily safe to copy, especially when it involves heat, cutting, puncturing or mixing substances.
What is inside a squishy toy?
Some squishy toys contain gels, liquids, powders, sand or water beads. If the outer casing tears, children can be directly exposed to the contents. Water beads pose a serious risk if swallowed because they can expand inside the body and cause choking or an intestinal blockage, while substances of unknown composition may be hazardous if swallowed, inhaled or touched. The toy should therefore be discarded if it develops cracks, holes or leaks.
Toys from unknown sources
Some counterfeit toys or products that do not meet safety standards lack essential information, such as the recommended age group, manufacturer or importer details, and safety warnings. They may also contain unsafe levels of lead or other chemicals, or break apart easily into small pieces.
Price alone does not determine whether a toy is safe. However, an unusually low price combined with poor packaging or the absence of a manufacturer’s name, warnings or age guidance should prompt closer scrutiny. The organisation urges families to buy toys from trusted sources and read the information on the packaging carefully.
Slime: pay attention to the contents
Slime requires the same level of attention because children touch the material directly and may bring it close to their eyes or mouth during play.
Official safety reports have found that some products that did not meet safety standards contained chemical concentrations above permitted limits. Families should also be cautious about homemade slime recipes shared online.
Children should not be allowed to use cleaning products or household chemicals, or mix unknown substances, and only materials intended for this activity should be used under adult supervision.
Slime’s sticky texture also means it can quickly collect dust, dirt and microbes from surfaces and hands. It is therefore important to avoid using it on unclean surfaces and to wash hands before and after play.
A safe toy starts with the purchase decision
Dr Hanadi Saleh Al Yafei, Director General of the Child Safety Organisation, said: “When a child asks for a toy they have seen with friends or on social media, their attention is naturally focused on the fun and the experience. The family’s role is to check that it is appropriate for the child’s age, identify its source, and read the safety information and product composition. These details can help identify hazards before the toy reaches the child.”
She added: “The digital world has introduced a new dimension that requires families’ attention, because a child may use a toy in the way they saw in a widely shared video rather than in the way it was designed to be used. It is therefore important to explain that some challenges are created solely to attract views, offer no scientific value, and do not take safety standards into account.”
Al Yafei stressed that the safest toy is not necessarily the most expensive or the most popular. What matters is that it is appropriate for the child’s age, comes from a trusted source, carries clear safety information on its packaging, and is used correctly with a level of supervision suited to the child’s age.
A few minutes can make a difference
The Child Safety Organisation urges families to read the recommended age and warnings before buying a toy, verify the manufacturer or supplier details, and inspect it for detachable parts, a strong chemical smell, leaks or damage. It also recommends checking toys regularly, discarding any damaged item, and keeping squishy toys away from microwaves, hot cars, direct sunlight, heaters and other heat sources.
Play remains a space where children explore their curiosity, imagination and senses, acquiring many skills and experiences along the way. With a little attention to a toy’s source, contents and intended use, and by monitoring what children watch online, families can keep that space enjoyable and safe. Child safety begins before play does.