NeeDohs are the new viral toy: What to know
NeeDoh sensory toys have taken over social media and online parent groups.
On TikTok, the #needoh hashtag has appeared in over 247,000 posts, and on Instagram, the same hashtag is associated with more than 156,000 Reels.
Here's everything to know about the colorful, eye-catching toys.
What are NeeDohs?
A NeeDoh is a handheld and portable sensory toy that can be stretched and squeezed.
They contain "non-toxic, dough-like compounds," Schylling President Paul Weingard explained to ABC News.
According to Schylling, the toy company behind the NeeDoh product, the sensory toys were first introduced in 2017 with the Groovy Glob and "designed to be as satisfying as they are fun."
There are currently over 50 different NeeDoh toy styles, from the Cool Cats NeeDoh to the NeeDoh Gummy Bear and the NeeDoh Nice Cube.
NeeDohs range in price from about $4.99 for a NeeDoh Color Change Squeeze Heart to $19.99 for a NeeDoh Nice Berg. They are often marketed as a screen-free toy that can help kids, teens, and adults de-stress and focus.
Are NeeDohs popular?
NeeDoh toys have spiked in popularity both in the U.S. and abroad, and Schylling said the sensory toys have "gone fully viral, without relying on a single moment or trend."
Schylling did not reply to an ABC News request asking for specific NeeDoh sales numbers but said the sensory toys have brought in "double-digit growth year over year."
In addition to being popular among children, Schylling said "tweens, teens, young adults, adults, collectors, 'kidults,' and even grandparents" are fans of NeeDohs.
Are there potential dangers with NeeDohs?
The package of a NeeDoh Nice Cube, specifically, warns that the toy has small parts, can be a choking hazard for children under 3, should not be heated, frozen, or microwaved, and "may cause personal injury."
Hospitals have reported burn incidents and injuries after children and other users microwaved NeeDoh toys, after social media videos have shown users briefly heating NeeDohs in microwaves in order to make them more pliable.
Whitney Grubb, an Illinois mom, previously shared with ABC News that her son Caleb, 9, suffered multiple burn injuries on his face and hands after he microwaved a NeeDoh Nice Cube toy, which caused it to explode.
"My main goal with this is just to get the warning out about the product and the [social media] challenge [involving NeeDoh toys] that's going on, and show it to your kids," Grubb told ABC News. "This is what can happen if you try some of these silly things that some children unfortunately have gotten hurt with."
In a statement to ABC News, a Schylling representative said, "Ensuring the safety of our consumers is fundamental for Schylling. We are disappointed to see there has been a trend on social media demonstrating misuse of our NeeDoh products. Misusing a NeeDoh product by microwaving, heating, or freezing is dangerous and could cause injury to the consumer."
They added, "Schylling has partnered with social media companies such as TikTok to remove influential content containing NeeDoh product misuse. Additionally, Schylling has included a safety warning on NeeDoh packaging and our all e-commerce listings to help combat product misuse."
