The toys taking over the playground
Squishies, blind boxes, card crazes. What they are, whether the cheap ones are safe, and what they'll cost you.
Squishies
T1
- Hype
- Fake risk
- Damage
- £4–£9 each
Real ones are fine. The fakes smell like a petrol station.
NeeDoh advent calendar
T2
- Hype
- Fake risk
- Damage
- £35
24 teenie squishies for £35. Lookalikes are already on the marketplaces.
Pokémon cards
T3
- Hype
- Fake risk
- Damage
- £5+ a pack
Thirty years old and still selling out. Never pay over £49.99 for an Elite Trainer Box.
KPop Demon Hunters
T4
- Hype
- Scary bits
- Damage
- £35 a doll
Netflix's biggest film ever. Common Sense says 10+. Your 7-year-old will disagree.
Labubu
T5
- Hype
- Fake risk
- Resale
- Down 80%
Gone cold. If your kid still wants one, count the teeth. Real ones have nine.
Slime
T6
- Hype
- Fake risk
- Damage
- £12-ish a pack
Gui Gui is the one they want. Cheap kits are where the boron problems turn up.
Mini Brands
T7
- Hype
- Blind-box pull
- Small parts
- Very
Tiny copies of real shopping. Brilliant for collectors, a choking risk for toddlers.
Match Attax
T8
- Hype
- Swapsies drama
- Damage
- £2 a packet
Twenty years of football cards in the playground. Got, got, need.
Beyblade X
T9
- Hype
- Fake risk
- Damage
- Adds up
Spinning tops are back. Fakes can contain lead, so buy the real thing.
Being tested next: the NeeDoh advent calendar and Pokémon cards.