Can Squishies Effectively Relieve Gen Alpha’s Stress? Expert Warns Parents

JAKARTA — Squishies are among the toys popular with children. Besides their cute shapes and soft texture, these sensory toys are used by some children to help calm themselves when under pressure.

Dr Yulina Eva Riany, head of IPB University’s Centre for Gender and Child Studies, said repeated sensory activities such as squeezing a squishy can help some children calm down and shift their attention away from stressful situations. However, using a squishy is not the only way to address stress in children.

“Squishies are not a standalone solution for managing stress. Parents need to ensure that the toys children use are safe and help them develop other ways to manage their emotions,” Dr Yulina said in a written statement, quoted on Friday (30 October 2026).

She also highlighted the phenomenon of Generation Alpha children becoming increasingly familiar with the term ‘stress’. Greater familiarity with the term does not necessarily mean that Generation Alpha is more vulnerable to psychological disorders than previous generations, she said.

“Today’s children are growing up in a digital environment with broad access to information, so they are more frequently exposed to psychological terms through social media and their social circles. When a child says, ‘I’m stressed’, a parent’s first response should be to listen and find out what the child is really feeling, rather than immediately judging or giving advice,” Yulina said.

Stress, she said, is a natural response to pressure or particular demands. For children, these pressures can stem from various factors, including academic demands, packed schedules, excessive exposure to digital media, friendship conflicts, bullying and a lack of warm communication within the family.