Let's make it
Instructions.
- 1
Blow up the first balloon slightly to stretch it, then let the air back out. Have an adult carefully cut off the narrow top portion of the balloon to create a wider opening.
- 2
Push play dough into the balloon until you have enough to create a comfortably sized squishy. Work the play dough down into the balloon and shape it with your hands.
- 3
Blow up a second balloon to stretch it, let the air out, and carefully cut off its tip. Stretch the second balloon around the play-dough-filled balloon to give your squishy an extra layer before it goes into the sock.
- 4
Slide the balloon squishy into a clean old sock. Gather the excess sock material at the top and secure it with a small rubber band.
- 5
With adult help, cut the extra sock material above the rubber band into strips to create silly hair. Try short hair, long strips, tiny spikes, or whatever your child comes up with.
- 6
Use markers to draw a face directly onto the sock. Happy, surprised, sleepy, silly: every squishy can have its own personality. Then it's time to squish!
Safety tip
- This activity requires adult preparation and close supervision.
- Adults should handle cutting the balloons and sock. Balloons, broken balloon pieces, and small rubber bands can pose a choking hazard, particularly for young children.
- Always inspect the squishy before play. If the balloon becomes damaged, torn, or begins to leak, stop using it and discard the damaged materials.
- Keep the activity away from children who may place the squishy, balloon pieces, rubber bands, or other materials in their mouths.
Why We Love This Activity
Besides being a fun way to reuse old socks, these homemade squishies offer lots of opportunities for hands-on play.
Squeezing and manipulating the squishy engages the hands and fingers, while stuffing, decorating, and drawing provide opportunities to practice fine motor skills and creativity.
Kids also get to make decisions about their character's face, hairstyle, and personality, so no two squishies have to look the same.
And sometimes the best activities are simply the ones kids want to keep playing with after the crafting is finished.
Try Making a Whole Squishy Family
Once your child understands how they're made, try creating a collection.
Make different faces, use colorful socks, experiment with hairstyles, or give each squishy a name and personality.
You could even turn them into characters for pretend play or storytelling.
Field Notes
- Adding the hair was our favorite part!
