WASHINGTON, D.C. — Consumer Reports (CR) today called on the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to investigate the NeeDoh Nice Cube, a popular sensory squeeze toy manufactured by Schylling, as well as similar products, after multiple reports of children suffering chemical burns caused by gel leaking from the product. Concerns about the toy are heightened by a dangerous viral TikTok challenge in which children freeze and then microwave the gel-filled squeeze toys to make them more malleable. In one case, a seven-year-old girl who attempted the challenge suffered severe burns and was placed in a medically induced coma.
CR identified two consumer complaints on SaferProducts.gov in which children reportedly sustained chemical burns when the product ruptured and released a gel that came into contact with their arms and legs. According to the report, one child received medical treatment at an emergency department for the burns. CR also found dozens of online reviews describing the product breaking easily, raising concerns about the potential scale of the product hazard.
“Parents rely on the toy industry and regulators to make sure kids’ toys are safe. These injuries never should have happened, and without urgent action by Schylling and the CPSC, more children could be at risk,” said Gabe Knight, senior safety policy analyst for Consumer Reports. “These gel squeeze toys are really popular. The reports of children suffering chemical burns underscore the urgent need for the CPSC to investigate these toys generally, and ensure that manufacturers are not selling products that contain hazardous chemicals. Companies should also take reports like these more seriously, and immediately recall any products that aren’t safe for children to play with.”
The NeeDoh Nice Cube and similar gel-based toys are widely available from Amazon, Walmart, and other major retail outlets. Given the potential risks, CR is urging the CPSC to investigate these products, assess the safety of their gel contents, and examine other sensory squeeze toys linked to safety complaints and concerning consumer reviews. CR is also calling on manufacturers and testing laboratories to thoroughly inspect and verify the safety of these products.
Read CR’s letter to the CPSC and more details on consumer complaints.
***
Media Contact: Emily Akpan, emily.akpan@consumer.org