Nice Cubes, Gummy Bears, Dream Drops, Gum Drops, and other sensory fidget toys are all popular NeeDoh squishies that have recently skyrocketed due to peer influence and social media, specifically on TikTok and Instagram.
Here at Millikan, lots of students own these sensory squishies, and you can spot people playing with them during lunch, passing period, and even in class.
Cheyenne Lander, a junior in the MBA program, has gone “NeeDoh hunting” with her friends, searching multiple stores to find NeeDoh’s because they’re so rare due to shortages. “I want to find different kinds of NeeDoh’s, and the one that I want next is the Fuzzball. I currently own nine NeeDoh’s,” states Lander. She explains how she influences others to buy NeeDoh’s on her public spam account on TikTok and that she has, “posted about NeeDoh’s [on TikTok] before and I probably will post again.”
Due to NeeDoh hunting being such a huge trend, the toys have been sold out at many stores that sell them—making the search even harder—such as Target, Walmart, Walgreens, Five Below, CVS, Toys “R” Us, Barnes & Noble, Paper Source, and more.
Mrs. Frapwell teaches 10th-grade PEACE, English 3-4, AVID, and AP Seminar and has heard about NeeDoh’s from her students playing with them in class. “NeeDoh’s are weird and distracting. I have a problem with all the germs being passed around the class. They’re all touching them, and they’re rubbery and sticky,” states Frapwell. “When they pop, it’s gross, and if that stuff gets on my carpet, I will lose my mind!”
Meanwhile, lots of students use NeeDoh’s to cope with stress during class. Khloe Cruz, a junior in PEACE, says, “When I’m squeezing a NeeDoh, I start to concentrate and it helps me improve my performance in class.”
NeeDoh culture has become extremely popular and continues to grow as more students join in on the trend!
Sienna Meade • Mar 31, 2026 at 1:16 pm
At first, I did not think that NeeDohs were that interesting, and they were popping all over my social media. Yet, I still do not understand why so many people are obsessed with them. I would see them all around at school and I did not understand the hype until I got one myself. I did not realize what teachers thought of NeeDohs though. This article helped me understand how distracting they can be in class, but as a student, I view it more as helpful. It helps me get rid of stress, especially if I am anxious for a test or if I have a bunch of homework piling up. I also did not know that people were purposefully popping their NeeDohs. I do not know why people would want to do that because now you wasted your money and it is a mess for everyone. I try to keep the one that I have clean, but I did not realize that NeeDohs could be a way that sickness spreads quickly. There are so many drawbacks for NeeDohs, especially at schools that I am now aware of, and can prevent certain things from happening in the future.
Ryden Kim • Mar 31, 2026 at 1:14 pm
I really like how the author includes the perspective of a student who enjoys looking for NeeDohs and playing with them, and the perspective of a teacher who doesn’t like them at all. I do think the author should have asked another student who doesn’t have an interest in NeeDohs what their perspective would be. It would be interesting to see how a student who doesn’t like NeeDohs perceives other students who would go crazy for them.
I also think the author should have found a teacher who tolerates NeeDohs to see what they would think about all the students bringing one to school. It would be interesting to see why the teacher tolerates them and doesn’t want them out of their classroom like other teachers. The last thing the author could do is ask the student why they like hunting for NeeDohs and collecting them. The article was written very well otherwise.
Addison Schneider • Mar 31, 2026 at 1:11 pm
On March 24, 2026, Rose Varley wrote an article titled “NeeDoh Consumerism Culture”. It was about NeeDoh squishies and how popular they have become at school. I thought the article was really interesting because it talked about something a lot of students can relate to right now. I liked how it included real student opinions, like Cheyenne Lander talking about going NeeDoh hunting and collecting them. That made the story feel more real and not boring. I also think it was cool how it explained how social media like TikTok helps make trends bigger, and it is something I have personally been interested in as well. The only thing that could be added is that it would also be interesting to know if the trend will last or if it will die out soon. Another thing is that some students might not know what NeeDohs are, so a little more explanation could help. I also liked how the article showed both sides, like how some teachers think they are distracting and kind of gross, while students say they help with stress and focus. That made it fair and not one sided. At our school I see people using NeeDohs all the time in class and during lunch, so this topic feels very real. Overall, Verley did a great job explaining the trend and why it is so popular.
Annabelle Lawrence • Mar 31, 2026 at 1:02 pm
I was drawn to this article because my friend had a NeeDoh during Freshman year, before the craze, and I’ve noticed their growth in popularity. I really enjoyed Varley’s take on the relationship between consumerism and NeeDohs, especially her story about Lander’s “NeeDoh Hunt”. I had personally never seen a NeeDoh outside the classroom, and Varley’s writing made me realize that that was because of social consumerism. In addition to this, Varley brought in an interesting take with Mrs. Frapwell’s opinion. Her interview with Mrs. Frapwell introduced the idea of how trends impact teachers. Similarly to how confetti eggs are creating a mess around school, NeeDohs can pop and get on the carpet. Varley elaborates on this by explaining how the sticky toys might be the price to pay for student focus. She ends by brilliantly explaining how Khloe Cruz uses NeeDohs to cope with stress. I finished the article with a new perspective on the advantages and pitfalls of a seemingly harmless trend.
Arlo Sachtleben • Mar 31, 2026 at 1:00 pm
March 31, 2026
Dear Corydon Editor,
On March 24 2026, Rose Varley wrote an article titled “NeeDoh Consumerism Culture”. This is a very informative article, I like how it illustrates contradicting points of view on this needoh craze. One teacher, Mrs.Frapwell, talks about the negative effects of needohs, including the fact that they are a distraction in class, a way to spread germs to students because they are all “rubbery and sticky.” While another student named Khloe Cruz, spreads awareness and makes the argument that they are not a distraction to the classroom. They help her cope with stress, concentrate, and improve her performance in class. It’s great how this article talks about opposing viewpoints on this uprising trend. They also provide other information about the Needoh product, such as how they are hard to find due to shortages, and how people hunt from store to store to find them. Overall, this article provides factual information on this Needoh trend and provides differentiating opinions on this viral sensation.
Sincerely,
Arlo Sachtleben