If you’ve spent any time around kids in the past two years, there’s a good chance you’ve heard of (if not played with) a popping fidget! These popular toys feature rows of silicone domes that kids can press in, then they can flip over the fidget and press them the other way. Each press of a bubble offers a sensory experience, both through touch and sound.
One of the most popular makers of these fidget toys is Buffalo Games, which offers popping fidgets in a variety of shapes, colors, and sizes under its Pop It! brand. Now, that brand has expanded its offerings to include a variety of Pop It! toys inspired by kids favorite characters.
While they are safe for for kids ages 3 and up, these new Pop Its! are sure to appeal to a wide age range — even adults. The collection features characters and items from Marvel, Stranger Things, Star Wars, and Disney.
For now, the full lineup includes a bitten waffle and a Demogorgon from Stranger Things, Iron Man and Spider-Man from Marvel, and Grogu and Darth Vader from Star Wars. There is a wider variety of Disney characters, including Mickey Mouse, Stitch, Olaf, a Toy Story Alien, Ariel, and Minnie Mouse. The Stranger Things Pop It! toys are exclusive to Target. Target also has exclusive variants, including a glittery, glow-in-the-dark Grogu and a black-and-red tie-dye Spider-Man with a metallic finish. While you may have seen fidgets shaped like some of these characters online before, these are the first (and only) ones that are officially licensed, which means Buffalo Games worked with the brands and got approval to make the products.
All of these toys are made from soft silicone and are shaped like the respective character — in some cases just their head, in other cases their full body. This does mean that some of the designs offer fewer bubbles to pop, but that is offset by the allure of these popular characters.
In addition to offering a sensory experience, these Pop It! toys also double as a game. The game, called “Last one Lost,” is intended for kids ages 6 and up and is detailed in the included instruction booklet. In the game, two players take turns choosing a section of the fidget and popping as many bubbles as they want in that section (at least one). The player who is forced to pop the last bubble loses the round.
Whether kids use these character-inspired Pop It! toys for fidgeting or as a game, they are great for on-the-go play. They have no small pieces, aren’t breakable, and are washable, which are all wins in our book!
