Sensory Play Toys: Kids Get Squishy With Playfoam® by Educational Insights at the Chicago Toy & Game Fair (ChiTAG)! by Elisa Schmitz

Ready to get squishy with it? We caught up with Educational Insights at the Chicago Toy and Game Fair (ChiTAG) and chatted with Lee Parkhurst about Playfoam®! Playfoam® is the “squishy, squashy sensory sensation," says Lee. "We actually call it ‘the ever-lasting squish. It’s everlasting because it never dries out. That’s the magic of Playfoam®, we can play with it all day long, we can make all sorts of different fun creations.”

And it’s not just for kids! “I’m a giant kid just on the dark side of my 30s, and I can’t get enough of this stuff,” says Lee.

Playfoam® has been out since 2006. “Educational Insights has always been about the learning. We work with schools and classrooms a lot, and we just discovered that everyone seems to love [Playfoam],” he says. 

Unlike play dough, Playfoam® “keeps play alive because it never, ever dries out.” How neat is that, Mom and Dad? Another bonus? No mess! The beads come right apart, so it’s not going to get on the kids’ clothes or in the carpet, and it does well on any type of surface throughout the house. The Playfoam® itself also stays mess free. And here’s pro tip from Lee: if you put it in water, anything that’s on the Playfoam® floats right off.

Your kids can enjoy regular Playfoam®, or try the sparkle variety or brand-new glow in the dark Playfoam®! Another product that Educational Insights debuted at ChiTAG is the new Playfoam® Pals series. The company came out with this series after watching YouTube and seeing kids hiding their toys inside of Playfoam®, and they thought it was a great idea. “Kids always know exactly the next kind of toy they want, don’t they?” says Lee.

The Big Idea: Chill out and open a world of Playfoam® to find a surprise pal inside this fun-filled pack! Hidden within each mystery snow globe is a collectible (and totally adorable) animal from the Arctic awaits. Use Playfoam® to create everything your pal needs, again and again! 

Psst! They're Learning:

• Pretend play develops social and communication skills.
• Building with Playfoam® encourages creativity and imagination.
• Sculpting again and again develops sensory and fine motor skills.

We think it’s time to get squishy with it! Be sure to check out the company’s #WishForTheSquish campaign this year. If kids add Playfoam® to their wish lists for Santa Claus and tag #WishForTheSquish on Instagram, they could win the most Playfoam® the company has ever given away before plus another $250 for Amazon.com. Be sure to follow @EducationalInsights to learn more.