Top of the pops... the toy that eases anxiety
THEY are the latest playground craze to strain parents’ wallets. But Pop It toys, which mimic the joy of popping bubble wrap, can also be soothing for some children, say experts.
Retailers say more than five million Pop Its have been sold in the UK since stores reopened in April. The Works, one of the UK’s biggest toy retailers, has sold 1.2 million popping products alone since February.
The toy, which can cost from about £5 to £20, was invented by Theora Design, run by Israeli couple Theo and Ora Coster. Its appeal is simple: press the bubbles, hear a pop and, when they have all been pushed in, flip the toy over and start again.
The original model, created in 1975, was sold only in Israel but by 2019, Pop It videos were a sensation on social-media platform TikTok.
Since then, about 100million have been sold worldwide. Boaz Coster, Theo and Ora’s son, said his mother was proud to see them finally on the shelves before she died aged 90 in July. Theo died in 2019.
Boaz told The Mail on Sunday: ‘The videos on TikTok made a massive impact globally. My mother was so happy to see her invention take off.’
Pop Its are credited with helping people with autism and learning difficulties. Tom Purser, at the National Autistic Society, said the toys are known to help some of the 700,000 autistic people in the UK. ‘Many
autistic people find background noises, sights and smells overwhelming,’ he said. ‘Repetitive actions such as playing with a sensory object like a Pop It can help them manage anxiety and sensory overload. It can give a sense of calm and be fun too.’