The Tiktok challenge that endangers children: the NeeDoh balls that explode in the microwave

In the first weeks of 2026, a series of videos began to appear on the Tiktok social network in which children are seen putting colorful NeeDoh squishy balls into the microwave – a toy designed to relieve stress by pressing and squeezing. The goal of the challenge, as shown in the videos, is to make the ball softer, warmer, or almost liquid. In practice, this is the heating of a closed body containing a viscous material that is not intended for exposure to high heat.

From a physical point of view, the microwave radiation causes rapid and uneven heating of the internal contents. The gel inside the ball heats up, expands, and the internal pressure increases. At some point, the rubber casing does not withstand the load, and the ball explodes. The result is the splash of boiling gel, sometimes at an extremely high temperature, directly on the child’s face and hands.

Burn centers in Great Britain and the United States reported last month cases of second and third degree burns, mainly on the face, neck and palms. In some cases, prolonged supervision and even skin reconstruction surgeries were required. The doctors describe a particularly complex injury, since the gel is a viscous substance that retains heat, similar to melted sugar. When it sticks to the skin, it continues to transfer heat to the tissue even after the explosion, and is sometimes difficult to remove without causing further damage.

The challenge apparently grew out of “satisfaction” videos, those videos that show slow and intriguing texture changes. But the transition from a controlled experiment to heating with a household electric device made the trend particularly dangerous. Children encourage each other to check how long the ball can be left in the microwave, and sometimes even compete with each other.

One of the children most severely affected by the phenomenon is Jaden Anderson, 11 years old from Ohio, USA, who only wanted to soften his squeeze toy after watching a tutorial video on TikTok. Jaden put the ball in the home microwave for a short time, but as soon as he opened the door of the device and tried to take the toy out, the shell exploded with great force. The hot gel inside the ball splashed directly on his face and in his right eye of the child, causing him second and third degree burns.

Jayden’s mother, who published his difficult photos from the hospital to warn other parents, described that the substance stuck to her son’s skin and continued to burn him even minutes after the injury. Meanwhile, the doctors who treated him in the burn unit stated that he was very lucky not to have lost his sight, but he is expected to undergo a long series of treatments and complex rehabilitation to try and minimize the scars left on his face. Jayden’s case has become an international warning sign, illustrating how fast and unpredictable the transition from innocent children’s play to serious medical tragedy is in the world of social networks.

Digital safety experts point out that the videos are not always detected by the platform’s automatic filtering systems, partly due to the use of code words or popular music that disguises the content of the video. Although some videos are removed after reports, others continue to appear on private or duplicate accounts.

In Israel, no serious injuries related to this challenge have yet been reported, but medical officials estimate that the local exposure is increasing. Past experience shows that similar trends cross borders quickly, especially when it comes to short visual content intended for a young audience.

The main message for parents is awareness, and perhaps simply – not to purchase this toy at all. Either way, in case of a burn, cool the area immediately with running water at room temperature for about twenty minutes. Do not apply butter, toothpaste or other household substances. In case of significant pain, the appearance of blisters, damage to the face or eyes, or suspicion of a deep burn, you should seek medical attention as soon as possible. Early treatment may reduce the risk of infection and permanent scarring.