Airports have warned that kids could be forced to leave the items behind
Squishy toys could easily raise a red flag at airport security this summer (stock image)(Image: Getty)
Parents are being told to leave certain children’s toys at home. If kids bring them to the airport, they may be taken from them at security. There is a high chance that items like NeeDoh cubes and other popular ‘squishy’ toys could be flagged and confiscated.
Even at airports using advanced scanners, gel-filled toys look highly unusual on security screens. This frequently triggers a manual bag check, causing travel delays, and some staff will not take the risk with these items going any further into the airport.
Travel specialist Kate Donnelly (@Thedonnelllyedit) said: “From my own personal experience, [squishy toys] do tend to come under closer scrutiny when passing through airport security. My top tip for parents this summer, pack these items in your whole luggage.
“There is a high chance that if you put these in your hand luggage, they will get confiscated. There are absolutely no markings on them to let you know exactly how much liquid is contained within them, and therefore, they are very easily removed.
“This means that you have upset children and you will have to pay out for a whole new load of toys when you get to your destination.” She suggested that the best thing to do is to pack toys safely in your main suitcase that gets checked into the hold, as this allows more liquids than hand luggage does, helping you avoid delays and reduce the risk of them being confiscated.
Posting online, Luton Airport confirms that any squishy toys, including NeeDoh cubes, that contain a gel or liquid must comply with the strict liquid rule when packed in hand luggage. The airport said: “As the quantity of gel contained within these items cannot be accurately verified during the screening process, they are not permitted through security in hand luggage.”
Manchester Airport also said: “Things like squishy toys contain liquid – this includes NeeDohs, which use malt syrup. Smaller versions of the toy are under 100mls, but larger versions are not.
“The problem is that, as they don’t have measurements printed on them, security staff have to estimate their size. Our advice is that all but very small squishy toys should be placed in hold baggage.”
As a result, kids could be forced to bin their favourite toys before going on holiday. The issue is that there is often no way to verify exactly how much ‘liquid’ is inside one of these objects.
Not all UK airports follow the same rules about liquids in 2026 due to a staggered rollout of new high-tech 3D CT security scanners that allow the 100ml rule to be relaxed. Different locations are at different stages of upgrading, with a pause currently in effect this summer to avoid disruption over peak travel times.
Below is a list of what airports are following the new (2000ml) rules. At the airports accepting two litres in hand luggage, the scanners also mean people do not need to empty their bags, as scanners are powerful enough to detect these items, as well as electronics:
- Belfast City
- Belfast International
- Birmingham
- Bristol
- Edinburgh
- London Gatwick
- London Heathrow (All terminals)
- Teesside International
These airports are still following the original (100ml) rule:
- Aberdeen
- Bournemouth
- Cardiff
- East Midlands
- Glasgow International
- Glasgow Prestwick
- Inverness
- Isle of Man
- Leeds Bradford
- Liverpool
- London City
- London Luton
- London Stansted
- Manchester
- Newcastle
- Norwich
- Southampton