Fascinating History Behind Pop It: A Mommy’s Early Morning Reading

It was one of those busy mornings. I was taking online class in my room expecting to hear the usual sound of cartoons or the soft giggle of my little one from the living room. Instead, there was this gentle popping sound, rhythmic, almost soothing.

Curious, I rushed out of the room and wandered towards the living room. There, on the couch, sat my two-year-old, completely mesmerized, with a colorful silicone toy in her hand. She was pushing down little bubbles, one by one, creating that soft, satisfying pop each time. Her tiny fingers moved with such focus, his eyes wide with wonder. I smiled, wondering what had him so captivated.

“What are you playing with, sweetie?” I asked.

She can not speak properly till now so she kept on popping with a smile on her face

Pop It? I had seen these toys around, and even bought a bunch for her on a whim during a shopping trip, but I hadn’t paid much attention. It was just another fidget toy to me or so I thought. But there was something about the way she was completely lost in it that made me curious.

I grabbed my phone, sat down beside her and typed “Pop It history” into the search bar. What I found was far more interesting than I expected.

The toy wasn’t a modern invention, as I had assumed. Its origins date back to the 1970s, when an Israeli couple, Theo and Ora Coster, dreamed up the idea. They were inventors known for creating board games and toys. Ora had a sister who died of breast cancer. One day after her sister’s death, Ora dreamed about a field filled with bubble wrap—it seemed to her like a field with breasts- a field that could be endlessly popped! Sounds Awkward? Not to me! That’s quite relatable to the mental trauma and irreparable loss she had been through! Inspired by her dream, the couple set out to create a toy replicating that oddly satisfying feeling of popping bubbles.

But here’s the twist—it didn’t catch on. For years, the Pop It idea lingered, almost forgotten, until it was rebranded by a toy company decades later.

By 2020, during the pandemic when everyone was looking for ways to cope with stress, Pop Its exploded in popularity. People were stuck indoors, anxious and restless. The simple act of pushing and popping those little silicone bubbles worked like a tiny bit of calm amidst the chaos. I watched as videos of people popping them went viral on social media, like tikton spreading like wildfire. And it wasn’t just kids—adults were hooked, too.

As I scrolled further, I learned more- that Pop Its weren’t just toys. They had become tools for sensory play, especially for children with autism or ADHD. Therapists and educators were using them to help kids with focus, motor skills, and even stress relief. Some teachers were incorporating them into classroom activities—math games, memory exercises, all with these bright, bubbly toys.

I glanced over at my daughter, still happily popping away, and couldn’t help but smile. Who would’ve thought this colorful little toy in her hands had such a rich and fascinating backstory?

I was struck by how something so simple—something I had barely thought about before—had such a deep history and had brought comfort and joy to so many people. It made me appreciate these small moments with my daughter even more.

Later that day, when I sat down to play with her, I couldn’t resist trying it for myself. And you know what? There is something incredibly soothing about that little pop, pop, pop…