Rare Squishmallows: How to Verify Them and Find Free Coloring Pages

Yes, rare Squishmallows are real, but the label has a specific meaning. According to the brand’s history, Squishmallows launched in 2017 and has since created over 3,000 designs, so true scarcity comes from limited runs, exclusives, and retirement, not from age or resale price. That’s why a free coloring page can be just as satisfying as owning a rare plush: it lets you enjoy the artwork without paying a premium. In this guide, you’ll learn how to verify a rarity claim, how safety standards evolve for children’s toys, and where to download official and fan-made coloring pages.

Are 'rare' Squishmallows actually rare?

You’ve just spotted a listing for a “rare” Squishmallow priced at three times its original tag. The plush looks identical to others you’ve seen, but the seller insists it’s a collector’s item. Is it genuinely scarce, or is the label mostly a marketing hook? That question matters because if you’re about to spend real money, you need to know whether the rarity claim will hold up later. With thousands of designs on the market and resale prices swinging wildly, a mistaken purchase can cost you more than just cash; it can turn a fun hobby into a source of regret.

Yes, some Squishmallows are genuinely rare, but the word is tied to production details, not to age or price. According to brand history, the company started in 2017 and has created more than 3,000 designs. That scale means only a tiny fraction of plush toys can be truly scarce. A plush made briefly as a convention exclusive or discontinued early is rare; one that simply came out a few years ago is not automatically special. So before you pay a premium, check the production story, not just the listing price. The same logic applies whether you’re collecting for fun or reselling.

What actually makes a Squishmallow rare?

Three signals usually define a genuinely rare Squishmallow: a limited production run, an exclusive distribution channel, or a retirement that stops future production. A limited run means the company made a fixed number for a specific event or promotion, then moved on. An exclusive might be sold only at one retailer or in one region. Retirement happens when the design is withdrawn from the catalog and no longer manufactured. If a plush has none of these markers, it may be common even if the resale price is high. Look for official announcements or tags that confirm the batch. These three markers are the ones collectors look for before calling something rare.

Contrast that with the brand’s scale. According to company information, Squishmallows has produced over 3,000 designs since 2017, so the vast majority are part of the regular lineup. Only a small slice of those designs are limited-run, exclusive, or retired items. When a random plush is labeled “rare,” the odds are against it. The label needs evidence: a small batch number, a store-exclusive sticker, or a retirement date matching official records. Without that, you’re likely looking at a common toy with an inflated asking price. That’s why serious collectors keep a reference list of confirmed rare tags.

A short timeline of Squishmallow rarity

The timeline begins at the 2017 launch. Brand history places the Squishmallows start in 2017 under Kelly Toys Holdings, with Jazwares later becoming the owner. In the early years, the catalog was small, with a limited set of characters released at a time. That smaller selection meant each new design could feel special, but the real limitation was retail distribution, not a deliberate scarcity strategy. Many early plush toys were easy to find in stores, and only later did certain designs become harder to locate. This early period is often described as the brand’s original era, but it wasn’t yet the age of rare-hunting.

As the catalog passed 3,000 designs, the collector market changed. Brand information shows over 3,000 Squishmallow designs have been created, and that scale is exactly why rarity became a meaningful term. In a sea of thousands, a plush made in a single batch and never restocked stands out. The progression goes from a small launch, through rapid expansion, to a present where scarce items are the ones collectors actively chase and verify. That shift is what turned “rare” from a simple adjective into something you can actually check. Today, a design’s rarity can be tracked through official drop announcements and resale histories.

Do safety standards affect Squishmallows?

Safety standards for children’s products are updated on a regular schedule, and toys are no exception. Consider the new child car seat regulations: according to Consumer Reports, the federal standard now includes testing for side-impact collisions. That update followed years of data showing side impacts are especially dangerous for kids. The same pattern applies across categories: when new risks are identified, standards evolve. A plush toy like a Squishmallow is not a car seat, but it sits in the same regulatory world where manufacturers must keep up with changing requirements for materials, flammability, and small parts. This constant review is what keeps parents confident in the toys they buy.

Breast pump cleaning offers another example of safety guidance shifting. The CDC recently released updated guidelines for keeping pump kits clean, pointing out that improper maintenance can lead to bacteria or mold. These updates are based on new evidence about health risks. By analogy, toy safety reviews happen on a similar cycle. A Squishmallow’s fabric, stuffing, and eyes are all subject to regulations that can be revised when testing finds new risks. So while a specific plush won’t suddenly become “unsafe,” the standards governing its production are regularly revisited, just like the rules for car seats and feeding equipment. It’s a reminder that safety updates are part of the normal lifecycle for children’s products.

Where can you find free Squishmallow coloring pages?

Start with the official Squishmallow website. The brand regularly posts free printable coloring pages that feature current and retired characters. Look for a “coloring pages” or “activities” section under the main menu. These files are usually PDFs, so they print cleanly and are sized correctly for kids. Because they come directly from the company, they match the official artwork and character names. If a rare design isn’t listed, check back after a new drop; the page often updates with fresh releases, giving you a reliable, free source without worrying about misleading fan edits. This makes the official site the safest first stop.

If the official site doesn’t have the design you want, fan communities are the next stop. Enthusiast groups on Reddit, Facebook, and dedicated forums regularly share scanned or redrawn coloring pages. Search the character’s name plus “coloring page” to find user-made versions. Printable roundup blogs also collect pages from multiple sources, saving you time. Keep in mind that fan pages may not be as accurate as official ones, so compare the design to reference photos before you print. That’s especially useful if you’re using the coloring page to preview a design you might buy. A quick search in these communities usually turns up the specific design you’re after.

How to tell official coloring pages from fan-made ones

Before you print, verify the source. Official coloring pages usually carry the Squishmallow logo, a copyright line, or the brand’s web address either on the page or in the file’s metadata. If you downloaded it from squishmallows.com or a linked official PDF, you’re safe. A page that just says “Squishmallow” in the title but comes from an unknown blog may be redrawn or altered, so the proportions and colors could be off. Check the URL and look for a brand-specific domain. When in doubt, open the official site and see if the same image appears there. A quick metadata check takes only a minute and can save you from printing a wrong design.

Look for the character’s details. Official pages include accurate markings: the correct eye shape, the belly patch, the rainbow logo, and the character’s name spelled correctly. Fan-made pages often simplify these details, especially for newer or rarer characters that the artist may not have seen closely. Compare the page to a photo of the actual plush, if you have one. Also check for watermarks or artist signatures that indicate a fan creation. A page with a visible artist handle is probably not official, which is fine for casual coloring but not reliable for confirming a design before you buy. When a page looks too simple, it’s often a fan redraw.

Verdict: When is a Squishmallow worth 'rare' status?

When you see a Squishmallow priced as “rare,” run it through a quick checklist. Was it a limited run or exclusive? Check for a batch number, a retailer-exclusive tag, or a retirement notice. Does the production history match the claim? Search the character’s name and see if the brand officially listed it as limited or retired. If you can’t verify those details, treat the “rare” label as a marketing claim. The same logic applies to coloring pages: if you’re using a page to preview a design, confirm it’s official before you trust it for purchase decisions. This checklist takes under a minute and works for any collector.

The verdict is simple: verify before you buy, and color before you commit. A free coloring page lets you enjoy the artwork of even the rarest design without paying a premium, and it doubles as a research tool that shows you exactly what the plush looks like. If the page comes from an official source, you can trust the details. If it’s fan-made, use it for fun but double-check the character. By combining a careful rarity check with a free printable page, you get the collector’s thrill without the collector’s risk. That’s the real payoff of combining research with creativity.

So the next time you see a high-priced 'rare' label, open a coloring page first. If the official artwork matches and the production details check out, you can decide with confidence. If not, you’ve saved your money and still had a bit of fun.