It’s gooey, it’s stretchy, it’s slimy, and it goes by the name Gak. This original Nickelodeon staple has been around for years, but has never failed to impress me with each wacky new version the brand continually comes out with. Just when I really thought I had seen it all (if this is your first time hearing about Gak, things may get a little weird for you), between glow-in-the-dark Gak and Gak that changes color based on your mood, Nickelodeon gives us a new line called Smell My Gak—and you can definitely let your imagination run with that one for a little longer.
I must admit this move does make sense. Gak is already known for being squishable and frrrrt-able (in relation to the sound the Gak makes when you cram it into the container using different methods of force in order to essentially make all kinds of “fart” noises, but frrrrt is just a nicer-sounding word), so it now needs to be smell-able. Although each new Smell My Gak toy comes with a unique scent and container, there are some that I would willingly sniff over others, and now you will see why:
Bacon: Growing up with two younger brothers and a little sister, who for most of her life acted like a little brother, I’m no fool to knowing that there are few things dearer to boys (and girls) hearts than bacon. I don’t know why, they just love it, so kudos to Nickelodeon for capitalizing on this one. Not only was it just a great idea, but it also really does smell like a pan of home-cooked bacon on a Sunday morning – only you can roll it up into a ball in your hand and throw it against the wall for that famous Splat effect.
Cupcake: Now this one is speaking my language. I love cupcakes: eating, baking, and decorating cupcakes, I love it all–and I’m sure a lot of kids do too. This is definitely a great pick for girly-girls who don’t want to share their Gak with brothers or dads. I’m sure plenty of dads and brothers love cupcakes too, but they’d probably rather not play with a toy that smells like one–at least not when anyone’s watching.
Stinky Sneaker: No offense, but yuck! I admittedly am scared to smell this one. I know what smelly sneakers smell like. My own, of course, happen to smell like flowers, but I’ve had my fair share of whiffs in sweaty locker rooms and this Gak seems way weird. In this case I will leave it in saying, “to each his own.”
Garbage: Okay, again, yuck! I really hope these don’t smell as bad as they sound for children and parents’ noses everywhere. Luckily, none of these scented Gaks have an incredibly overwhelming aroma, but if this one gets lost under the couch and you’re inadvertently left with the musk of a trash can, no one’s going to enjoy that.
Flower: Now this is a delightful scent, and definitely an improvement from Gak’s original rubbery smell that I can’t even attempt to describe. Playing with this in my hands all day is fine with me because afterwards, they’ll just smell like a bouquet of daisies.
Popsicle: I would like to eat this Gak just as much as I’d like to smell it. Its green-apple scent is very appealing, making it my favorite Smell My Gak yet.
With this much variety, there’s a Gak to please everyone’s sniffer, but if I could make an addition to the Smell My Gak line, it would definitely be something like Tropical Island Gak; which would smell like coconut and pineapple. What scent would you add to the line?
For more commentary from Deanna, check back often. Views expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Toy Book as a whole. We hope that you will share your comments and feedback below. Until next time!
