Fidget toy

Fidgets such as worry beads and Baoding balls have long existed, but the types and popularity have dramatically increased since the fidget spinner fad in 2017. “Other types of fidget toys include the Fidget Cube, stress balls, and Pop Its.”

A fidget toy can be designed to have a humorous aspect to its play, such as bath toys like “water snakes”, which slip out of a player’s grip, or gel animal keychains which ‘poop’ when squeezed.

Uses and effectiveness

Therapeutic uses

In therapeutic contexts, fidget toys are employed to help individuals manage sensory, cognitive, and emotional experiences. Stimming, or self-stimulatory behavior, is a common way for autistic or ADHD individuals to cope with overwhelming sensory input. Fidget toys can facilitate this process, offering a safe and effective means of processing stimuli, helping individuals reduce stress and anxiety levels. Studies have shown that using fidget toys can provide sensory input that helps individuals self-regulate, leading to improved emotional stability and reduced episodes of overstimulation. According to autism-based psychotherapy practices, therapists often incorporate fidget toys into sessions to help clients, including children and adults on the autism spectrum, engage with their senses in a mindful manner. For example, therapists may offer clients options for fidget toys and guide them through a mindful exploration of the sensations associated with their use, providing a grounding activity that supports emotional regulation. This approach has been found to be particularly effective in helping clients reduce anxiety and improve focus during therapy sessions, ultimately aiding in the development of coping mechanisms for managing stress.

Educational uses

In educational settings, fidgets are often used as tools to help children, particularly those with attention-related challenges, maintain focus during lessons. Research suggests that parents of autistic children tend to perceive fidget toys, including fidget spinners, as effective tools for reducing anxiety and enhancing focus. The effectiveness of fidget toys in educational environments is attributed to their ability to provide sensory input that helps children channel excess energy and improve their concentration on tasks. A recent study found that parents of autistic children with higher sensory-seeking scores noted significant benefits from fidget toys in terms of anxiety reduction, while fidget spinners were seen as more distracting compared to other fidget toys. Similarly, parents of typically developing children with high sensory-seeking scores perceived fidget toys as helpful for increasing their child's ability to concentrate.

The implications of these findings suggest that educators should take parental perspectives into account when forming policies regarding the use of fidget toys in the classroom. While some schools have banned these toys due to concerns about distraction, there is evidence to support their positive impact on children with specific sensory needs, especially in promoting focus and reducing anxiety. The use of fidget toys has been found to help students who struggle with sitting still or maintaining attention by providing a controlled outlet for movement, thereby improving their ability to engage with classroom activities. Consequently, policies that incorporate individualized approaches may be more effective in balancing the needs of all students, ensuring that those who benefit from fidget toys have access to them while minimizing potential distractions for others.

Other benefits

While fidget toys are most commonly used in classroom settings, they have a wide variety of other uses. They can be used as toys for simple entertainment, to make distressing events less overwhelming, as a way to bond with other children, or even to incentivize autistic children to complete day-to-day tasks. Many parents individualize the use of fidget spinners and other fidget toys to meet the specific needs of their children.