Fidget Toy
Fidget toys have become all the rage in recent years. From occupational therapy offices, to classrooms, to work meetings, these items have spread like wildfire for their usefulness in keeping busy hands and minds focused, as well as for the simple fact that they’re just plain fun. But what exactly makes one fidget toy better than another? And what kinds of things do we need to know prior to purchasing one (or a dozen) for the kiddos in our lives? For this, we’ve turned to Caitlin Sanschagrin, an occupational therapist and co-founder of Bright SpOT Pediatric Therapy serving Texas’ greater Austin area.
Choosing Age-Appropriate Fidget Toys
First and foremost, consider who the fidget toy is for.
“The purpose of fidget [and] sensory toys for toddlers is sensory exploration,” Sanschagrin says. “[They] are learning about the world through their environment, and offering them various sensory experiences encourages them to learn in different ways.” At this stage in development, she recommends sensory-based toys that have multiple textures, high-contrast colors, or even fun sounds, like crinkle paper.
Fidget toys for elementary-aged children are used more for regulation. “This means that fidgets can be a tool to either ‘wake up’ your body [and] brain or to calm yourself down,” she says. For this age range, she says the biggest benefit comes from toys that encourage more movement and strong sensory feedback. Kids might use more concentration while playing with these toys and often focus more on the toy itself.
“Additionally, fidgets that provide a sense of deep pressure, compression—or as we occupational therapists call it, proprioceptive input—would be a great option,” Sanschagrin says. “This would include things that make the child’s hands work hard by squeezing, pinching, stretching apart, or pushing the fidget.”
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Teens and adults use fidget toys for regulation as well, Sanschagrin says, but tend to use smaller ones that are both fun and easily used while focusing on other activities. “Consider fidgets that would be inconspicuous when held in their hands or even fidgets that can be manipulated using only one hand,” she says. “These are the more traditional forms of fidgets, like the classic fidget spinner that was popular a few years ago.”
Sanschagrin recommends occasionally rotating fidgets, as kids tend to go through phases of what they like, and this will help renew their interest in their toys. “Also keep in mind the goal or what function you want to fidget to serve prior to purchasing,” she says. “If your child really likes the fidget using their fingers, a fidget snake is more likely to land rather than a squeeze ball.” Overall, though, she says fidget preference simply depends on the person, and parents should be open to trial and error.
How We Evaluated
To figure out which fidget toys would make the cut, I asked for recommendations from other parents, as well as from Sanschagrin, who uses fidgets in her occupational therapy practice. I also tested a few out and allowed my 7-year-old to test some, too. I read through countless reviews on various retail sites to see which ones consumers recommend, making sure to note which reviews were independent versus ones that were in exchange for free products, to reduce bias. After careful deliberation, these are the best fidget toys for all ages and a variety of purposes.
28 Pack Sensory Toys Set, Relieves Stress and Anxiety Fidget Toy for Children Ad
• PACK OF 28: 3 Mochi Squishies, 3 Stretchy String Fidgets, 2 Mesh and Marble Sensory Toys, 1 Infinity Cube, 1 Fidget Pad, 1 Soccer Spinner, 2 3x3 Speed Cubes, 1 Tracks Fidget, 2 Snake Cube Twist Puzzles, 1 Puzzle Box, 1 Star Bouncy Ball, 1 Finger Ring, 1 Football Foam Ball, 1 World Map Foam Ball, 1 Bean Keychain, 1 Mini Pop Tube, 2 Flip Chains and 3 Fidget Spinners.
• CHILD SAFE: Non-Toxic. Meets US Toy Standards. Safety Test-Approved. Durable. Superior Quality. Deluxe Set.
• Fidget and Sensory Toys: A Perfect Way to Relieve Stress - Small Toys to Hold in the Palm of Your Hand. It's A Fun Way to Keep the Brain Focused and The Hands Busy.
• POPULAR USES: For fun Birthday Party Favors, Classroom Rewards, Carnivals, Prize Boxes, Piñata Filler, Stocking Stuffers, Goodie Bag Fillers.
• Great Design for Anxiety, Focusing, ADHD, ADD, Autism, OCD, Quitting Bad Habits, etc. Helps Relieve Stress. Get It and Share It with Your Friends for A Fun Christmas or at Party Time.
Fidget sensory toys help to relieve stress, calm nerves and increase focus for children and adults, especially those with ADHD, ADD, OCD and autism.
Ideal for parties, holidays, classrooms or for use as office toys. The toys keep you alert and focused throughout the day and help to develop new ideas. Great for students who can’t sit still.
Set of Animal Squishies Mochi Squeeze Toys: These squishies are amazingly soft. You will not be able to stop pinching them because of how great they feel and their squeeze ability.
Set of Stretchy String Fidget: Stretch, pull, twirl, wrap and squeeze them, then watch them bounce back to their original shape. These toys are perfect for sensory and tactile stimulation.
Set of Mesh and Marble Sensory Toys: Squeeze or slide the marble forth and back, bend it, fold it, squeeze the sleeve together and roll the marble like shaking bell.
Set of Infinity Cube: The foldable Infinity cube is composed of eight small cubes. Each cube can be rotated from any direction and angle. Hold it in one hand and make it into any shape you like.
Set of Fidget block: This fidget block features 6 sides for you to rub, roll, spin, press, control and switch; it is anti-stress cube.
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