Because fidget toys are for everyone
As someone who constantly has to be doing something with their hands, I have struggled to find the right fidgets. When I was 14, I was diagnosed with a hair-pulling disorder, and I tried all sorts of random objects to prevent myself from touching my hair. My mom and I watched countless videos together trying to find finger caps, small wigs, and squishy toys that would help minimize my fingers going to my hair. They were all either too impractical and distracting or completely ineffective and not a good substitute for my urges. Many college students and adults struggle with this as well, as they might have body-focused repetitive behaviors (BFRBs) like nail biting or skin picking but can’t seem to find a good replacement for the satisfying behavior. Others of us are just fidgety and like to keep our hands occupied but aren’t able to find effective/affordable fidgets.
When I started attending therapy about two years back, my therapist showed me some fidgets that she allows her clients to play with during sessions, and I immediately went home and ordered some for myself. These fidgets were the perfect combination of stimulating, relaxing, and visually appealing, and they helped reduce my hair-pulling immensely. I still use them all the time, even while talking to my family, reading a long article for a class, or watching a show. If you’re looking for therapist-recommended fidgets that are entertaining but still allow you to be productive, here is a list of my five favorites. Each one available on Amazon for $10 or less! And remember, fidget toys are for everyone!
This never-ending cube is perfect if you like having your hands in a repetitive motion. It comes with 8 mini blocks attached to each other by metal rivets, and they can be twisted over and over again. These cubes come in a bunch of fun designs and colors too, so you can get yourself one that best matches your vibe.
These are super convenient because you can use them in class, a coffee shop, or even during a meeting since they’re so small and discrete! You can roll them up and down your fingers while working, and this slight pressure can feel very relieving. They also come in a pack of 10, so you can keep a few in several different places.
This one is my personal favorite. I love the ribbed sensation surrounding each individual piece and being able to alternate between a rubber or plastic texture. You can also break apart individual pieces of the tangle and put them back together like a puzzle and rearrange the colors into different patterns.
I mostly love this one because the varied rainbow color scheme is so aesthetically pleasing, but also because of the magnets. You can make a few different structures out of them by connecting the magnets, and they still hold while around your fingers because of how strong the magnets are!
Another one for all my girlies who love a rainbow theme :) You can pop this fidget board on each circle up to a hundred times and then flip it over and do it all over again. I don’t own one of these but if I did, I would totally make fun patterns out of the popped spaces. It’s also a multipurpose item since it can be used as a math tool as well.