What’s Up with Fidget Toys?

Fidget toys are sensory objects or trinkets that you tinker with, squeeze, move about your hands, or “fidget with,” while you are doing your work.

Whether that be school work or work, work. Fidgeting with an object while we are concentrating on something else (usually work), helps keep us focused by being that distraction that we would otherwise go looking for.

It’s not just those with an ADHD diagnosis who fidget either, we all do a little bit, in some way.

For example, do you ever find yourself biting a pen cap, picking your face, or playing with your hair? Or just picking your phone up off your desk to… look at or “check” the time or your notifications when you know nothing has changed.

Well…You’re fidgeting! We all do it.

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Now imagine, you are one of our kids…

With all that energy and their Tik Tok-sized attention spans.

-Yeah, I’d Fidget too!

Imagine you are one of their teachers and need all of them to sit down and focus…

-Difficult Task, Huh?

So there is no question as to why teachers wouldn’t allow fidgets. The little bit of noise they might make, are no worries! Compared to the disruptions teachers could be dealing with in a classroom; with all that unfocused energy.

Which Fidget Toy Do You Prefer? A Video with 21 Questions about fidget toys and which you prefer?

When Did Fidgets Start?

Technically, In 1993 when a Therapist, Catherine, developed fidget toys for children who were ADHD, Autistic, or displayed other behaviors where fidgets could come in handy!

If you think back to our fidgeting examples of playing with your hair or picking at your skin, you will remember we all do it and the first fidget toy My Mom and I could come up with was a Bottlecap.

A Good Ole’ Bottle Cap or Snapple cap. It pops! But it’s not nearly as satisfying as the kids Pop it! today.

A Video about Pop Its and which Pop Its you prefer. Pop Its Trading Questions Which Fidget Toy Would You Pick?

Why are Fidget Toys so Trendy Now?

Most people blame it on Tik Tok! That is completely valid, but I think there is more to it!

Before the current fidget toy craze, the fidget spinner had a popular run in 2016-2017, and then yes Tik Tok started in 2016 and the oddly satisfying videos of the Pop Its became popular.

Then, COVID happened and that made everyone anxious. Distant learning and social distancing left everyone to fidget in their own little personal bubble.

With all the pent-up energy and the need to be focused on virtual learning or working from home, therapists and teachers have recommended and used fidgets to help their patients release the extra energy.

Leading to their popularity at school.

Now if you are worried about them interfering with work in the classroom, there is no need to worry. From what I have read, heard, and experienced. The teachers are very upfront with their students that they are a tool to stay focused and if they start causing distractions they will not be used. The kids have seemed to respect that quiet well because they appreciate the tools as much as the teachers.

Like my daughter said, “They really help me while I’m bored and trying to do my work.”
-My Daughter

Similar to why kids play video games instead of just watching T.V., they get bored. Today’s kids are used to focusing on five different screens at once. With brief spans of attention spent on each one.

What’s up With Trading?

One of those screens they have been cycling through has all but trained them for this fidget toy trend.

That screen would be ROBLOX.

While we have been fidgeting in our bubble, we have also been trading pets in Adopt ME! Trading pets and training to trade fidgets!

That’s the latest, all the kids want to trade fidgets and watch fidgets be traded.

Kids love watching fidget toys and fidget toys being trading so much that on our channel CandyToyBox on YouTube we have niched down into fidget toys!

Below is a Fidget Toy Trading Video from CandyToyBox our Channel on YouTube

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More About Fidgets

If you or someone you know is a fan of fidgets we invite you to please check out our channel CandToyBox on YouTube and subscribe to help us reach our goal of 1,000 subscribers.

If you would like to know where to buy fidgets please check out our Fidget Toy Shopping Guide.

Below you will find links to other information such as introducing fidgets in the classroom, a link to virtual fidgets, and a link to our Fidget Toy Shopping Guide.