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Jun 05, 2023

The 10 Best Fidget Toys of 2022

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If you’re looking for a way to increase focus at work, school, or home, fidget toys may help.

Staying focused during meetings or paying attention in class can be difficult for many people. In some cases, these situations may trigger an overwhelming urge to fidget.

Fidgeting may include tapping your foot, wiggling around in your seat, or playing with your pen or pencil so much that it actually breaks.

If this resonates with you, you’re not alone. Most people engage in some form of fidgeting once in a while. However, to help you fidget more effectively, you might want to consider getting a fidget toy to occupy your hands and fulfill your need for movement.

Fidget toys are specially designed tools that spin, pop, or offer other ways to keep your hands busy. They come in a wide range of styles, colors, and movement options to fit specific fidgeting needs.

It’s important to keep in mind that scientific evidence on their effectiveness to help with mental well-being is limited. Still, anecdotal evidence suggests that some people find these toys helpful, though such evidence is often laden with bias.

If you want to jump directly to the sections for each product, you can click the links below.

With so many fidget toys on the market, it may feel overwhelming to find one that fits your needs. To help narrow the field and chose products for this roundup, we focused on:

Moreover, all services have been vetted to ensure they meet Psych Central’s medical, editorial, and business standards.

General price ranges with dollar signs ($ to $$$) are indicated below. One dollar sign means the product is considered rather affordable, whereas three dollar signs indicate a higher price range.

Pricing guide:

Shaped like an octagon with 12 sides, the Dodecagon is a good option for people who have multiple ways they like to fidget. It has a joystick, integrated stress balls, gears, switches — plenty of tools to keep your hands and fingers busy.

Available in different ring sizes and colors, Fingears are a fun three-ring circus for your fingers that may help with focus. They’re magnetized and stick together, offering a twirling and spinning action that may help satisfy the fidgeting needs of people with ADHD.

Somewhat of a viral sensation on social media, Pop Its are soft handheld fidget devices that mimic the bubble popping action of bubble wrap. They come in a wide range of shapes and colors and are popular among school-age children and teens.

Many autistic children and adults find watching an item in motion soothing.

This toy combines the action of a typical fidget spinner with a double pendulum spinner. The unique product is small, quiet, and will work in almost any environment.

While our “Best overall” option tops this product in terms of number of fidgeting options, we consider this controller pad another great multi-fidgeting choice.

If you’re unsure what fidget action is best, this toy covers multiple options with nine ways to fidget all in one handheld pad. It offers rocking, switching, rolling, and spinning actions and comes with a lanyard attached.

An all-time classic, this handheld gadget is a favorite among children and adults because of its smooth spinning action.

For preschool- or grade school-age children, these colorful tubular fidget toys deliver a sound and action that’s fun and engaging. You can stretch them out and push them together or connect them to make long tubes.

Made up of several hinged mini-cubes, theFube Infinity Cube can be reconfigured into other shapes the user chooses. As a result, it provides virtually endless ways to occupy your hands.

For people who like to fidget with pens and pencils, this fidget tool is the ideal solution. You can write with it, bend it, and use its detachable magnetic loop as a separate fidget tool.

It includes small magnetic balls that may pose a choking hazard to young children.

This fidget device is a ring that you wear on your finger with a spinning outer band. It comes in a variety of colors and allows you to fidget without others noticing.

If you didn’t find what you were looking for on our list, here are some tips on finding the right product for you.

When choosing a fidget toy, it’s a good idea to consider who will be using it before hitting the “buy now” button.

Will a child be carrying the fidget toy back and forth to school? Will an adult use it in an office environment? These are all things to consider before choosing a product.

Also, certain materials, textures, and motions might be more beneficial than others, depending on personal needs. For example, you may find it calming to squeeze a soft, squishy stress ball where someone else might prefer the action of a hard plastic spinner.

Though fidgeting isn’t an age-specific phenomenon, it’s always a good idea to consider age before buying a fidget toy.

If buying for a young child, be sure the fidget toy is durable and doesn’t have any small parts that could be a choking hazard.

If buying for a teen or adult, consider the environment where the toy will be used. If it’s going to be used at school or work, for instance, it’s best to avoid one that is distracting or makes noise.

Fidgeting is a common human behavior that often occurs when a person is nervous, in a stressful situation, or is attempting to focus on a task or pay attention.

Some people find that fidget toys help them stay calm and focused. However, research on their effectiveness for this purpose is lacking.

A 2018 study suggests fidget toys can be a fun way to increase fine motor control, which is the ability to move the small muscles in the hands to complete intricate tasks like writing. Some people find fidget toys provide the tactile manipulation needed to remain calm and focused during work, school, or home.

Another 2006 pilot study observed 29 sixth-grade students who were allowed to use stress balls in the classroom. Researchers observed and videotaped the students during the 7-week intervention as well as for 3 weeks before it began.

The findings show that when students used the stress balls, their writing improved and they were less distracted. Kinesthetic learners used the stress balls more consistently and showed the greatest improvement in attention.

The best way to figure out if a fidget toy may work for you is to give it a try.

Aside from anecdotes, there is little evidence on whether fidget toys can help specifically with anxiety.

Fidget toys do appear to reduce stress, which is related to anxiety and other emotions like anger, worry, or frustration. Unlike anxiety, stress if often triggered by an external source, though internal factors can sometimes play a role, too.

Research on the helpfulness of fidgeting in ADHD is mixed.

A study in adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) found that movement was linked to accuracy on tasks requiring intense concentration. In fact, the more the teens moved, the better their cognitive performance.

However, another study found that attention levels in children with ADHD did not improve when they used fidget toys. In fact, the scientists suggest fidget toys may actually have a negative effect.

Though research is limited on the use of fidget toys in autism, it’s known that fidgeting is common in autistic people, and many find it soothing and helpful to engage in repetitive movements.

If your child fidgets a lot, it may be helpful to try out a fidget toy to see if it helps with either concentration or stress.

However, some experts note that even though fidgeting may be soothing for autistic people, it may reinforce and potentially even increase repetitive movements, including potentially harmful movements like hitting oneself or others. It may be advisable to discuss the use of fidget toys for your autistic child with their treatment team to determine whether it’s a good idea in your kid’s unique case.

Whether you’re a student finding it hard to stay alert during long lectures, a person with ADHD who needs something to help them focus, or someone experiencing anxiety from time to time, fidget toys may be able to help.

Research on how much or whether they can help is limited. Still, many people find these spinning, popping, or squishy gadgets promote focus and attention when they need it most.

So, if you or someone you know craves movement in certain situations, consider trying one of these gadgets. It might be just the thing you need to satisfy your urge to fidget.