Our 9 Favorite Fidget Toys

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Many kids need to constantly be moving or touching something. If you notice your Nanny Kid constantly fidgeting at inappropriate times, that their legs are moving when seated, or if she has high anxiety and worries a lot — fidget toys may help. Fidget toys can also be used to help break bad habits like nail picking and biting.

Fidget toys are great for all children, teens, and adults, but especially those with ADHD, OCD, autism, or high anxiety levels. These toys help promote a sense of calm, reduce stress, anxiety, and can increase focus and attention for those diagnosed with ADHD. They are particularly helpful for students to use discreetly in a classroom. They work great as a silent toy to keep kids busy without distracting others.

All children I have met seem to love fidget spinners — but teachers hate them. But teachers don’t mind students using other fidget toys including: squishy stress relief balls, tangle toys, rings, jewelry, necklaces, twiddle toys, pencil toppers, spiky bracelets, fidget cubes, hourglass fidgets, spiky rings, and many more.

Always remember to supervise young children with any new toy and use your judgment to make sure it’s safe and appropriate for each individual child.

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Here is a list of some fidget gadgets my Nanny Kids have liked:

1. DNA Stress Balls

Trying to squeeze and maneuver the little rubber balls inside the DNA Stress Balls is super fun and engaging. The DNA Stress Balls make for a great tactile toy. Children of all ages love these stress balls. Heck, I’m addicted to them too.

2. TANGLE Jr. Original Fidget Toy

Tangle Jr. is truly therapeutic and calming to the soul. Once you put a Tangle in your hand, you just cannot put it down. A Tangle is more than just a toy. The Tangle has a series of 90 degree curves that are connected and able to pivot at each joint. It has no beginning and no end just continuous motion. Tangles have endless uses and serve a variety of different purposes. It can be a puzzle, a movable sculpture, a desktop toy, a fidget, a brain tool, an anti-stress device, and teacher supply. They are appealing to all ages, to boys and girls alike, and even adults. They are great for fidgety students to being to school since do not disturb or disrupt others.

3. Stretchy String Fidget

Stretchy Strings feel soft and slimy. Pinch them, tie them, twist them, and stretch them over 10 feet long. Stretchy Strings also make great exercise toys for the fingers and hands.

4. Spiky Slap Bracelets

Spiky Slap Bands are super rewarding to manipulate, bend, touch, and play with. Snap one over your wrist to watch it curve into a bracelet. The spikes are soft. The bracelets are dishwasher safe and suitable for anyone 3-years-old and up.

5. Focus Sensory Marble and Mesh Fidgets

I like Mesh and Marble toys because they are small and can be kept in a student’s pants pockets at school. They can fiddle with the toy without distracting others around them. Kids can bend them, fold them, and squish them to calm nerves and soothe fidgety fingers. I wouldn’t use these toys with. Holden that our toys in their mouths due to the small marbles inside the mesh could potentially be a choking hazard, especially for children under 3 years of age.

6. Tom’s Fidgets Flippy Chain

The Flippy Chain Fidget toy by Tom’s Fidgets is a handcrafted heavy duty fidget for hardcore fidgeters. All of Tom’s Fidgets chain fidgets are made from bike chains that have been thoroughly washed to remove all grease, and are made of materials that will not rust or corrode. Chain Fidgets are designed to be 100% silent, and easy to carry, and discretely kept in a child’s pants pocket. Flippy Chains have small parts and are not appropriate for use with children under 3.

7. Scented Kneaded Erasers

These probably aren’t listed in any fidget toy list but One of my former Nanny Kids loved keeping these in his pocket and on his desk. They are obviously useful as erasers but my former Nanny Kid could knead them discretely in his pocket in the classroom. Geddes snack attack scented kneaded erasers are durable and easy to use for a long time. These novelty erasers can be taken apart and reassembled and help children during homework for scrapping mistakes. While typical erasers don’t smell good these come in six scents pleasant scents.

8. Spiky Sensory Balls

No need to worry these small balls have soft spikes. They’re bouncy, too! They are made with 100% high-quality thermoplastic rubber, they are hypoallergenic, nontoxic, and free of BPAs, phthalates, and latex. They are strong and durable and dishwasher safe.

9. Spaghetti Ball

This fidget toy wouldn’t be my first choice for a child to take to school. But children I have cared for have liked pulling these stretchy, squishy balls that have a cool texture and feel to them.