Fidget Spinners… the curse of parents and teachers around the world! It’s time for some Fidget Spinner Alternatives!
If you have a child, then you probably have a fidget spinner (or 5!) in your house or your child has at least asked for one. They are everywhere! The craze has hit hard and fast!
Table of Contents
Fidget Spinner Obsession
I’m a teacher and I went from not even knowing what they were, to having dozens of students with them in a matter of weeks. My own children were so desperate to get one that they did extra chores for weeks (like scooping the cat litter box!) to get the money to buy one!
In fact, my children love fidget spinner so much that they started making their own from various Lego pieces we have at home! Check out our tutorial on how we made a super fast spinning Lego Fidget Spinner.
My children might love them, but I have to say… I don’t get it! I don’t see the appeal in them. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a fidgeter! I have a couple of rings on my fingers, just so I can fidget with them throughout the day!
I pretty much always have to be doing something with my hands, or I can’t concentrate. But to me, a spinner isn’t a “fidget” toy. It doesn’t keep my hands busy enough, so I can concentrate. It’s more of a toy that I would sit and look at, more of a distraction than something to help me focus.
Fidget Spinner Alternatives
So I decided to track down and test some fidget spinner alternatives for children and adults.
Here are some of the best ones I found.
Fidget Cube
The Fidget Cube is a great alternative for:
Someone who needs to keep their hands busy so they can concentrate on a task
Fidget Cubes are nearly as popular as fidget spinner. These are small cubes with different buttons on each side. All the buttons move in a different way. The cube is small enough to hold in one hand, and easy to absentmindedly play with while working on something else.
Puzzle Snake
The Puzzle Snake is a great alternative for:
Someone that needs something to focus on so they can zone out what is going on around them
The Puzzle Snake has been around for years but recently has become popular again. It is a long plastic toy made on interlocking triangles and can be twisted to create different shapes. The possible shape creations are endless.
Infinity Cube
The Infinity Cube is a great alternative for:
Someone who likes repetitive motions to help zone out
Infinity Cubes are a small plastic cube that is hinged in a number of places. By opening it up and folding the hinges in a different direction you can create different shapes. You can also mindlessly cycle through the different configurations.
Spinning Ring
The Spinning Ring is a great alternative for:
Adults or teens who need something to occupy their hands when stressed or anxious
Spinning Rings are pieces of jewelry which have a double purpose! To most people they will look like a pretty ring, but a section of the ring also spins around. Perfect for anyone that anxiously plays with their jewelry (like me!)
Note: There are more masculine versions available, such as this Spinning Ring in black.
Star Magic Cube
The Star Magic Cube is a great alternative for:
Someone that needs a distraction and to give themselves a brain break
The Star Magic Cube is a novel toy that is actually made up of 2 interlocking parts. They fit together in different ways and fold and unfold to make a variety of shapes, such as a cube or star.
Flexi-Sphere
The Flexi-Sphere is a great alternative for:
Someone that wants something to keep their hands amused and zone out
The Flexi-Sphere is an old fashioned toy made of wire and beads. By flipping sections of it around you can make different shapes. There is a comforting repetitiveness to it’s movement as you cycle through the shapes.
Maze Ball
The Maze Ball is a great alternative for:
Someone that wants a challenging distraction and a task to keep them focused
The Perplexus Maze Ball is a fun toy to pick up and play with whenever you want to zone out the rest of the world. By gently twisting and turning the sphere, you guide a small marble through a set of paths. Easy to learn, difficult to master! It takes hyper concentration to complete – great for ADHD or ADD kids.
Fidget Pencil Toppers
Fidget Pencil Toppers are a great alternative for:
Children (or adults!) who need something to play with while thinking about what they are going to write
These Fidget Pencil Toppers go on the top of a pen or pencil, and can be played with while thinking about your written work. They are a great alternative for kids who chew on their pencils or spin them (and knock them onto the floor) repeatedly.
Moon Drop Magnetic Toy
The Moon Drop Magnetic Toy is a great alternative for:
Someone that needs something to play with while they contemplate difficult problems
The Moon Drop Magnetic Toy is a metal rod with a gravity-defying metal collar that seems to float as it slides up and down. Perfect for adults to keep on their desks or for anyone interested in the science of magnets and opposite forces.
Spiral Liquid Timer
The Spiral Liquid Timer is a great alternative for:
Someone that needs to calm down for a period of time
Spiral Liquid Timers and other liquid motion toys are great for helping an upset child calm now. By focusing on the moving liquid, they fall into an almost meditative state. Ideal for children (and adults) who deal with frustration and needs ways to calm down.
So there you have it! 10 Fidget Spinner alternatives to give you something to occupy hands and mind to help aid concentration!
Which is your favorite? Have you found a different toy that you like instead of fidget spinners?
Cool list. I’m a bad fidgeter, and if have to restrain myself from fidgeting, I can’t concentrate on what I actually need to. I finally picked up a complimentary fidget spinner yesterday. Better than nothing, I guess, but it’s not my ideal configuration now that I can actually interact with it. I’m gonna check some of these out, and hopefully find my best match.
I’m the same – I have to play with something to concentrate. I like the fidget rings as they don’t look out of place for an adult.
I’ve been seriously looking at several different spinner rings, as they are a bit more low key than other products like fidget spinners. I’ve been having loads of trouble concentrating for years and have not found anything other than biting nails to be my fidgeting go to. Since I stopped biting some months ago, I’ve been having trouble concentrating again and I can’t seem to fix this other than messing around with anything in my hands.
Definitely try the rings. There are some quite masculine looking ones available on Amazon. I like having something to play with that is discrete – good for meetings or professional situations.