15 Fidget Tools (Not Toys) For Your Classroom | Performance Health

What are fidget tools (fidget toys)?

Fidget tools. Sensory gadgets. Concentration tools. These devices go by many different names and come in different forms. But all of the tools can be used to make small movements, usually by using your hands or feet, and often offer tactile input too.

Calling them “fidget tools” instead of “fidget toys” can help remind your students of their purpose. They aren’t for playing; the tools can help with self-regulation, attention, and calming.

What students can benefit from fidget tools?

Many teachers find all of their students benefit from having the option to use fidget tools. Teachers especially appreciate them in elementary grades where many students have higher levels of energy and few opportunities to use it up during P.E. class or recess.

Children with autism may find using fidget tools soothing and calming as the tools helps them meet their sensory needs. For children with ADHD, sensory gadgets are great tools as they provide a movement outlet that allows the child to focus and concentrate better. Some people with anxiety also benefit from using fidget tools.

Is there research proving fidget tools improve attention or concentration?

There is plenty of anecdotal evidence that shows other teachers think fidget tools help their children during class. But what is the research on using fidgets in the classroom?

Study 1

Title: Using Stress Balls to Focus the Attention of Sixth-Grade Learners

Participants: 29 sixth grade language arts class students

Results: Distractions and inattention decreased when using the stress ball during both direct instruction and independent practice. The students’ writing scores increased by 2% compared to the previous grading period. In the past, grades typically decreased during this grading period due to heavy emphasis on a research paper.

Many of the students surveyed felt that the stress ball helped them and it was especially useful for kinesthetic learners. Additionally, peer interaction improved, especially for students who learn kinesthetically or have ADHD.

Study 2

Title: A Trial by Trial Analysis Reveals More Intense Physical Activity is Associated with Better Cognitive Control Performance in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Participants: 44 children between the ages of 10 and 17, with ADHD or typically developing, with no psychiatric comorbidity or significant learning disorders

Results: This study measured activity using an actometer on participants’ ankles while performing a flanker paradigm. The flanker task requires participants to focus on the central symbol and identify it while the other symbols surrounding it are congruent (>>>>>), incongruent (<<><<), or neutral (++>++).

The study found that children with ADHD had higher intensity movements during their correct trials compared to their incorrect trials. In contrast, the typically developing group showed no within group differences.

The findings suggest that the excessive motor activity associated with ADHD symptoms may reflect compensatory efforts by people with ADHD to focus their attention and increase their alertness.

Research Recap

More research is needed to discover if fidgeting objects can help improve attention. The first study suggests they can help all children concentrate. The second study suggests they are probably more helpful for students with ADHD. Trying them in your classroom allows you to see if fidget tools are another way you can help your students learn.

Why are fidget spinners often a poor choice for classroom use?

If you’ve survived the crazy 2017 fidget spinner fad in a school setting, you might be reluctant to add in other fidget tools. Some schools banned fidget spinners because they are noisy, and distracting for the user and students around them (especially light up options). Students would even use them as a toy to do tricks.

Schools also had troubles with trading, stealing, and breaking of fidget spinners. Fidget spinners require attention when spinning and doing tricks which interrupts the focus of the entire class - the exact opposite effect of their original purpose.

What makes a good fidget tool?

There are other fidget gadgets, beyond fidget spinners, that your students can use to help them focus.

A good fidget tool:

• Is quiet and safe
• Can be used without looking, so the user can focus on the lesson
• Can be used out of other children’s eyesight to eliminate distraction
• Meets your student’s sensory needs (some prefer certain textures while others avoid them)
• Fits your student’s physical abilities (they must have the fine motor skills or strength to use the tool)
• Is relatively cheap (or durable, if more expensive)

From stress balls to squeeze under their desks to resistance bands to kick when tied beneath their chairs, here are our top choices for teacher-approved fidgets that are perfect for the classroom.

15 Fidget Tools for Your Students

• For Fidgety Hands
• For Tapping and Bouncing Feet
• For Wiggling

For Fidgety Hands

1. Therapy Putty

Squishable, rollable, and quiet, therapy putty is an excellent desk buddy/hand fidget tool. Choose smaller containers, write the students’ names on the lid, and let each child keep one at their desk. And at the end of the class, they can just put it back in the container and pop the lid back on, so it’s ready for the next day. Or keep a couple containers of putty in your fidget tools bin and let students try it out.