10 Fidget Spinner Alternatives

So by now we all know about fidget spinners for stress and anxiety relief. However, in the last week, principles and teachers are banning them as they can be a distraction in the classroom.

The good news is that objects to temporarily occupy attention are not new. There are many, many alternatives to the fidget spinner. If something can serve as a temporary distraction, it could work to help relief minor symptoms of stress.

As mentioned before, have realistic expectations when looking for anxiety relief objects. There’s no fidget toy that will make your anxiety magically disappear. With that said, here’s a list of 10 fidget spinner alternatives I found.

Tangle Jr.

Get innovative and express your creative mind with the Tangle Jr. This fidget toy can be pulled apart and reattached however you want to make many different shapes and figures.

fidget spinner tangle jr

Squeeze-A-Bean

This fidget toy is low-key as it can be attached to keys, backpacks, or bags. Squeeze-A-Bean and a little bean pops out of the pod.

Crazy Aaron’s Thinking Putty

Aaron might be a little crazy, but he created Crazy Aaron’s Thinking Putty. This putty glows in the dark and is heat sensitive so it changes colors from blue to green.

Bouncing Band for Chairs

Slide this Bouncing Band on the front legs of a chair if you suffer from restless leg syndrome and can’t keep your feet still when sitting. Use these Bouncing Bands to release extra energy while at work or school.

Spiky Gloves

These soft and stretchy Spiky Gloves are used by kids with sensory aversions. Wear a spiky glove if you’re a nervous fidgeter and need something to do with your hands to relief stress. It’s also a great way to get deep pressure on hand joints.

Roller Chain

This finger Roller Chain is very durable and the silicone bands give a tactile feel. Because there are many grooves, this Roller Chain can be used to quietly ease your stress unobtrusively.

Squash It

Squish your finger in this Hour Glass Shape Squash It to accommodate fidgeting. This toy is soft and can be squished easily to encourage finger manipulation.

Desk Buddy Sensory Ruler

What makes the Desk Buddy Sensory Ruler unique is that it’s a 3-in-1 tool. It’s a ruler, it’s something to fidget with, and you can even chew on it! Keep this ruler on the desk to occupy fidgety hands while learning or working.

Worry Stones

Fidget with these Chakra colored Worry Stones. Hold a stone in the palm of your hand and move your thumb back and forth on the indentation of the worry stone for anxiety relief.

Spiky Sensory Rings

If you need something to twist, squeeze, grab, or throw, use a Spiky Sensory Ring. These fidget rings are nontoxic, hypoallergenic, free of BPA’s, latex, and phthalates.

 

Do you have a fidget spinner alternative that you use for stress relief? Let me know in the comments.


Wanna help My Anxious World grow? Do your Amazon shopping through my affiliate link!


Tags:

Related posts


15 Comments

  • Roxanne Brathwaite

    Sorry I don’t know of any fidget spinner alternatives but you’ve listed some great ones here! Thanks for the post.

  • haha this is great. I never knew you could come up with so many alternatives

    Xo-Lisa
    http://www.thatssodarling.com

  • I could see how they could be a distraction especially now that they are a trend and kids who don’t even need them play with them also. Great alternatives for the kiddos (and adults) who do.

  • Michelle Kujawa

    My kids have the fidget spinners and I must say at home they don’t fidget as much. They will spin those things like there is no tomorrow, all while doing their homework at the kitchen table. With that being said, I do not allow them to taken to school. Some of your alternatives are interesting. I think what mostly caught my eye was desk buddy sensory ruler. Now that is something I would allow to be brought to school. Thanks for sharing. 🙂

    http://www.lifeofanimperfectmom.com/

  • I love the Thinking Putty idea, these were all great alternatives for the fidget spinner.

  • Shelby Dowden

    I think it’s awesome you came up with a list of alternatives. Maybe if someone can’t get their hands on a fidget spinner, they could purchase one of these instead.

  • carrie McGuire

    Love the bouncing band Idea!

  • Carolann

    Wow, there sure are a lot of them out there! I didn’t know they existed. I love the pea one…too cute!

  • Danielle

    I am going to pass this on to my best friend who works in pediatric OT; I don’t even think she has heard of these!

  • This is an awesome list! I need to get my husband the chair bouncing thing. He’s always shaking his leg!!

  • AshleyEPC (The Politically Correct Parent)

    Some great Ideas!! I’ve also seen people use Fidget Cubes which have various sensory stimuli on them (less distracting than a Fidget Spinner in class too). The bands on the chairs are a great idea. I’ve seen the chairs as Yoga balls too which would work great for wiggly kids. Thanks for this post!

  • Some great alternatives there. I must admit as a teacher fidget spinners drive me crazy, they’re so distracting! Some of these are much less intrusive.

  • Lynn Woods

    I learned something new today-thank you! I have never heard of a fidget spinner. Thanks for the lesson!

  • Michaela @ Wild & Precious

    Fidget spinners are a big deal in our household these days. As helpful as they are, I’m not at all surprised that they can be a distraction at school…! I hadn’t heard of most of your suggestions, and will definitely check them out. (Especially the Squeeze a Bean… too cute! 🙂

  • this is cute haha I can see a talented artist here in the making lol

Leave a Reply to Carolann Cancel reply