{"id":20141,"date":"2022-06-30T16:00:22","date_gmt":"2022-06-30T23:00:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/adhdonline.com\/?p=20141"},"modified":"2024-06-05T21:12:26","modified_gmt":"2024-06-06T01:12:26","slug":"the-best-adhd-fidgets-recommended-by-the-kids-who-use-them","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/adhdonline.com\/articles\/the-best-adhd-fidgets-recommended-by-the-kids-who-use-them\/","title":{"rendered":"The Best ADHD Fidgets (Recommended By the Kids Who Use Them)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/adhdonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/june_blog_post_14-1024x536-1.jpg\" alt=\"image\" class=\"wp-image-20129\"><\/figure>\n\n\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>By Michelle Seitzer<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em>Sit still! Stop moving! Don&#8217;t touch!<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Anyone who spends time with kids who have ADHD has either said these words or heard them often.<\/p>\n<p>Fidget toys can help in a variety of ways:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>When it&#8217;s hard to focus on a task \u2014 anything from completing homework to watching a movie \u2014 fidgets are a great way to reign in the brain.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>When <a class=\"wpil_keyword_link\" href=\"https:\/\/adhdonline.com\/anxiety\/\"   title=\"anxiety\" data-wpil-keyword-link=\"linked\">anxiety<\/a> is high, fidgets provide an outlet to keep a worried mind from unraveling.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>When all they want to do is <i>move<\/i>, channeling their busy body energy through a fidget is a great way to regulate.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Dana Bergey is a behavior analyst with over 14 years of experience who engages with many children with ADHD. &#8220;Fidgets can help kids sit longer by curbing the desire to get up and walk away,&#8221; says Bergey. And by channeling their physical and mental busyness into actively engaging with a fidget, kids may be able to focus on a task for a longer period, she adds.<\/p>\n<p>Here&#8217;s what kids and parents have to say about their favorite fidgets and why they love them:<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Pop Its!<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Available in a spectrum of shapes and colors \u2014 and even as key chains for easy transport and loss prevention \u2014 Pop Its! (also known as pop sheets) are probably the year&#8217;s most popular fidget.<\/p>\n<p>Tracy Whitney, a mom of six, says her daughter uses lots of different fidgets and \u201ckind of rotates across the gazillion that she has stashed all over her room.&#8221; But right now, the pop sheets are her favorite. \u201cShe loves the colors and the soft rubber texture. She imitates the sound by popping her tongue in her mouth,&#8221; Whitney says.<\/p>\n<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-20136\" src=\"https:\/\/adhdonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/pop_it.jpg\" sizes=\"(max-width: 425px) 100vw, 425px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/adhdonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/pop_it.jpg 425w, https:\/\/adhdonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/pop_it-300x265-1.jpg 300w\" alt=\"image\" width=\"425\" height=\"376\"><\/p>\n<h2><strong>Chewy Necklaces<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>If your child comes home with pencils and pens that are chewed beyond recognition, it might be time to try a chewy necklace or key chain. Brynn Gutelius&#8217;s teen daughter says it&#8217;s her favorite because \u201cit helps her focus and stay on task.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>If your child doesn&#8217;t want to wear a necklace, chewy pencil toppers are available.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-20137\" src=\"https:\/\/adhdonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/pencil_toppers.jpeg\" alt=\"image\" width=\"235\" height=\"215\"><\/p>\n<h2><strong>Stress Balls<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>One of the most common places where inattention and hyperactivity show up is in the classroom. It&#8217;s also a place where stress shows up, particularly for <a class=\"wpil_keyword_link\" href=\"https:\/\/adhdonline.com\/students\/\"   title=\"students\" data-wpil-keyword-link=\"linked\"  data-wpil-monitor-id=\"127\">students<\/a> who need constant redirection of energy or reminders to focus. Stress balls are a practical solution to these challenges.<\/p>\n<p>Beth Ann Coleman, a mom of two, says stress balls are her daughter&#8217;s favorite fidget. \u201cAnd it&#8217;s my favorite because it doesn&#8217;t make noise like Pop Its,&#8221; she adds, winking.<\/p>\n<p>Marianne Toussaint, a mom of twins, says she heard that many students brought stress balls to school this year. This fidget is easy to store in a desk or pocket and doesn&#8217;t make distracting noises.<\/p>\n<p><em>\u201cI like stress balls because they&#8217;re squishy and that keeps me from not looking down.&#8221; \u2013 Mercy Miller, age 11<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-20138\" src=\"https:\/\/adhdonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/stress_balls.jpeg\" sizes=\"(max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/adhdonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/stress_balls.jpeg 225w, https:\/\/adhdonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/stress_balls-150x150-1.jpeg 150w\" alt=\"image\" width=\"225\" height=\"225\"><\/em><\/p>\n<h2><strong>Fidget Cubes<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>The original fidget cube \u2014 the Rubik&#8217;s cube \u2014 is still popular with kids and adults. But if trying to solve the puzzle proves to be more frustrating than enjoyable, a number of fidget cubes are designed instead for poking, pulling, pushing and popping.<\/p>\n<p><i>\u201cI like the Rubik&#8217;s cube because my brain likes to solve it, even though I can&#8217;t solve it that much.&#8221; \u2013 Mercy Miller, age 11 <\/i><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-20139\" src=\"https:\/\/adhdonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Rubiks-Cube.jpeg\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/adhdonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Rubiks-Cube.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/adhdonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Rubiks-Cube-300x300-1.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/adhdonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Rubiks-Cube-150x150-1.jpeg 150w\" alt=\"image\" width=\"768\" height=\"768\"><\/p>\n<h2><strong>Putty<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Slimy, sticky, sturdy, sparkly and everything in between, putty is a favorite fidget that has calming properties in addition to focusing busy hands. Mom of two Stephanie Dagger says her kids prefer \u201cthe kind that&#8217;s super thick and gives resistance.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>In our house, we love Crazy Aaron&#8217;s Putty because it doesn&#8217;t have a slimy feel, and it holds its shape even after multiple uses. Another bonus: If your child forgets to place it back in its storage tin, it won&#8217;t dry out.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-20140\" src=\"https:\/\/adhdonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Falling-Water-Tin_1024x1024.jpg\" sizes=\"(max-width: 760px) 100vw, 760px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/adhdonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Falling-Water-Tin_1024x1024.jpg 760w, https:\/\/adhdonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Falling-Water-Tin_1024x1024-300x300-1.jpg 300w, https:\/\/adhdonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Falling-Water-Tin_1024x1024-150x150-1.jpg 150w\" alt=\"image\" width=\"760\" height=\"760\"><\/p>\n<h2><strong>Out-of-the-Box Fidgets<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Before there were fidgets, Diana Thorn, mom of four, recalls that some of her kids would twirl their hair. This harmless habit is something she did too, Thorn says. And still does.<\/p>\n<p>Jennifer Milstead, a mom who is also an educator, says her daughter&#8217;s teacher puts Velcro underneath her students&#8217; desks as a fidget. Tracy Whitney&#8217;s sensory-seeking daughter has a favorite baby doll whose feet and hands are threadbare from rubbing the fabric.<\/p>\n<p>The bottom line is this: If an object gives your children comfort, a place for their nervous energy to rest or a task for their restless hands, that&#8217;s a fidget worth keeping around.<\/p>\n<p>And behavior specialist Bergey recommends having an array of fidgets to cycle through, as the favorites should be switched out now and then. &#8220;When a fidget loses its novelty, kids may get bored with it or they lose the motivation to use it,&#8221; she explains.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Also, different fidgets meet different sensory needs, which is why it&#8217;s important to have multiple options available \u2014 one they can pull, one they can squeeze, one they pick at, one they can spin,&#8221; Bergey says.<\/p>\n<p>Ultimately you don&#8217;t have to spend much money \u2014 or any \u2014 to find a variety of fidgets for your child or teen with ADHD. Who knows? You might even find one that helps you when you&#8217;re feeling nervous, distracted or edgy, too.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Discover how fidget toys can help kids with ADHD focus, reduce anxiety, and channel energy. Learn about popular options like Pop Its, stress balls, and more.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":21205,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[78],"tags":[88,83,90],"content_type":[39],"class_list":["post-20141","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles","tag-parents-family","tag-teens","tag-tools-tips","content_type-article"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/adhdonline.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20141","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/adhdonline.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/adhdonline.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adhdonline.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adhdonline.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=20141"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/adhdonline.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20141\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adhdonline.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/21205"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/adhdonline.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20141"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adhdonline.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20141"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adhdonline.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=20141"},{"taxonomy":"content_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adhdonline.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/content_type?post=20141"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}