Fidget Toys For the Classroom

Fidget Toys For the Classroom

Fidgeting is a normal, healthy part of the brain’s functioning, and it can help students focus during activities that require attention.fidget toys for the classroom However, students who fidget may have sensory needs that go beyond simply avoiding work to distract themselves. These students may need to feel their hands or arms to calm down, focus their thoughts, or be more physically active. In these cases, teachers should consider using fidget toys in the classroom.

These tools can help support students with anxiety, ADHD or ADD, autism, OCD, or other conditions that lead to difficulty with concentration and sitting still. Having these tools readily available can also encourage students to use them when they are not feeling distracted, which can help them learn how to self regulate their emotions without the aid of the fidget toy.

Some of the best fidget toys for the classroom are ones that do not make any noise or distract others in the classroom. Those include putty, such as Crazy Aaron’s Thinking Putty or Mad Mattr, and tangle twisters that can be twisted to provide finger and hand stimulation. These toys are also great for calming down before class, as are squishies that can be squeezed or rolled. Some pupils may find these types of toys distracting, and it is important to have a set of rules in place that can be reviewed with the class so they understand how to use them appropriately. This might include stating that fidgets should not be thrown, and that eyes should remain on the learning and not the fidget toy (although this might not be possible for autistic pupils who may have trouble looking in one direction).

If you are unsure about which fidget tool might be best for your students, work with the school OT or consult with a trained therapist to get an idea of what might help them. Then, try out a variety of items to see what works for them. Often, after a week or so of trial and error, students will know whether squeezing a squishy helps them focus or distracts them, so they can choose to access this during listening or thinking time or not.

It’s also helpful to build movement into the day as much as possible so that students are able to release their extra energy before the classroom gets too intense. Some ways to do this are through active brain breaks, movement-based maths games, active PE lessons, and standing during desk work.

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