What Makes a Good Fidget?

You’ve heard of toys with “fidget” in the name.  Fidget cubes.  Fidget spinners.  But what is a fidget?  And when is it helpful?

What do Child Psychologists say about fidgets?

A good fidget keeps the brain alert. But without becoming the focus of your attention.   Think of the pen you tap on the table. Or that ring you like to twist in long meetings.

These are fidgets. They can be a piece of string. A paper clip. A pen cap. The label you peel off of a drink bottle.

When finding a fidget for your child, look first for what he naturally uses. A scrunchie? A hot wheels car? Erasers?

Our family therapists think fidgets are helpful for everyone. Especially kids and teens with ADHD.

The best fidgets

• Provide sensory input to stimulate the brain

  Most fidgets have texture or movement that we feel with our fingers.  This can be as simple as a bumpy ruler or a bracelet we take on and off.  As annoying as it might be, tapping a pencil on the table is a good fidget for many.

  Some fidgets offer input through the mouth or feet.  Chewing gum (or straws or pen caps) is a fidget!  Rolling a ball with your feet is a fidget too.

• Can be used under the table

  If you have to look at a fidget to use it, it will be a distraction.   Good fidgets enable our attention.  They don’t require it.

• Are personalized

  A good fidget has to feel good to YOU.    It has to keep you focused on learning.   If it doesn’t do that for you, try a different fidget. 

• Are simple

  You don’t have to buy a fidget.  Think about what you do naturally, and make that your fidget.   Doodling in the margins of a page is a fidget, too!

• Don’t distract others

  This is easier to achieve in online learning.  (See that?  There IS a silver lining!)   In a classroom, fidgets that make audible sounds are off limits.  

  At home, click away on your fidget cube, as long as you can still hear the lesson.  However, chewing or other fidgets that involve the face may be MORE distracting online.  Stick with fidgets that can be used off-screen.

It can help your teen’s anxiety, too!

Your teen’s fidget may also be soothing. What items does your teen like to have nearby? A favorite hoodie? A cozy blanket?

She might fidgeting with the strings, Or perhaps he pulls the blanket tight around his shoulders. These aren’t the kind of fidgets you hold in your hand. But they still offer needed sensory input.

Consider all 5 senses to manage anxiety. Use a diffuser or essential oils to scent your learning space. Add a backdrop of nature sounds. And a familiar and comforting texture.

Use mints, gum, or ice to increase alertness. And visual cues to remind your teen of calming strategies. Or of her strengths.

At Better Together Family Therapy we often serve children and teens with anxiety.  Knowing what calming strategies work for them is an important step in setting up their learning space. And everyone in the family benefits from knowing how to calm down!

We’re happy to help you find the tools that work best for your family!   Some of our favorites are posted on our YouTube channel. Click the links below to see us demonstrate!

Want more personalized help?  Give us a call at 240-242-5185 to schedule a free 15 minute consult!