Fidget toys help relieve anxiety symptoms, helping you focus better and stay calm. We have created a list of the best fidget toys for anxiety to help you choose the right one. If your child feels overwhelmed in crowded places or suffers from anxiety, a fidget toy can keep them stimulated and calm without any disruption or hassle. It is better to let your child use a fidget toy than prevent them from fidgeting, as it can have negative consequences. These toys also work well for adults, allowing you to concentrate and perform better. Thus, fidget toys are a safe and innocuous way of managing anxiety without stressing out. These toys are available in various designs, colors, and sizes to cater to children and adults. So, if you suffer from anxiety or lack of concentration, you can go through our list of fidget toys to select one that suits your needs.
Do Fidget Toys Help With Anxiety?
Fidget toys do help cope with anxiety, higher than normal energy levels, and extreme sensitivity to a particular environment. When a person is suffering from any of these conditions, they tend to bite their nails, pinch their skin, or pull at their cuticles. Fidget toys allow them to vent those feelings in a harmless way. Using a fidget toy is a known rapid stress management technique but should be used as a supplement to other treatments. It is calming and soothing for those with anxiety and is known to reduce anxiety levels by 18%. Now that you know what they are and how they help, here’s our list of the bests.
11 Best Fidget Toys For Anxiety
1. Best With Diverse Toys: ChicFunhood Fidget Sensory Toys Bundle For Adults And Children
Bring home this set of 32 sensory fidget toys for anxiety and enhance focus in both children and adults. Stress and anxiety can be relieved drastically by squeezing, flipping, stretching, and playing with these fidget toys. These toys have shown excellent results in therapy for anxiety, ADHD, OCD, and autism, and help prevent habits such as peeling of skin and biting of nails. This set includes a whole range of diverse fidget toys that keep the hands busy and the brain focused while being fun at the same time. They are safe, non-toxic, and hypoallergenic, and free of BPA, phthalates, and latex. These toys are small and can be conveniently carried in your pocket. They also make great birthday party favors, classroom rewards, or pinata fillers. This video review will help you understand more about the product. Pros
Improve memory skills Smooth edges Boost hand-eye coordination Stimulate creativity
Cons
Some pieces may be smaller than expected May not be suitable for children below three years
2. Best To Relieve Restlessness: Chuchik Fidget Cube – Wooden
This tough and sturdy cube made of ABS plastic can effectively calm your child. Its ergonomic shape and non-slip, smooth silicone coating ensures that it fits just right in the hand, and it comes in a protective, water-resistant case, so that your child can carry it wherever they go. This anxiety fidget cube has both silent and clickable components, and its size makes it barely noticeable when in use. It’s suitable for anyone with anxiety, OCD, ADHD, and hyperthyroidism, and also helps improve motor skills, strengthens muscles, and increases circulation. This cube has been found to relieve restlessness, agitation, and hyperactivity and improve concentration and focus. Pros
Buff-free edges Protective case Enhances concentration Relieves stress
Cons
Buttons may be flimsy Joystick may be noisy
3. Best Versatile: Vantasii Fidget Toys
These fidget toys for anxiety come in a pack of ten and in five different colors to alleviate anxiety and stress. Its versatile design allows you to slide or squeeze the marble back and forth, fold it, bend it, and roll it to calm fidgety fingers. It’s made of high density, well-knit, and durable BPA-free nylon fiber with a marble enclosed in it. It can be cleaned easily in the washing machine and should be air-dried. This simple and effective fidget toy can help those with anxiety disorders, ADHD, ADD, OCD, and autism calm down and focus. It has also shown positive results in physical therapy for arthritis or fibromyalgia. Pros
Strengthen your fingers Promotes focusing Close-knit Attractive bright colors
Cons
Ends may loosen over time May pose a choking hazard
4. Best With Round Corners: Daily Vibrations Infinity Cube – Light Blue
This soothing tie-and-dye, light blue, anxiety fidget cube helps both adults and children alleviate chronic stress and improve focus. It is a combination of eight cubes attached with metal hinges and brass pins, and each cube measures 2x2x2in. It’s compact and small enough to fit in one hand and can be carried anywhere to provide relief from fidgeting. It makes a great sensory toy for those with anxiety, stress, ADHD, or autism. It also helps lessen the frequency of habits such as cracking knuckles, biting nails, clicking pens, pinching, shaking legs, or technology overuse. Made of durable, semi-alloy metal material, it’s lightweight and easily portable. It features rounded corners to reduce stress on the fingers and can be used for long durations. This cube can also help develop muscle dexterity, coordination, and fine motor skills. Pros
One-handed operation design Non-slip material Rounded corners Noiseless and compact Available in a wide range of colors
Cons
May be smaller than expected Paint may not be chip-resistant
5. Best Non-Toxic: Trekbest Infinity Cube Fidget Toy
This colorful anxiety fidget cube is made of eight non-toxic, ABS plastic blocks measuring 1.6 x 1.6 x 1.6in. The blocks are linked with strong stainless steel metal bearings and can be rotated in any direction. The cube is small enough to be placed in one hand and can be carried around discreetly in a pocket. It can be folded and unfolded over and over again with one hand. It’s great for relieving anxiety and stress and clearing the mind. It can also help your child get out of habits such as nail biting, pulling of cuticles, or leg shaking. It’s known to be therapeutic for those who have autism, dementia, and Asperger’s. It’s not recommended for children below the age of three years. Pros
Boosts hand-eye coordination Enhances focus Improves finger movements Break- and rust-resistant
Cons
Connectors may be a bit flimsy May be small for adults
6. Best For Grip: Tom’s Fidgets Flippy Chain Fidget Toy – Blue
This is quite a heavy-duty fidget toy for chronic fidgeters and those with anxiety, stress, pain, or lack of focus. It keeps one’s fingers busy so that the mind can concentrate on the work at hand. These fidget toys are handmade from bike chains and the stainless steel chain links and steel split rings do not corrode or rust, and have been thoroughly washed and cleaned to remove all grease. The silicone O-rings provide added grip and texture and do not fade. They are designed to be completely silent and are easy to carry, so you can use them discreetly whenever you want. The flippy chain fidget toy can help children stop habits such as biting nails and shaking legs. Pros
Good grip bands Strengthens fingers Improves hand-eye coordination Boosts concentration
Cons
Smaller in size than expected May pose a choking hazard
7. Best With Powerful Magnets: Fatizone Finger Magnetic Ring Fidget Spinner Toy
Relieve stress and calm your nerves with the magnetic fidget spinner by Fatizone. Made of PVC material, this toy has smooth edges and is safe to play with. It comes with N45 magnets to offer controlled play. The three magnetic rings are detachable. Enhance your focus with this spinning toy as it supports multi-directional spin. This fidget toy spins from 30 seconds to one minute. It can help your nerves within three to five minutes of average spins. You can spin the toy with multiple tricks. Pros
Sleek design Portable Available in three colors No oiling or maintenance required
Cons
May be slightly big May be louder than expected
8. Woogoo Push Pop Fidget Toy
The soft, silicone push pop fidget toy makes for an ideal sensory toy for children, adults, and those with special needs. The bright colors and pleasant popping sounds are relaxing and help one concentrate. You children can create games with this fidget toy to reduce anxiety and develop their logical reasoning and planning skills. The bubble toy is made of odorless, non-toxic, food-grade, and environmentally-friendly silicone, and is safe to use. This soft, durable toy is easily portable and convenient to wash and reuse. Pros
Soft and durable May help relieve acute stress and anxiety Improves focus Washable and reusable Water-resistant
Cons
May be smaller than expected
9. Best For Sensory Play: JYXT Sensory Fidget Toys Set
This versatile set includes a whole range of fidget toys to ensure you’re never out of choices. The silicone fidget toys help reduce anxiety and stress and improve concentration. They encourage children to pull, stretch, twist, and wrap them into any shape they want, thus dissipating excess energy. They are also easy to clean as they just need to be rinsed and air dried. Each toy is compact and easily portable, so your child can put them in their pocket and use them whenever and wherever they want. Pros
Water-proof Helpful for ADHD, ADD, and OCD Improves focus Develops hand-eye coordination
Cons
Tiny parts may pose a choking hazard
10. Best Portable: Figrol Fidget Spinner
This fidget spinner comes in a pack of five with attractive LED lights and rainbow colors. It helps relieve anxiety and stress and helps children overcome habits such as nail biting and shaking of legs. It comes in five colors—red, green, blue, white, and yellow—and you can change the modes of the multi-color lights in 36 ways, depending on your mood. It is compact and lightweight, making it easy to carry and use anytime, anywhere. Made of high-quality ABS plastic, it’s also quite durable and safe. Pros
Meets ASTM safety standards Cool LED patterns Electroplate coating Auto-off LED light
Cons
May be less suitable for tiny tots Battery may drain out pretty quickly
11. Best Durable: Ecerangus House Pop Fidget Toy
Alleviate stress with this Ecerangus Christmas house fidget toy. This fidget toy is soft, has no sharp edges, and is made of premium-quality material. It is non-toxic, environmentally friendly, and safe to use. The pop fidget toy helps improve hand-eye coordination, restores mood, and develops color recognition. This fidget toy is suitable for children with autism, high anxiety, and OCD. They can easily play with it in cars, flights, restaurants, and other places. Pros
BPA-free silicone material Washable and easy to clean Easy to carry Wear-resistant Strengthens parent-child interaction
Cons
May be slightly larger than expected Popping sound may be loud
How To Choose Fidget Toys For Anxiety
Quality
Despite its small size, it’s vital that a fidget toy is extremely well made. It’s going to be used frequently and it’s important that it doesn’t wear out or break upon extended use. The durability of the toy matters especially if you have paid rather heavily for it.
Texture and feel
However insignificant it may seem, a fidget toy should have multiple features and textures like hard, soft, squishy, or bumpy that keep your fingers busy while you focus on the task at hand. The moving parts should be smooth and should feel light, the textures soothing, and it should be weighted without feeling heavy.
Entertaining but not distracting
The aim of a fidget toy is to give an outlet to your anxiety and excess energy so that you can focus on the task at hand rather than focusing on the toy itself. If sounds or bright colors are distracting, then a muted and discreet colored toy would be a better idea. It should be simple enough to meet your fidget requirements without becoming a distraction. For example, a fidget spinner with shiny parts and flashing lights may become more of a toy than a tool to handle anxiety.
Safety
Needless to say, a fidget toy needs to be safe at any cost. Sharp edges and parts that can pinch your body are a strict no-no. Avoid any fidget toy that has small parts if you have children around you, and always check the recommended age on the product before buying it.
Motor movements
You need to check what motor movements are preferred and whether the fidget toy caters to that. There are fidget toys available for different motor movements like squeezing, rubbing, flapping, flicking, or pulling, so it’s a matter of personal preference.
Frequency and place of use
The fidget toy you choose would depend on where, when, and how it will be put to use. The choice would depend on the frequency of use and where you will be using it. That would determine whether you would need a wearable solution, one that can be attached to a keychain, whether it should be school-approved, or for use at home.
Additional features
You now have access to a number of fancy fidget toys with special features of sound, light, and even smells. This sensory input may be required by some users, but for others, it may be unnecessary and even overwhelming. So, you can make the choice depending on what you prefer.
Why Trust MomJunction?
Priti Bose has extensive experience writing well-researched articles, with her focus area being kid’s products, toys, and gifts. In this article, she lists the best fidget toys for anxiety based on user reviews, with detailed information on each product. She has also included a buying guide with useful tips for buying fidget spinners to help her readers make the right decision. These fidget spinners come in various designs and can help you feel calm and focused.
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