fidgeting through february
While it seems there has been an explosion of people, especially adults, being diagnosed with ADHD, ASD, and so forth, I find myself wondering how many people have succumbed to a life of masking and feeling disconnected because this information was not always easily accessible versus how much does the access to information and the conditions of our world impact, a pandemic, etc. impact all of our abilities to maintain our mental health? Have we all just been trying to fit in to a “normal” that is actually only “normal” for portion of us? Or, is the world and systems impacting so many more people on a larger capacity, bringing to light mental health needs we may not have otherwise noticed? Can we think about learning and processing and attention in a more dynamic and approachable way? While these are big questions I love discussing, I use them here to get your brain thinking about how you can adapt your spaces and mindsets to be more inclusive and exciting - especially if those spaces require people maintaining attention for extended periods of time (insert Tik Tok sound of ‘In this economy?’) - rather than having all the answers.
As February is part of a stretch of months that, for many people (especially in the US), feel like the longest, coldest parts of our year, it felt useful (or at least less cold and gray), to share ideas about fidgets. Whether it is providing something new and not-super-distracting for a classroom full of kids or just for yourself to get through all of those long work meetings - fidgets can help! I see fidgets as multi-faceted tools in that they can help with attention, help with anxiety, give your brain something to focus on instead of letting it wander (a little something I refer to as adaptive distraction), and so on! Research has (to my great disappointment) indicated that we can not truly multi-task AND research has indicated that our brains can task switch or maintain dual attention, especially when we are using different areas of processing (reading with instrumental music is much easier than trying to read while listening to lyrical music as the former does not require processing words in both tasks) - make a bit of sense? I share this to give a little umph behind the idea that fidgets can be useful and not just a distraction while also providing some enjoyable stimulation to potentially bland or extensive tasks! Annnnyway, this has gone on long enough - how’s that attention span?- see below for some of my and my client’s favorite fidgets! All links are affiliate links!
These mochis are a big hit with kids I work with - often used as a mini motivator/reward. They allow squishing and fidgeting and, if you’re in play therapy, can become part of play and assessment! Caution: they do get full of fur and sand, etc. pretty easily so are more of an exciting in-the-moment option.
I’ve posted these Arrgh! balls before - they last awhile longer/are a bit stronger than some other stress balls. The kids I work with get very into the color changing aspect and get really intrigued by the texture of the filling.
These stretchy strings are great for not only stretching but sensory feedback. Again, the big draw with the kids I work with is that they are fun characters and can turn into a bracelet, made into a chain, etc. One thing to consider: kids tend to stretch and fling or circle them above their heads, so if using in classrooms or more structured spaces it may be helpful to set some expectations around adaptively using this fidget.
Wacky tracks are great fidgets - people have shared that they like the feedback they get when they bend and snap these. You can click them together, too. There is a very soft clicking noise (almost inaudible) this fidget makes when using.
These cubes also come highly recommended by kids I work with! What I’ve noticed, is having this as an option while a person is working through their thoughts and sharing has been really helpful. Click the link to see all the additional color options!
A note here: our society puts a lot of weight on eye contact meaning attention; this is an important factor and for some people, maintaining eye contact is actually going to hinder their ability and confidence to engage. Focus more on how the person is responding and engaging and assess if you need to utilize a different type of fidget because this one is too distracting/engaging; some fidget time, then a pause to look up and chat or if they’re able to fidget and engage in conversation!
This version of infinity cube aims more at the puzzle aspect. Again, great for a calm down corner option, to have for longer car rides to help during tough conversations and so forth.
If you don’t have space to make your own slime or sensory dough, these thinking putty tins are a great option. If you work with people who need to release some anxious or frustrated energy, manipulating putty is a creative and more adaptive way to work this out. It also helps that it doesn’t have to look like you’re using a coping strategy (which some people really dislike displaying).
There you have it! These are some of the go-to items in my tool kit - what other ones do you enjoy? In the future, I hope to make more refined and specific posts about specific sensory needs. For now, these are what have been given the most attention in my office! As always, thanks for taking time to read through and an extra thanks if you purchase through the affiliate links! Don’t forget to check out previous posts that have links to calendars ideas and other helpful tools such as whiteboards and Play Doh!
Stay Cozy Out There,
E
