Fidget toys have been recommended for people with a variety of mental health conditions and neurodivergencies, and they can also help adults who are under a lot of stress recalibrate and take a couple of seconds to relax and refocus. Since fidget toys are safe to use, discreet, and distracting, they can make a big difference in many people’s day-to-day lives.
Besides bringing about a delightful sensory experience to interrupt anxious thoughts or refocus the brain, fidget toys are tools. Choosing the tool to get the job done depends on what relaxes the individual and calms them down. And don’t forget the importance of one’s environment. What may work at home might not work in a work or school setting due to noise, mess, or distractions. That’s why this list includes a variety of fidget toys with the best of the best in each category.
Crazy Aaron’s Thinking Putty – Orangesicle
Crazy Aaron’s Thinking Putty – Orangesicle
This scented putty comes in a 2.5″ tin. It’s ready to play with and is scented with an orange creamsicle fragrance and cones with sparkles. Enjoy a fragrant, tactile, and visually appealing sensory experience.
Recommended Ages 3+
Type Putty
What’s Included Putty, Tin
Brand Crazy Aaron’s
Size 2.75″
If you’re looking for a complete sensory experience that includes both scent and touch, here’s a 2 in 1 bundle you won’t want to miss. Enjoy the best of Crazy Aaron’s fidget putty selections. Crazy Aaron’s is a respected name in fidget putty for bringing sight, texture, and scented experiences to add to your concentration and relaxation.
Of all Crazy Aaron’s offerings, Orangesicle wins due to the soothing scent and the eye-catching glitter in it. Plus, it doesn’t need a ton of elbow grease to get a good stretch. If orange isn’t the scent for you, you can find bubblegum, berry, and more smells. Scents not your thing? Check out Crazy Aaron’s other sensory offerings, including thermal putty, putty full of rocks, and even putty you can doodle on.
Freefog Fox Spinner
Freefog Fox Spinner
This fidget spinner has a good heft at 1.58 ounces. It’s 1.5″ across and .5″ wide, so it’s easy to put in your purse or pocket. The metallic finish comes in many colors and doesn’t make your hands smell like metal. It’s easy to spin and has a weighted feel.
Recommended Ages 3+
Type Fidget Spinner
What’s Included Spinner
Brand Freelove
Size 1.5 x 1.5 x .5 inches
You can find any plastic fidget spinner at a gas station, and it will do. Or will it? If you’re looking to expand your horizons on fidget spinners, there are more grown-up-looking fidget spinners out there. It’s lightweight, easy to spin, and eye-catching. You’ll feel even more relaxed as you watch the light catch the spinners in your hand.
The only downside is that the logo can deteriorate or smear over time from wear and tear. However, the rest of the spinner is durable and will give you a good spin without breaking, use after use. Plus, the metallic finish makes it look stylish and less for kids than any fidget spinner you can buy at a gas station.
DMaos Ferris Wheel
DMaos Ferris Wheel Fidget Spinner
Made of quality stainless steel, this Ferris wheel comes with five balls, one wheel, a stand, and the tools to put it together. It looks like another desk ornament, but its spin can help you brainstorm, calm, down, and get your concentration back. This fidget toy measures 1.97 x 1.97 x 0.79 inches and the balls come in stainless steel or marble glass.
Recommended Ages 13+
Type Standing Fidget Spinner
What’s Included Parts, tools for assembly, instructions
Brand DMaos
Size 1.97 x 1.97 x 0.79 inches
You work in an office, and you want some cool knickknacks to adorn your desk. Why not try a fidget toy? If you don’t mind a fidget toy with some assembly required, this is a good desk accessory to keep at work. Just make sure you assemble it perfectly, or it could wobble and tip.
For some people, forgetting to take their fidget toys to work is common. This toy is designed to stay in one place. While that doesn’t make it great for travel, if you want to keep your fidget toy handy in a place you won’t lose it, check this one out.
Ono Black Fidget Roller
Ono Black Roller Fidget Toy
This classic fidget toy is a roller, a toy that can roll in your hands. It comes in two sizes, so you can find a roller that fits in your hands easier. The sizes are adult, just over three inches long, and junior at exactly three inches. This is the adult size. Made of scratch-resistant materials, this roller is built to last.
Recommended Ages 15+
Type Roller
What’s Included Roller, Carrying bag
Brand Ono
Size 3.4″
An oldie but a goodie, Ono is a classic fidget toy for a reason. It’s made of durable materials and comes in two sizes: adult and junior. Even if you’re not a kid, if your hands are small, you can purchase a smaller roller.
As advertised, it can be a boon to keep your hands busy, especially if you’re trying to break a bad habit like nail-biting. The one downside is that it only offers one way to fidget. However, if you’re looking for a durable tool that will busy your hands and keep your focus without bells and whistles, this won’t disappoint.
Dodecagon Fidget Cube
Dodecagon Fidget Cube-12 Sided Fidget Cube
Not only is this fidget toy stunning with its black and orange coloring, it’s also 12-sided, giving you plenty of options to reduce stress and anxiety, and help develop your concentration and focus. Each face of this dodecagon offers a different fidget. Some sides feature traditional fidgets, and others offer novel sensory experiences. Having 12 fidget options gives users multiple ways to unwind. You won’t be bored with this fidget toy.
Recommended Ages 15+
Type Fidget Toy
What’s Included 12-Sided Fidget Cube
Brand VCOSTORE
Are you looking for a fidget toy with a bunch of different features? This cube is a one-stop shop for adults who get bored with just one type of fidget mechanism. It has a knob, switches, and more to keep you entertained and keep your fidgets fresh. The production quality is high, with thick ECO-Friendly ABS plastic and silicone. The major downfall of this particular fidget toy is that it is not pocket or purse friendly. Some fidget mechanisms stick out quite a bit and can snap if you don’t take care of them.
That said, once you find a home for this fidget toy, you’ll enjoy hours of unwinding and relaxing fidgeting. Keep it at home, where it’s always close at hand, or take it to work, where it can be a discreet desk companion. Either way, you’re sure to find relaxation when using this 12-sided fidget cube.
Geode Fidget Sphere
Speks Geode Magnetic Fidget Sphere
Speks geode magnetic fidget sphere comes with 12 pentagons that you can assemble in a sphere or make any shape you can think of. Comes in multiple colors. Stacked together, the Geode measures over three inches, and each pentagon is a little over an inch long.
Recommended Ages Adult
Type Fidget toy
What’s Included 12 magnetic pentagons, builder’s guide
Brand Speks
If you’re an adult who works in an office, the last thing you might want is more knickknacks cluttering your desk. Or do you? Introducing Speks Geode Magnetic Fidget Sphere, a set of 12 pentagons that can be constructed and reconstructed if you need a couple of minutes to de-stress or clear an idea block.
Each pentagon is a fidget toy in and of itself. You’ll love the smooth texture as you play with one piece or put together up to 12 pieces into a shape. You can build a tower, a stairway, or a dodecahedron. The pieces are held together by rare earth magnets, so they’re shakable and durable, but easy to pull apart and reassemble in any way you want.
Apqdw Kinetic Fidget Ball
Apqdw Kinetic Fidget Desk Toys for Adults
$14 $16 Save $2
This kinetic sphere has a swirled design that, when spun, appears to be continually swirling upwards or downwards. Plus, the gears in the sphere are designed to create a gentle hum that’s loud enough to hear, but not be distracting. It’s 1.77 inches in diameter, so you can carry it in a purse or a bag. It comes in a variety of metallic finishes.
Recommended Ages 14+
Type Fidget Toy
What’s Included Kinetic Spinner
Brand APQDW
This sphere is easy to use. Simply place it on a flat, sturdy surface, and give it a gentle spin. The design is rated to rotate for between 150–300 seconds, depending on how hard it’s spun. The rubber base gives it a secure grip on most hard surfaces, but if you spin it too hard, you run the risk of flinging it or overturning the sphere, which can cause it to spin off of the surface.
Be gentle, and you’ll be rewarded with long, smooth spins, and a longer lifespan for your sphere. Overall, this is one of the most fun and unique, hands-off fidget toys. It comes in a ton of finishes and its sleek, elegant design makes it great for display.
BUNMO Magnetic Fidget Rings
BUNMO Magnetic Rings
The magnetic rings come apart and snap together without making too much noise. The magnets are super strong, so they won’t fly out of your hands as you use them. Three put together measure 3.35 x 3.15 x 0.59 inches and are only an ounce. They’re lightweight but strong.
Recommended Ages 3+
Type Fidget Rings
What’s Included Rings
Brand Bunmo
Size 3.35 x 3.15 x 0.59 inches
Did you know that you can teach yourself tricks with magnet rings? Similar to a yo-yo, but less intrusive, you’ll enjoy these magnetic rings if you liked playing with miniature skateboards or impressing your friends with tricks. If that sounds like you, then you won’t regret giving magnetic rings a try.
Magnetic fidget toys shouldn’t be a pain to pull apart, but they should also be sturdy enough not to fly apart when you play with them. After listening to their customers, Bunmo updated their magnet rings with smaller magnets that still get the job done. All three rings that come in the package can fit into the palm of your hand. You can buy more and play with them at the same time, too.
FAQs
Q: Aren’t Fidget Toys For Kids?
A: When fidget toys first hit the market, they were designed and marketed toward children. We now know that countless adults use fidget toys, and are incorporating them into their daily routines. For older adults experiencing high anxiety or dementia, keeping their hands busy can help avoid stress-fidgeting and harmful behaviors like picking at their skin, unraveling fabric, pulling their hair, or any other manner of harmful restlessness.
Fidget toys are safe and effective for seniors and younger adults and can provide a much-needed outlet for confused minds and wandering hands. Many senior centers and retirement homes keep a large selection of fidget toys on hand for their guests and residents to use. If you’re a caregiver for a senior with a lot of time on their hands, a few fidget toys can help break up the monotony of their days and give them an outlet for pent-up energy.
Q: How Can I Decide What Fidget Toy Is Right For Me?
A: Many of the fidget toys on this list were chosen specifically because they’re adult-oriented. It’s important to make sure the fidget toys you’re looking at are meant for adults, or you might be surprised when you open the package and a tiny, fun-colored toy is all you find. Here are some things to keep in mind when choosing the best fidget toys for adults:
- Size. Is it too small for your hands? Size is the easiest way to differentiate adult versus children’s fidget toys. If it’s too small to fidget with, you won’t enjoy the experience.
- Portability. Can you carry it with you in your purse or pocket, or is the fidget toy a good item to display on a desk? If you need a fidget toy at work to get through writer’s block or make a breakthrough in a project, a fidget toy for your desk could be a good idea. If you need it on the go, not so much.
- Weight. Does it feel substantial in your hand? Lighter fidget toys lack the heft that leads to a good fidget experience. Make sure the fidget toys you select have a solid feel to them.
- Production Quality. Does it feel flimsy, or weak? You will be squeezing, grinding, flicking, and popping it thousands of times. Make sure it is good quality, so it will last.
- Design & Theme. Is it bright pink? Does it feature unicorns? Make sure the design and theme are adult-oriented.
Follow these guidelines, and you’ll be on the right track to getting the most out of your fidgeting.
Q: Should I Use My Fidget Toy Discreetly?
A: Fidget toys can have a bad rap. Some see them as a mental crutch, or a display of weakness as if you are in some way incapable of controlling your own emotions and physical body. This unfortunate viewpoint is wrong for a lot of reasons but suffice it to say, sometimes you might still want to keep your fidget toy hidden for your own personal reasons.
Many of the fidgets on this list are discreet and can be easily stored in a pocket. Some are not even traditional fidget toys at all, but function like a fidget and can be used publicly. However, if you choose to fidget, know that there are options for you.