Fidget Spinner
Last Updated: May 10, 2017
By: Taira Jordan
In This Article: Spin, Spin, Spin Not Just a Toy
If you have kids or have been in close proximity to a child in the last month, you’ve heard of the wildly popular fidget spinners. As the water bottle flipping craze is so last year, fidget spinners currently dominate playground chatter and have been the subject of countless YouTube vlogger’s trick videos, Reddit threads and their usefulness have been debated by parents and educators alike. But what’s the deal with these supremely simple, palm sized toys that are designed around a ball bearing?
Spin, Spin, Spin
Simply put, there is no wrong way to spin a fidget spinner. Whatever feels natural or comfortable is the right way to spin a fidget spinner. Different fidget spinners will vary in how they spin and some will be better for specific tricks compared to others. For example, some are better for spinning back and forth, while other fidget spinners are better for two-handed spins. The most basic trick is the forward spin, which is easy to perform and can be done with almost any fidget spinner. To perform, grip the fidget spinner with your thumb and another finger, either your index or middle finger. One finger should be placed on the center of the fidget spinner on one side and the other finger should be on the center of the reverse side. Using your ring finger, flick the fidget spinner forward. How fast or slow you spin it is up to you. Then, try spinning your fidget spinner in the reverse direction by using your ring finger to pull the spinner in the reverse direction. You can try other tricks by switching up your hold on the fidget spinner or using a different spin finger. Some YouTube videos show vloggers bouncing a spinning fidget spinner from one finger to the next or spinning it on various objects. The possibilities are really endless and up to you.
Not Just A Toy
Beyond being just a fun spinning toy, fidget spinners may help adults and children with stress or anxiety by acting as a release mechanism. Designed for people who need to keep their hands busy, it can help adults and kids focus on the task at hand. Schools have long had fidget toys to help children who needed them but these fidget devices sometimes had the adverse effect of marking the child as different. With the advent of this global trend, all children can play with this toy without the stigma that is used to carry. Plus, the small size of the fidget spinner makes it easy to carry and use when needed.