5 Simple & Kid-Approved Hand Fidgets

I'm excited to be sharing five simple, kid-approved, and inexpensive hand fidgets for students that you can easily incorporate in your own classroom come August.

If you don't yet have these available in your classroom, give them a try! You may notice that some of your students will make just about anything a hand fidget-- an eraser (or all of them), a pencil, a paperclip, a toy from home..... seriously, anything. By providing these for students who need them, you are preventing additional distractions and encouraging them to use tools to help keep them focused on the task at hand.

Stress Balls

These are from Hobby Lobby-- use their weekly 40% off coupon to get these for around $3.50

These are the most common and lowest-impact hand fidgets. They can be found all over the place and usually in the party favor aisles in many different designs. I like to get the kind that don't bounce, because who needs that additional distraction, so these are soft foam. For the mild fidgeter or someone who prefers to occasionally squeeze something, these are perfect. They will *not* hold up over the course of the year with your extreme fidgeters! Just a warning!

Coiled Keychains

I love these as an "incognito" fidget. Kids can wear them on their wrist when they don't need them, and slip them into their hands when they do. These are found in any hardware store in the key department-- just remove the metal ring and you're good to go! I love that these are durable, easy to clean, and don't draw too much attention. If we're doing an activity with lots of transitions or if a student is particularly shy about coming to the Fidget Bin throughout the day, these are a great choice. Plus, if they do break, they are still perfectly functional as a fidget!

Links

I have similar rings in my Writing Teacher Time Bin (more info HERE), but I like this set in particular because of all of the varied texture they have. I will put two together for a student (no need for a 20-link chain!) and they can shuffle them in their hands and play with the texture all they want. They are easy to keep clean and small enough for a whole-class setting without added distraction. I let the student choose his/her two rings so they have more buy-in with using this tool. They are pretty fun!

Pool Noodle Rings

Definitely grab one of these when you're out and about this summer! You'll just need one (about $3) and a serrated steak knife. Cut these into 1" rings and you're all set! These aren't super durable, but their unique shape and the low price point makes them an easy tool to offer to your average fidgeter. Plus, since they aren't fun party toys like the balls mentioned above, they look more like tools (and are all the same color), so I have found these to be easier to manage in the classroom.

Dryer Balls

This 2-pack is from Target for a little over $5

Have an *extreme* fidgeter who destroys all of the three fidgets mentioned above? If you haven't had one recently, you will soon! I had a kiddo one year who tore apart all of the ideas above and I was left with the bits and pieces of them under his chair at the end of the day. He was a very sweet kid, so this was not malicious, but he just needed things way more durable! Dryer Balls to the rescue! Some of you may use these for their real purpose, but I find they are great for those kids who need the strongest of the strong when it comes to tools. They come in a 2-pack for about $5 (I got mine at Target when I was stocking up on clothespins) and are very easy to clean and store. Make sure you get unscented! These are meant to be thrown around in a hot dryer, so they also stand up to tons of abuse.

How Do I Use Hand Fidgets in Class?

I will typically offer these as an option to the class at the beginning of the year and see who actually uses them and who is just curious about them (similar to the Noise Blockers I mentioned HERE). By the end of the week, the initial excitement has waned, and then I can really focus on getting the right fidget to the fidgeter. You see that these are simple, but all very different, so some may be more preferred over others, and that's ok! I leave them in a common spot in our Fidget Bin so those kids can grab what they need and get to work. As with everything, we lay down some ground rules (keeping them out of our mouth, returning them to the bin, using them as tools, not toys, etc.) and expectations beforehand so it's not a free-for-all. The simple reminder of "Tools, not toys." has been great in ensuring their proper use throughout the year.

Some kids come with preferences from years past, and I will always default to what works for them and ensure I have something that they need. No need to reinvent the wheel! And if someone is a chronic fidgeter, they can keep their fidget in their personal bin since they rely on it much more throughout the day.

I'm hoping these gave you some easy ideas to get a Fidget Bin started in your own classroom this year. There are *tons* more examples of fidgets out there and several websites where you can do some shopping, but I have found these simple and (very importantly) cheap solutions have done their job very well these past few years.

Favorite Fidgets

Find these and many more simple and effective ideas on my Favorite Things Amazon page HERE. You can add to your stash or rotate through as the year progresses, there are so many great ideas to choose from.

I'm linking up with my sweet friend, Tara, at 4th Grade Frolics for her Monday Made It! Be sure to head over to see loads more and get incredibly inspired for your classroom next year :)