The Benefits of Fidget Tools
August 10, 2020
What is fidgeting?
Research has shown that fidgeting is associated with how stimulated we are. This means that fidgeting may be a great self-regulation tool that helps our attention levels regulate. Maybe you find your child, doodling during a discussion, wiggling their legs, or twirling hair – this is all considered fidgeting.
So if this is an indication of an attention problem, what do you do? Fidgeting toys and tools may be the answer!
Fidget toys are self-regulation tools that can help children and adults alike, to refocus, calm down, and actively listen. Fidgets can come in many different, sizes, textures, and shapes. Stress balls are a common form of a fidget and help promote movement and attentiveness.
How fidgets help:
Several studies have shown that the use of fidgets can help us improve our focus, memory recall, problem-solving skills and deal with anxiety. “If you are trying to focus on a task, but your hands are busy doing something else, it actually forces your brain to increase your efforts to focus on the task at hand,” says Matthew Lorber, MD, a child psychiatrist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York. Source
Who can use fidgets?
Fidgets are especially helpful for children that have special needs, sensory processing disorders, autism, ADD, or ADHD.
A case study conducted in a classroom in Georgia, showed growth in scholastic achievement when the stress balls were implemented. The average writing score of the class increased from 73% to 83% with the use of stress balls.
Introducing fidgets in your classroom or home may help your children that are a bit more distracted to regain focus and succeed.
If you would like to use fidgets with your children or classroom here are some tips.
- Introduce fidgeting as a learning tool with specific rules.
- Emphasize that they are not to be thrown or used as distractions or shared.
- If they are not in use, they must be put away.
