Imagine sitting in class as your teacher drones on about some “important” information. It’s hard to concentrate with so many other things that could be done besides the quadratic formula or whatever your teacher may be talking about. 

With the growing popularity of fidget toys, these various play things from jewelry to play-doh have helped students around the world focus in their classes and provide comfort. 

“I started bringing fidget toys to school to use in class because I couldn’t focus at all,” junior Emily Zaksek said. “It started with the classes I had little interest in and then the classes I love and could pay attention in.” 

Fidget toys can help with learning because of their ability to help filter out any excess sensory information as well as control movement or “fidgeting”. 

Fidget toys have been proven to help students, especially ones with ADHD, but keeping people focused is not the only thing that fidget toys are good at. They can also help calm nerves and anxiety. 

“It didn’t improve my learning but it helped with nerves and anxiety,” junior Sarah Hall said.      

Hall first got interested in fidget toys by a friend who introduced her to fidget jewelry like rings and necklaces. Because of its discrete look, it provides the same sensor as a fidget toy but in a fun fashion. 

“Nobody had a reaction to it because it’s jewelry,” Hall said. 

Fidget toys come in all shapes and sizes and depending on the person, the best fidget toy can vary. 

For example, a list provided by Psych Central lists 10 different types of fidget toys all based on their performance with different people and different uses. 

• Best overall: DoDoMagxanadu Dodecagon
• Best for ADHD: Fingears
• Best sensory toy: Chuckle & Roar Pop It
• Best for autism spectrum disorder: Duomishu Anti-Anxiety Fidget Spinner
• Best multi-fidgeting tool: PILPOC Fidget Controller Pad
• Best spinner: ATESSON Fidget Spinner
• Best for younger kids: BunMo Poppin’ Pipes
• Best for adults: PILPOC theFube Infinity Cube
• Best fidget pen: Editha Stress-Relief Magnetic Ball Pen
• Best for inconspicuous use: ALEXTINA Spinner Ring

For Biology teacher Erin Steinmetz, the Rubix Cube is a fidget toy that she brings for students to use during class. The best attribute of these is their studyness and how durable they can be.

“I have a lot of kids that have trouble focusing in class and sitting still.” Steinmetz said. “I like to doodle when I’m listening in class and I was still very focused on what they were saying but it was helpful to focus on something else.”

Of course, fidget toys were not always so welcomed as they are now and were often thought of as distracting and have even been banned because of students not properly using them. 

Even with these opinions on fidget toys, the popularity of them have grown from the fidget spinner fad in 2017 to a full blown “acceptance” of fidget toys as a whole.

Fidget toys have become more common amongst students, some still are more hesitant to be more transparent about their use of fidget toys. 

Even though there is nothing to be ashamed of by using fidget toys, more bulky and loud fidget toys tend to have more embarrassing feelings tied to them. 

“I find it a little embarrassing to have fidget toys so I make sure it’s not known that I have them,” Zaksek said. “I will kind of hold it in my hand under the table or something like that.” 

Some students like Hall like the subtle look of fidget jewelry. Not only are 

Because of the many forms that fidget toys can take, there’s options for everyone. Whether you want to be more discrete and stylish fidget jewelry or rock the colorful array of various other fidget toys is up to you.