The Ultimate Guide to Fidget Toys for Kids
What are fidget toys?
Fidget toys, sometimes called sensory fiddle toys, are small objects that can alleviate an individual’s fidgeting. Fidgeting is characterized by small movements brought about by uneasiness, nervousness, anxiety, and restlessness. Most fidgeting is done by hands – tapping on the table and moving an object around – and is usually done when bored or showing discomfort. Fidget toys or sensory toys are often used by clasping in the hands and provide sensation that redirects one’s attention or has a calming effect.
What are fidget toys used for?
Fidget toys are often used to relax and balance out children’s senses so they can be more productive or to help them stay still. Instead of fidgeting with household items, some of which can be dangerous (scissors or electrical items, for instance), it is best to have fidget toys available. Fidget toys are created to answer sensory needs with touching, popping, squeezing, climbing, pressure, or even visual stimulation! Children become more focused when given a fidget toy because their attention is centered on completing the task at hand. With the repetitive tasks a fidget toy provides, some children are calmer, and others even go to sleep.
Parents of children with developmental disorders like ADHD or autism, or individuals with PTSD, turn to fidget toys as recommended by occupational therapists and pediatricians, to help deal with associated behaviors like inattention, irritability, and distractibility, or difficulties like a lack of focus and sleep. The toys help them control and manage stress and strong emotions, helping them focus on school, go outdoors, and relate well with others.
What should I look for in fidget toys?
Fidget toys tend to be specific and choosing the right one may depend on what parents or individuals need. Here at Kelli’s, we have a range of fun fidget toys you can offer to your customers that are comforting, durable, or discreet.
Purpose
It is important to know what the fidget toy is trying to achieve. It should be in line with what parents are trying to accomplish. What is the child’s sensory need? What is the problem that needs to be solved? If the fidget toy’s purpose is to calm and soothe, is this what would help the child? Many parents look for fidget toys on the advice of a doctor, and so stocking a variety of different fidget toys will help your customer find one that is in line with the advice they have received. Check out Kelli’s wholesale fidget toys collection to discover the different types of fun fidget toys available.
Relaxing Colors
When choosing fidget toys, the colors should also be relaxing in order to promote focus and attention. Some fidget toys even change color, which helps extend the attention they get. Very bright colors may mean some children will focus on the visual aspect of the toy.
Need a multicolored fidget toy? Our What’Zit Wood Puzzle is a set of 6 bright wooden blocks held by a string that children will love fidgeting with! They come in 24-unit displays and customers can be encouraged to buy two or more to link together, making a larger puzzle. Painted in bold colors with non-toxic paint, this toy is suitable for ages 3 and up.
Interesting texture and sounds
For children who are bored easily or cannot stay still, offer appealing fidget toys that heighten their sense of touch and hearing. Children love pulling or pushing, twisting, and turning things, keeping their hands busy. Other kids respond well to the calming effect of white noise or background sounds, which can cover overwhelming silence and help them go to sleep.
Check out the squeezable, stretchable Twiddle Squish N’ Stretch Textured Ultimate Sensory Toy. These fidget toys come in a set of three different colors and textures, and can stretch up to 5 feet! We also have the fun Push and Pop Play Pad Sensory Toy that is perfect for kids on the go. Its pleasing popping sound is not too loud, and its design and shape can also help kids practice motor skills. Both of these toys are ready for wholesale purchase in 12 and 5 sets, respectively.
Sturdy
Because fidget toys must absorb the extent of their owners’ play, they should be durable and stable. Customers will be looking for an item that is made of strong material and designed to last.
Why not try a 12-piece set of our Nee Doh - the Groovy Glob Stress Ball? These squeezable balls are strong enough to handle the children’s pulling and crushing. Their jelly-like substance is made up of non-toxic compounds and the glob itself is hypoallergenic, cleaned easily, and BPA-, phthalate- and latex-free!
Low visibility
In a classroom setting, kids should not be distracted by a fidget toy another child is using. These toys need to be quiet and fit nicely inside the children’s hands so they (along with their company or class) can focus on other tasks. The fidget toy should not be a source of unnecessary noise or extra movement when its purpose would be served with less.
Try our Tie-Dye Hand Snapper Fidget Toy. This comes in 36 pieces for a display unit, and it is available in assorted prints. Your customers will definitely appreciate this sensory gadget - it fits perfectly inside the palm, and helps to relieve stress and anxiety, which improves concentration. Pressing the suction cups at the same time helps improve wrist and hand movement, and finger flexibility and strength.
What are popular types of fidget toys?
Stress balls
One of the most popular fidget toys – and not just for kids – are stress balls. These are squeezable toys about the size of the hand. They are made of soft material, like silicone, and contain fluid or gel-like liquid inside. They can be compressed and kneaded without breaking, and are usually used to relieve anxiety or tension. They come in different colors, like our Squish Attack Stress Balloon. This stretchable, kneadable, pokable balloon-shaped stress ball can also be tossed and squashed – your customers will have fun for hours!
Spinners
A trendy, super-cool toy for most kids is the fidget spinner. Also used with children with developmental disorders, these toys are appropriate for kids who love staring at moving objects. They’ll have fun day-in-and-out, for sure! Great for soothing and calming highly active children, we offer the Push Pop Spinner Fidget Toy. It will be your customers’ favorite spinner, with a push bubble pop-it in the middle for extra entertainment!
Clay or putty
Putty is a paste from basic household ingredients like flour, water, and food coloring, but its texture became the basis for a toy for children to develop motor skills, or for hand therapy. Putty can also be a good stress reliever while at home. The only downside of putty is that it can be a messy experience. But we have a solution to that: our popular Slimeez Stretchy Dough Ball can be kneaded, pulled, stretched, and poked in the same way as clay or putty, without the mess. It comes in assorted fun colors and is sold in a set of 12. It is suitable for children aged four and up.
Chains and Puzzles
Chain or puzzle fidgets are solved by pushing or pulling parts together or separately, and will fire your customers’ imagination! It is about visual stimulation rather than a sense of touch, as kids work on their construction and analytic skills. Pop and Play Tubes Sensory Toys are excellent tangle fidgets for your shoppers. Each set comprises three tubes kids can scrunch, twist, bend, and expand. The units also connect to each other, so if your customers purchase two or more, the possibilities are endless!
Soft Animal
Soft animal fidgets differ from plush or stuffed toys because the fidgets’ purpose is stress alleviation. They are like stress balls but shaped into the kids’ favorite animals. Try our Animolds Bubble Frog Keychain. Simply squeeze the frog and watch it imitate blowing a bubble! Both child and adult consumers will love these squishy frogs that are not only low-profile but also double as key chains, so they’re easy to take with you on the go. The silicone-like material makes it durable and perfect to hold inside the palm of the hand.
Where can I buy fidget toys?
Looking for the perfect source of wholesale fidget toys for kids? You’ve come to the right place! At Kelli’s, we stock all the trending fidget toys, as well as the classics that never go out of fashion. Take a look at the types of fidget toys that you can add to your store or gift shop, and that your customers will love! See you there soon.