Name: Fidget Cube
Category: Manipulable
Coping: Physical, Distraction, Soothing
The fidget cube is likely the second best known type of fidget toy – second only to the fidget spinner. Widely available and immensely popular, the fidget cube is beloved by young and old alike.
Name: Squishy
Category: Manipulable
Coping: Physical, Distraction, Soothing
As fidget spinners burst on to the seen in the summer of 2017 (despite having been around for years), the squishy burst onto the popular culture scene in the Spring and Summer of 2018.
Name: Infinity Cube
Category: Manipulable
Coping: Physical, Distraction, Soothing
The Infinity Cube holds the distinction of being my favorite fidget toy to date. At first glance, it looks a little bit like the lesser known cousin of the Rubik’s Cube, and I didn’t think much of it when I first saw it. The real measure of a fidget toy though is how much you find yourself using it. From the first moment I picked up, the Infinity Cube has been my favorite, and I’ve yet to find another fidget that comes even close.
Welcome to Fidgets 101. In this series, we will review a variety of fidget toys over the coming months. Before we do that though, an introduction to Fidgets 101 is in order. Unless you’ve lived under a rock for the last couple of years, chances are that you’ve played with, seen or heard about Fidget Spinner. They burst onto the scene in the Summer of 2017, seemingly out of nowhere, and became the focus (pun intended) of young people everywhere. Fidgets, though, have been around forever. From the Chinese baoding balls (sometimes called Chinese Stress Balls) created in the 14th century to greek worry beads known as kompoloi which were used by monks 800 years ago to todays fidgets spinners and cubes, there have always been outlets for human’s insatiable need to fidget.
A fidget is any sort of object that people fiddle with to help them to maintain their focus on something else. As described in more detail in the video below, a fidget is a kind of coping mechanism.
The science is still out on why fidgets work. One theory is that fidgets occupy our “floating attention.” We all have what is called “floating attention” which is that little bit of attention that is placed away from our principal activity no matter what we are doing. For some people, their floating attention isn’t well regulated and gets spread across tons of activities. Using a fidget gives that “floating attention” something to focus on which allows you to focus better on the primary items of focus.
About the BookTell Me About When Moms and Dads Go to Jail is both a book for children about when mom or dad goes to jail and also a guide for parents and other helping adults to help kids deal with incarcerated parents.
This book is aimed primarily at elementary aged kids from 6 to 11 and the adults who love them.
About the BookWhen Dinosaurs Die is part of the series of books by Laurie Krasny Brown and Marc Brown that also includes Dinosaurs Divorce – A Guide For Changing Families which we also highly recommend. It is a colorful and well written explanation of death and grief designed to help give kids who have lost a loved information about what is going on.
This book is aimed primarily at kids in first through third grade though younger and older kids who have experienced a death will most definitely benefit from reading the book or having it read to them.
The Pigeon Has Feelings, Too! is the sequel to the popular Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! book. It follows the activities of a pigeon and his acquaintance the bus driver.
The Pigeon Has Feelings, Too! is a board book aimed primarily at younger children and potentially very early readers. It recommended age range is 0-4.
About the BookEmotional Monster is fun little book for introducing the youngest of kids to the idea of emotions. It also introduces the concept of breathing as a means for dealing with growing emotions.
This book is aimed primarily at toddler and pre-school aged children. It is bright and colorful and meant to be read to children.
About the BookStop Picking On Me: A First Look At Bullying by Pat Thomas is part of the “A First Look At…Book” designed to help kids in Kindergarten through 3rd grade cope with different events and circumstances they may find themselves in.
The book is meant to help kids understand bullying including who does it, why it happens and how to prevent it. The targeted age group is kindergarten through 3rd grade though we think it would be beneficial if read to younger kids and even for slightly older elementary aged kids who could read through it themselves.
About the BookThe Invisible String is a wonderful story meant to help kids who are feeling the anxiety, loneliness and hurt of being separated from someone they love.
This book is aimed primarily at elementary aged kids, but the story is universal and I can see older kids, teens and adults finding comfort in the story presented in this book. Whether the child has been separated from their loved one for short time (if suffering separation anxiety), a long distance (as in a divorce) or permanently (as in the case of death), the message presented in this book will help the child to remember that no matter the distance, they are still connected to their loved one by love.