Name: Fidget Cube
Category: Manipulable
Coping: Physical, Distraction, Soothing

Introduction to the Fidget Cube

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.

What is it?

The fidget cube offers a variety of different types of fidgets attached to one cube. There are some varieties of the “fidget cube” which actually have more than six sides and offer even more fidgets. Different fidgets cubes generally include some combination of the following gadgets to keep your fingers busy:

• Buttons
• Disk
• Gears
• Joystick
• Loop
• Rotating / Spinning Disc
• Sliding Blocks
• Soft Button
• Squishy Balls
• Stress Ball
• Switch
• Tactile Massager
• Worry Grove / Stone
• Other

By including multiple options, fidget cubes offer something for everyone looking to fidget and numerous ways to cope. The physical manipulation of the fidgets can help to cope as can the soothing feel and the distraction that the fidget cube offers.

How Much Does it Cost?

Like their cousin the fidget spinner, the fidget cube comes in a variety of forms and varying quality levels. Most cubes though range from about $8 to about $15.

Our Review

Appeal Rating (3.5 Smiles)

We give the fidget cube an appeal rating of 3.5 out of 5 smiles. The fidget toys version of trying to be everything to everyone (or more precisely something to everyone), the fidget cube is an effective fidget and can offer several different coping options. That is the fidget cube’s biggest strength but can also be its biggest weakness. If you enjoy or benefit from one particular type of fidgeting, you would be better to get a fidget toy that focuses on that than a fidget cube that offers a bunch of options you will never use.

Durability Rating (3.5 Stones)

We give the fidget cube a durability rating of 3.5 out of 5 stones. While I have not personally experienced these breaking, I have read numerous reviews where one or more of the individual fidgets either broke, stopped working, or never worked in the first place.

Portability Rating (4 Bags)

We give the fidget cube a portability rating of 4 out of 5 bags. Some fidget cubes are bigger than others, but most of them are still small enough that they are easy to carry around. However, with various fidget possibilities sticking out from the cube, they can be hard to carry around in a pocket or easily get tangled up with headphone cords, etc.

Noise Rating (3.5 Decibles)

We give the fidget cube a noise rating of 3.5 out of 5 decibles. Many of the fidgets included on the cube work base on a click or a bang which can lead to a lot of noise (particularly in a quiet room)

Overall Rating (3.5 Fidgets)

We give the fidget cube an overall rating of 3.5 out of 5 stones. Some people really love the fidget cube which is evidenced by their sales over the last couple of years. They aren’t our favorite fidget, but they can be a good introduction to different types of fidgeting.

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Name: Fidget Spinner
Category: Manipulable
Coping: Physical, Distraction, Soothing, Social

Introduction to The Fidget Spinner

We couldn’t start a series on fidgets without first tackling what has become the most popular fidget to date – the fidget spinner. From the spring and summer of 2017 through today, fidget spinners have become a cultural icon. Kids love them. Parents are sick of hearing about them. And, they have become the bane of some teachers’ existence. So, what is the fidget spinner, and why are they equally so loved and so despised?

What is a Fidget Spinner?

Fidget Spinners are part of the manipulables category of fidgets. For purposes of this review, we define fidget spinners as:

A muti-pronged object (generally including two or three prongs) revolving around a center circle that is used by holding both sides of the middle of the spinner and spinning the prongs around the center.

They spin by using a series of ball bearings that allow the spinners to continue spinning for an extended period time without any additional effort. Today, fidget spinners come in all sorts of shape of sizes. There are also a number of “fidget spinner like items” which incorporate additional fidgeting possibilities – like the fidget spinner pictured here which includes many fidget cube components (we will talk about the fidget cube in a later installment).

The different types, sizes and looks of fidgets spinners are about as numerous as the number of times kids ask for them. Pictured below are some from my personal collection. They include regular fidget spinners, light up spinners, spinners from some of my favorite teams (Cowboys, Yankees, Ohio State) and more. If you happen to know where I can find a Leicester City Football Club spinner, let me know!

How Much Do They Cost?

Fidget spinners come in all sorts of shapes and sizes – and also prices! You can find cheap fidget spinners at dollar stores and thrift stores. I’ve found them as cheap as $0.25 for a basic spinner at stores seeking to rid themselves of excess inventory. You can find branded fidgets spinners for fans of sports teams, tv shows, movies, cartoons, comics and much more – generally for anywhere between $5 and $10. There are higher end spinners that claim to spin better and longer and are made out of more sturdy materials for tens and even hundreds of dollars. There are even places where you can order your own personally branded version of the fidget spinner in bulk for giving to clients or students.

Our Review of the Fidget Spinner

Appeal Rating (4.5 Smiles)

We give fidget spinners an appeal rating of 4.5 out of 5 smiles. They are clearly popular which is evidenced by the large number of kids, teens and adults who still use and/or want one. Some of the novelty has worn off from the peek 12-18 months ago, but these spinners still tend to draw a crowd (particularly the more unique ones). There are books of tricks you can do with the fidget spinners and kids still love them.

The fidget spinner serves in a number of different coping capacities:

• The smooth hum helps to sooth anxious nerves.
• The physical motion of the spinning can be mesmerizing and therapeutic as they serve as a distraction coping mechanism.
• The crowds that they draw represent a social coping skill.

All in all, fidget spinners are both effective and a lot of fun. The only thing that keeps them from getting 5 smiles is that they have slightly over-saturated the market in the last couple of years and some of the novelty has begun to wear off.

Durability Rating (4 Stones)

We give fidget spinners a durability rating of 4 out of 5 stones. Like many of he fidgets we will review in this series, the fidget spinner comes in all types of varieties from different of manufacturers (everyone wants a piece of the fidget pie). Some high end fidget spinners are almost indestructible (and you pay accordingly). Even the cheaper ones hold up pretty good. My son found one at a soccer field during a game one weekend that had clearly been out in the elements for weeks (if not months). The plastic casing was eroded, but the spinner still worked fine. Others are slightly less durable, though I’ve yet to see one snap in half. The only issue with some of the spinners is that the center pieces can sometimes fall off or the bearings may fall out. Many also start to spin less smoothly and for shorter periods of time after repeated use.

Portability Rating (4 Bags)

We give fidget spinners a portability rating of 4 out of 5 bags. The fidget spinner comes in all sorts of shapes and sizes making this rating a little hard. Generally, they are fairly small (and even come in miniature varieties) making them fairly easy to carry. The only thing that keeps them from getting a higher rating is that they can tend to be a little heavy or awkward to carry in your pocket, and some of the spinners with sharper edges can pose a problem in terms of carrying them.

Noise Rating (3.5 Decibles)

We give fidget spinners a noise rating of 3.5 out of 5 decibles. They are loud enough when they spin to be a distraction in a classroom setting which has resulted in them to be banned by many schools. That said, in terms of overall noise production, they actually aren’t that loud, and the better made options make very little sound indeed.

Overall Rating (4 Fidgets)

Overall, we give fidget spinners a rating of 4 out of 5 fidgets. Wildly popular, engaging and an effective coping mechanism, spinners live up to their hype. That said, after a while they can grow a little stale and spend more time collecting dust than being used.

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Name: Squishy
Category: Manipulable
Coping: Physical, Distraction, Soothing

Introduction to Squishies

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.

What is it?

The evolution of the stress ball, squishies are generally made of a slow rising foam that slowly retakes it original shape after being squished by its user. They come in all types of shapes and sizes including sports equipment, animals, food and much much more. They range in size from less than an inch to well over a foot.

I keep a soccer ball in my car that I can use while I am driving. The foam is sturdy enough to use it as a traditional ball and squishy enough to live up to its name. In addition to the slow rising forms, there are a number of other types of squishy fidgets that have a more rubbery feel. These, too, come in a variety of forms and sizes.

Squishy fidgets can represent a variety of different coping mechanism. The physical aspect of playing with and squeezing them relieves tension. Watching the foam slowly reform to its original shape is an effective distraction and is also soothing. Like other types of fidgets, they can draw a crowd thereby serving as a social fidget.

How Much Does it Cost?

You can get small and average size squishy toys in the range of approximately $5 to $10. You can find better deals if you are interested in buying several at the same time (in a bundle). Large squishy toys can cost in excess of $10.

Our Review

Appeal Rating (4.5 Smiles)

We give the squishy an appeal rating of 4.5 out of 5 smiles. Sometimes the simplest things are the most effective. There isn’t a whole lot to these squishy fidgets, but they are captivating. No matter how many times you squeeze it down to the smallest size you can manage, you will still be mesmerized watching it slowly retake its original form. Both fun and soothing, the squishy fidget can help to cope with all kinds of difficult emotions.

Durability Rating (4 Stones)

We give the squishy a durability rating of 4 out of 5 stones.By thier very nature, the squishy takes a lot of abuse. It’s hard to imagine any object lasting too long which is designed to be squeezed and manipulated like the squishy. Eventually, the print on the squishy will wear off, and foam doesn’t last forever. Think of that old nerf football you used as a kid – after a few years, there was no mistaking the fact that it was well used, but it still worked. The squishy is a lot like that. It might not look as pretty after a while, but it will still serve its purpose.

Portability Rating (4 Bags)

We give the squishy a portability rating of 4 out of 5 bags. Some of the smaller rubberized fidgets are small enough to fit in your pocket, but most of the foam fidgets are at least large enough that they wouldn’t be comfortable to carry around all day in your pocket. That said, they are made of foam and are extremely light, so if you have a bag you can carry a bunch of them.

Noise Rating (5 Decibles)

We give the squishy a noise rating of 5 out of 5 decibles. This one was easy – they’re made of foam. Kids will find ways to make noise with them (picture throwing them into a pile of metal spoons), but used the way they are intended, they make no noise and are the perfect fidget for a quiet room.

Overall Rating (4.5 Fidgets)

We give the squishy an overall rating of 4.5 out of 5 fidgets. My squishy soccer ball is one of the few fidgets that I keep handy and has become another personal favorite. Strangely addictive, immensely soothing and just down right fun, you can’t go wrong with the squishy in your fidget collection.

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Name: Infinity Cube
Category: Manipulable
Coping: Physical, Distraction, Soothing

Introduction to the Infinity Cube

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.

What is an Infinity Cube?

The Infinity Cube is a series of eight blocks hinged together in such a way that you can flip the blocks and change the shape of them over and over without stopping or back tracking. This ability to “keep going” gives rise to the “infinity” part of the name. If you’ve never used one, imagine a folded sheet of paper that you can continuously unfold over and over again without ever completely unfolding the paper

The infinity cube is both addicting and soothing as you manipulate the blocks using either one hand or two. When you first start using it, you will find yourself concentrating on how it works. This can be an effective coping mechanism as it diverts your attention from whatever you are dealing with. As you use it more and more though, you will get the feel of it and how it works and find yourself using it without even thinking about it. (I sometimes use mine while working on the computer – for example as I write this!) The sound of the blocks folding and unfolding as well as the constant motion in your hand can be very soothing not to mention the tactile feeling of the cubes.

How Much Does it Cost?

Like many fidget toys, the Infinity Cube comes is variety of materials and sizes. They are also manufactured to varying levels of quality. You can get a cheap plastic version for $5 or so though these lose some of their effectiveness in their lack of quality. A good plastic Infinity Cube will cost from $10-$15 dollars and works well. One of my new favorites (the OctoCube) is rubber coated a little bit smaller than most infinity cubes, and costs approximately $10.  I also sprang for a high quality metal one for personal use that cost me in the range of $20-$25.

Our Review

Appeal Rating (5 Smiles)

We give the infinity cube an appeal rating of 5 out of 5 smiles. If we could have given it a higher rating, we would have. As indicated above, the Infinity Cube became, and still remains, our favorite fidget toy. They are fun to use and hard to resist. They help kids (and adults) cope in a variety of ways. The constant movement of the cubes has a soothing impact and the physical manipulation of the toy can be a welcome distraction.

Durability Rating (5 Stones)

We give the infinity cube a durability rating of 5 out of 5 stones. While it would seem like the numerous hinges might make this fidget toy more susceptible to breaking, we haven’t found that to be true. Particularly our metal infinity cube had withstood all kids of use, dropping, falling and multitude of little hands without any signs of excessive wear and tear.

Portability Rating (4.5 Bags)

We give the infinity cube a portability rating of 4.5 out of 5 bags. We really wanted to give it a five. After all, when all eight blocks are aligned flat, it will easily fit into your pocket. Even as a cube, it’s easy to hold. However, it would likely be a little large to carry around in your pocket (the OctoCube is a good alternative), and that is the only reason we knocked off half a bag.

Noise Rating (4.5 Decibles)

We give the infinity cube a noise rating of 4.5 out of 5 decibles. The infinite cube is by no means loud. That said, there is a “banging” together of the cubes that does make some noise. If you use it gently, you can minimize the noise, but who wants to do that?

Overall Rating (5 Fidgets)

We give the infinity cube an overall rating of 5 out of 5 fidgets. No surprise here! The Infinity Cube is our favorite when it comes to fidget toys. It is fun, engaging, easy to use and just the right amount of addicting. If you plan get only one fidget toy for yourself, or someone else, make it the Infinity Cube!

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