What in the World is a Fidget Spinner?
Today a coworker came up to me and showed me a new toy that he had purchased. He said that he thought it was "dumb" until he tried it. Now it is just as important for him to grab in the morning as his wallet or cell phone. A Fidget Spinner are explained as being, "small, ball-bearing devices that the user can rotate between his or her fingers" on LiveScience.com (article found at http://www.livescience.com/58916-fidget-spinner-faq.html). These toys were first marketed as an aid to those with anxiety and ADHD (Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity disorder) and are now becoming the latest trend and nuisance alike.
I asked to try out my coworker's Spinner and was astounded with the experience. From what I had read and seen it seems rather simple and juvenile. Almost like a toy you would hear your parents talking about playing with as a child. However the sensation produces by the spinning weights at the end of the prongs as you hold the slightly controlled wobblying center of the Spinner is highly enjoyable. It is not a toy that you need to focus on to play with. You simply pinch the center between your index finger and thumb then press one of the ends with your other hand to start it spinning. The design of this toy causes it to continue spinning until you want to stop it without having to put effort into keeping it going. After this experience I went web-bound to find tricks that people show off doing on YouTube by tossing the Spinner and switching it's position. There are so many possibilities with this toy I could not help myself from getting excited for it's potential.
There is debate on the appropriate application of this toy however, as any good fad will have. The toy is claimed to help those with ADHD and anxiety focus and create a positive sensation for those with autism for comfort. For many, having something to do with their fingers is a relaxing action that will calm their nerves or help them focus. There is a gray line between treating anxiety or other mental health disorders and playing with a toy that has been the controversy behind this toy.
Many classrooms are having to ban Fidget Spinners from being brought as they are causing distractions among the students. There is no doubt that students will be distracted by a small toy they can fit in their pocket if given the opportunity. And many employers are having to ban them for the same reasons. However it does beg to ask the question, should these toys be treated as a medical device or should the medical benefits be saved for home and entirely be treated as a toy elsewhere? There are many benefits that a person may receive from have a small comfort item in their hands which could potentially hold them back from receiving the education or performing the work that they will need to do. What do you think the benefits of having a fidget toy are? and do you believe they should be allowed in the school and workplace? Leave comments with what you think of Fidget Spinners.
