Fidget toys are useful as a coping aid for a variety of people. While many fidget toys can ease anxiety, some go as far as to be designed specifically for anxiety-sufferer’s needs in mind. These purpose-designed fidget toys are often the best fidget toys for anxiety because of their specific aim of helping those with anxiety.
Best Fidget Toys for Anxiety Reviewed
If you're suffering from anxiety, try these five fidget toys to get some much needed relief.
FabQuality Fidget Cube
Features
Thumb twiddler-centric features: The FabQuality Cube is a fidget toy designed to have a variety of fidget mechanisms to suit different needs and preferences. There are a couple of thumb twiddler-centric features designed to satisfy the fidgeting needs of thumb twiddlers: The Glide feature and the Spin feature. The Glide feature is a joy stick with a full range of motion while the Spin feature is a spinning disc that offers a satisfying alternative for thumb twiddlers.
Clicker-centric features: Clickers have a few options with the FabQuality Cube. The Switch, while also a flicker-centric feature, has an enjoyable clicking sound that clickers will enjoy. Click is the primary clicker feature; it’s designed to fill the needs of those who love to click pens. While the Gear isn’t a specific clicker feature, it also has a clicking sound.
Flicker-centric features: The Switch aspect satisfies the needs of flickers while having a nice clicking sound that clickers will enjoy.
Roller-centric features: The gears and ball are designed to placate all of your rolling needs.
Worry Stone: The FabQuality Cube has a worry stone-inspired feature to encourage proper breathing and relaxation. Worry stones are featured on many of the best fidget toys for anxiety because they cause you to simultaneously address your anxiety while learning to self-soothe—a crucial skill for combating panic attacks and other forms of anxiety.
The pros
- Great for relieving anxiety and stress
- Carrying/storage case for The Cube
- Free bonus eBook
- Free bonus Minion keychain
Drawbacks
Overall, most people have a favorable view of The Cube; however, the most common recurring issue seems to be with the joystick not functioning fully, which may be a factory defect issue, though it’s still quite uncommon.
Colorful Sensory Fidget Stretch Toys
Features
Flexible: The Colorful Sensory Fidget Stretch Toys are highly flexible, designed to be stretched, pulled, twisted and contorted, perfect for fidgeters who crave a lot of hand movement.
Vibrant colors: The vibrant colors of these fidget toys are totally welcoming to kids, and they add a splash of cheery color for adults as well.
Nontoxic materials: The stretch toys are made only with nontoxic ingredients, being free of both phthalates and BPA, so they’re safe for children. Additionally, they’re latex free.
Silent: The Colorful Sensory Fidget Stretch Toys are silent and discreet, so your child can fidget at school without attracting unwanted attention from the other kids in the class. The discreet fidgeting aspect is also great for adults who have anxiety at work and in public.
Durable: Since it’s designed for both children and adults, keeping the fidget toys clean is important—especially when they’ve been at school or work during flu season, which is why these fidget toys are washable in soap and water. What’s better is the fact that they maintain their integrity after being cleaned, so you can clean them as often as you need to.
The pros
- Stretchy
- Flexible
- Silent fidgeting
- Discreet fidgeting
- Colorful
- Washable
- Latex-free
- Hypoallergenic
Drawbacks
They’re silent, so they aren’t the ideal choice for those who like sound with their fidgeting, but you have to balance that with the fact that they’re a great silent alternative for public use.
Infinity Fidget Ball
Features
Continuous motion: The Infinity Fidget Ball is an ideal solution for anxiety sufferers who need constant motion in their fidget toys. It’s infinite, interlocking loop design makes for fluidly seamless endless motion, which can also be used as a meditation aid for those who need a tactile mantra to relax.
Anodized aluminum: The Infinity Fidget Ball is made from anodized aluminum, which provides for strength and durability. Additionally, anodized aluminum allows for the smooth, continuous motion the Infinity Fidget Ball is lauded for.
Improves dexterity: Focused hand movement, like that which is made with the Infinity Fidget Ball, can contribute to improved fingertip dexterity, which can be a great exercise for people who work with their hands, like musicians, sculptors and carpenters.
Sensory stimulation: The Infinity Fidget Ball can additionally be used as a sensory stimulation aid for those who are tactile-sensitive. Desensitizing exercises tend to be key in managing tactile sensitivity.
The pros
- Reduces anxiety
- Constant motion
- Fluid motion
- Sensory stimulation aid
- Quiet
- Improves dexterity
- Can be used as a worry stone
- Quality construction
- Compact
Drawbacks
The Infinity Fidget Ball is very small, so it may be easy to lose; however, it’s small size makes it very discreet, which makes it great for adult anxiety sufferers to use at work.
Fidget Spinner
Features
Silicon Nitride (Si3N4) Ceramic Technology: The Si3N4 ceramic bearing is super durable and, according to reports, is 40% stronger than standard steel ball bearings.
Finger spinning: Tactile fidgeters will enjoy the spinning sensation between the finger and thumb.
Tabletop spinning: Fidgeters who are into visuals—especially kids—will love the tabletop spinning feature.
Compact: The Fidget Spinner fits in the palm of your hand, so you can take it anywhere for discreet fidgeting.
The pros
- Si3N4 bearing technology
- Finger spinning
- Table top spinning
- TSA-friendly
- Handheld
- Compact
- Discreet
- Quiet
Drawbacks
This spinning fidget has to be broken in, but the good news is the breaking in process is rather short.
Spiky Sensory Ring
Features
100% high-quality thermoplastic construction: The thermoplastic rubber of the Spiky Sensory Ring is hypoallergenic and latex free. It’s also nontoxic, being free from phthalates and BPAs.
Sensory stimulation: The Spiky Sensory Ring makes a great sensory stimulation aid for those with tactile sensitivity, because it’s not only spiky, but soft. It’s a great way to introduce new textures and hand-feels for sensitive individuals, so they can become desensitized to unfamiliar surfaces.
Quiet: The Spiky Sensory Ring can be used at work or school, because it’s quiet, so you don’t have to feel self-conscious about disturbing those around you.
Bright colors: The warm, friendly bright colors of the Spiky Sensory Ring make it a great fidget toy for kids suffering from anxiety.
The pros
- Wrist-sized, bracelet-like
- Quiet
- Soft
- Dishwasher safe
- Can be used for sensory stimulation
- Great for tactile fidgeters
- Nontoxic
- Latex-free
Drawbacks
The Spiky Sensory Ring is wrist-sized and brightly colored, so it won’t be as visually discreet as finger ring-sized options, however it is audibly discreet and creates zero noise.