Fiddle Toy Stigma

[Nathan Dines]

I fidget! It's one thing I don't have to work at to be good at. It comes naturally!

I found out why I fidget when I learned I was living on the autism spectrum. I have so many thoughts and feelings crowding my brain that I need to have something I can touch in my hands, or put in my mouth, or occupy a part of my brain so I can more easily concentrate. If I can keep that part of my brain that is being overwhelmed with all these sensory messages busy and calm, then I can use the remaining part of my brain to think and work.

As for the people critical of fidget toys, they are entitled to their opinion. Their wrong but their entitled to not know what in the world they are talking about.

Same here

 

[Lady Penelope]

I have fidgeted my whole life and just found out why ... big surprise.
I was discouraged from relying on toys etc as a kid before i found out i was on the spectrum so i have used various stationery items over the years, even coins and hair ties but mainly i twist my hair and knot it into figure eights with one hand. I've been told it's quite impressive
After discovering that it is a normal urge to fidget and that it helps calm over stimulated sensors, not to mention focus brain activity whether on the spectrum or not, i have looked into fidget toys and items that might help me more than a rubber band and my own hair.
So... i bought a fidget cube and fidget spinner and waiting for them to arrive.
I also bought mohdoh aromatherapy mouldable dough which feels soooo good and smells amazing...a bunch of little soft critters ... a koosh ball and a metal slinky.... Stuff i had as a kid that i remember fondly...now i know why.

I'm not on Facebook... can't understand its purpose. The people i know who are on it are morons and i don't care what they ate for lunch or that they thought a cat video was funny

 

[EditTim]

I posted this in "The last thing you bought" thread, but I'll re-post it here, since my favorite fidget toy isn't actually a fidget toy, and as such, may be less likely to receive negative attention:

I bought online three (3) Self-Aligning Ball Bearings in 12x32x9(mm) size to use as fidget toys.

I had a BMW ball bearing keychain years ago in this design that I absolutely loved, but couldn't find one again once that one broke. MOMA sold one (keychain) for a bit, but not anymore. Currently, no keychain version exists for sale. There's necklace version on Etsy, with a chain through the center, but that wouldn't work for how I use it, lol.

Found an industrial site where one can order whatever size one wants.
This is the one I bought, it's the perfect fidget "toy" for me...

2201 Self Aligning Bearing 12x32x14

 

[Bolletje]

I just found out a store has opened in my city with all kinds of fidget toys. Can't wait to pick something out, I'm really curious if it'll help me stop touching my hair and face all the time. Reading about the store stocking these was the first thing I read about fidget toys other than on Aspie central, so I didn't have the same experience you did.

 

[ZebraAutismo]

I just found out a store has opened in my city with all kinds of fidget toys. Can't wait to pick something out, I'm really curious if it'll help me stop touching my hair and face all the time. Reading about the store stocking these was the first thing I read about fidget toys other than on Aspie central, so I didn't have the same experience you did.

That sounds like a cool shop. I struggle to buy fiddle toys online because I don't which I will like