In this post, I'm going to give you the 13 best fidgets to use in the classroom. These are all teacher approved!
School can be tough for neurodivergents of any age. Trying to learn in a way that may not be the best for you, smells & sounds that are new or abrasive, not being able to take breaks, having to sit still and more are all things that can keep us from getting the education we want.
It doesn't help that by the time the day is over, we feel like we are juggling 1,000 things while doing an obstacle course just to get through the day!
[Gif above is a scene from The Office. Dwight is carrying two cups of hot coffee while running through tires on the ground that are part of an obstacle course.]
Fidgets and stim toys have made socializing SO much easier for me! Between social cues and expectations, noises, lights, overlapping sounds and conversations, flashing colors, and every other thing in the same room as me, my brain must have something to unwind itself from the train wreck that is actively taking place inside my head. I'll talk more about how fidgets and stim toys help with that in another post. For now, let's get into two of my favorite things...lists and fidgets!
Best Fidgets for the Classroom
Each item will have a link to places where you can purchase the item! You can either click on the image or the title for the link - I'll also have a "Click here" spot at the bottom of each fidgets section with a link for you!
I have several of these in my collection and have one with me always. I never leave home without one on (unless I'm using a different fidget necklace that day). I absolutely love worry stone necklaces! They are so pretty!
Pictured above is the Galaxy Worry Stone Necklace, but I also offer customizable ones, rainbow, glow-in-the-dark, LGBTQ+, and more!
They provide a repetitive and smooth sensory input!
They are great for subtle fidgeting.
They look like regular necklaces.
They come on a satin-smooth cord with a breakaway barrel clasp for safety for those who like to run and play!
The barrel clasp also makes it very easy to take on and off - no fine motor skills needed, no frustration trying to line up tiny holes. Just snap it together and you are all set!
I love all the different color combinations that people come up with to fit their style and taste. Personally, the galaxy one is my favorite (pictured above), but I also love the regular ones. Black & teal is a great color combination!
I love these little guys! I keep one in the cup holder of my car and the side pocket of my purse so I have something to fidget with no matter where I am.
I have smooth and textured styles and several colors, including rainbow stripes and wood, so you can really make this your own!
Small and easy to take with you and keep in your purse or pocket.
They are stretchy and one size fits most!
Being stretchy gives you more ways to fidget - slide it up and down your finger, twist it around your finger, stretch it between two fingers, or rub your thumb over the opening like a worry stone!
Personally, I love the textured one (pictured above)! This is one of my absolute favorite fidgets ever! I love the variety of ways you can use it. Any fidget that gives me multiple ways to play is a winner in my book!
This is a great one for the classroom. It's small and quiet - which is what most teachers prefer!
This comes in tons of colors and themes! I even have one that has a different pattern of the rainbow on each ring.
Small and easy to take from one place to another.
Fully customizable in the colors you prefer.
You can have it on a necklace for easy fidgeting.
Great for repetitive fidgeting.
They can be used on their own or they can be attached to a pen or pencil for some textured fidgeting as well as giving some relief to hands that have trouble gripping their pencil for an extended period of time.
Can fit on most pens and pencils.
Completely silent!
Comes in 6 different colors and multiple styles!
I love these little guys. You can get them in the textures shown above as well as a rubber pearlized version and a bumpy foam version.
5. Worry Stones
Worry stones are a fun fidget! They've been around for a very long time. Can't improve on perfection, right? They are soft and smooth on top with a nice crook in the bottom so they rest comfortably on your finger.
Small and easy to take with you, fits in your purse or pocket!
Fits in your handle for subtle fidgeting at school or work.
Provide a smooth and repetitive sensory input.
Tons of colors to choose from to make it completely customizable to your style!
I really enjoy worry stones! I have one that I keep in the side pocket of my purse so I always have one with me! Mine is pink, yellow, and blue ;)
These are some of the first fidgets I made when I started my shop and they are still holding strong as some of my most popular items!
16 color options.
Silent and subtle.
The beads roll very smoothly between your fingers.
Tons of color options to fully customize it to your style and taste! Want neutral colors? Done. Neon and bright colors? Done. LGBTQ+ Pride colors? DONE!
I love the big bead fidgets. I usually end up rolling them up or pretending they are a caterpillar!
I absolutely LOVE these! The loom bands are stretchy and are all on an elastic stretchy cord. So double stretchiness! They are also fun to roll up and down your fingers.
Double stretchiness!
14 colors to choose from including pastel, rainbow, confetti, and camo!
Multiple ways to fidget.
Great for those who like to pick at things.
Provides repetitive sensory input.
I really enjoy this fidget. It's so calming and simple. My favorites are the rainbow and the pastel mix!
This fidget is one of my favorites (and oldest)! It bends and twists endlessly around itself. You can get solid colors, hex nuts (these are not good schools - they will be noisy), or mixed colors.
Small and silent!
Want noise? Get the 2 Ring version with the hex nuts!
Great for repetitive motion fidgeting.
Dozens of color combinations!
Get just one or a whole set of different sizes.
I really enjoy these! Each size provides a different type of stim. They are very different fidgets and are each great for so many reasons! I have a set in my fidget box and can't imagine not having them in there.
9. Marble Mazes
These marble mazes are great silent fidgets! They are small so they fit great in your purse, pocket, or desk. They are made from soft fleece and have a marble on the inside to push through the maze.
Teacher approved.
Tons of patterns and colors to choose from!
Completely silent.
Machine washable.
Perfect for repetitive fidgeting!
I really enjoy these during times that I need to let my mind relax and take a deep breath. It becomes almost a ritual as you slide the marble back and forth. It is sooo satisfying!
10. Fidget Necklaces
These are really cute and fun! The beads are smooth and roll between your fingers so easily. You can get them with this fun neon rainbow cord or a solid black cord. I have 16 different colored beads and the color combinations are endless, including rainbow and nearly 2 dozen LGBTQ+ themes!
They provide a repetitive and smooth sensory input!
They are great for subtle fidgeting.
They come on a satin-smooth cord with a breakaway barrel clasp for safety for those who like to run and play!
The barrel clasp also makes it very easy to take on and off - no fine motor skills needed, no frustration trying to line up tiny holes. Just snap it together and you are all set!
I love all the different color combinations that people come up with to fit their style and taste. I have two in my collection - one that is a rainbow and another that is pink, yellow, and blue!
11. Zipper Bracelets
These bracelets are so fun! They come in so many different colors and are so addicting to play with. Right now, I only offer these in the Starter Fidget Bundle (which can be customized to be all classroom friendly!), but am working on getting them listed on their own for everyone!
Quiet.
Can be worn as a fun accessory to most outfits!
Great as a repetitive fidget!
I have several of these in my collection and wear them all the time! I love the colors and the fact that they are very quiet! The blue and pink combo is my favorite!
These cubes have a different texture on each of their 6 sides: flat, large dimple, small dimple, medium dimple, waves, and lines. They offer so many different variations of sensory input! The size is great - perfect for one or two-hand play!
Big enough for whole-hand play, but small enough to fit in your purse or pocket.
Dozens of color combinations!
6 different textures in 1 fidget.
Good for repetitive fidgeting.
I LOVE these! I've always enjoyed fidget cubes and still have some factory-made styles, but I really like that these have so many textures. Factory-made fidget cubes tend to only have 2 -3 parts that I enjoy.
These discs come in 3 different textures. They offer so many different variations of sensory input! The size is great - perfect for one or two-hand play!
Big enough for whole-hand play, but small enough to fit in your purse or pocket.
Dozens of color combinations!
3 different textures to pick from.
Good for repetitive fidgeting.
I LOVE these! These are some of the newest editions to my shop and have already become one of my most popular items! Grab your favorite texture or get a bundle of all 3.