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See Which Fidget Toys are Best: The Ultimate Matrix
Not sure which fidget toys are best for you and your group? See how each fidget toy measures up, based on these 10 criteria:
[NOTE: due to the COVID-19, we’ve added an 11th criteria (ease of sterilizing]
11 Criteria to evaluate popular fidget toys
- WHO will use it? Kids? Adults? Personal use? — Community use? The intended audience will help determine which other criteria are most important, such as size or material
- MATERIAL – What’s it made of? — materials considerations are often a function of tactile preferences and audience. Some like rubbery, stretchy items, but not all of those can be washed. Wooden fidgets feel nice but can’t go through a dishwasher. They would need to be wiped down or cleaned in a UV Sterilizing Box.
- MOTION – Do you like to twist, twirl, bend, flex, or squeeze? — Again, this is mostly a question of personal preference.
- SIZE – Prefer pocket toys, one-handers, or bigger handfuls? — main considerations involve the size of the user’s hand and the preference for discretion (that is, the ability to put it in a pants pocket).
- EYE-CANDY – Are good looks a plus or distracting? — some make like fidget toys that are visually dazzling or interesting, while others might find those features to detract from the tactile experience of fidgeting.
- SOUND – Is silence golden or are simple sounds suitable? — for use during meetings, school, or religious observations, noise fidget toys could be a disaster. Be sensitive to your surroundings!
- COST – Buy a bunch at a low cost or choose one snazzy favorite! — some may be less sensitive to cost if they’re purchasing one or a few special fidget toys. When purchasing for a group, low-cost may be preferable.
- DURABILITY – Are users rough or gentle? — consider whether your fidgeters are going to put their toys to the test.
- WEIGHT – Need some heft or is lightweight better? — personal preference here, again. Some like fidget toys that feel a bit weightier.
- FUN FACTOR – Is your focus on fun or function? — fidget spinners are the biggest culprit here. They’re pretty cool to look at and they spin super fast, but you’re not fidgeting if you’re just watching it spin. I fear fidget spinners give fidget toys a bad name but welcome fidgeters to make the final call!
- STERILIZATION – Did the toy fidget toy pass or fail the test? This has been especially top-of-mind during COVID, but the ability to clean and share fidgets is always an important consideration.
Click here to view the Fidget Toy Matrix and see which Fidget Toys are best for you! If you want a sortable XLSX file, click here.
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