Fidget Hunting: Target Edition

Sometimes affordable alternatives to oftentimes expensive fidget toys are hidden in plain sight at your local big-box store. This time around, I went to Target to take a look at their offerings. I'm going to divide this post up into store sections. Keep in mind that the products offered change seasonally. (Currently, the store has a spring/Easter focus.)
Dollar Section: Ah, the coveted-yet-dreaded dollar section. You can find a lot of great things here, you just have to dig. (At least at my local Target you do!)

Jacob's Ladder: a classic toy, great for visual and auditory input. And it is just plain relaxing to watch the blocks "cascade."

Velvety bouncy ball. Good for tactile input and hand-eye coordination when bounced. I would avoid this for those who would bounce it at inappropriate times (me!)

Easter egg filled with glitter putty. Good for providing tactile and visual input.

Mini Slinkies. Fun for tactile input as a fidget and educational when used to teach physics.

Rubber "Light Up Balls." They didn't light up for me though. I'd think these bounce as well, and most definitely erratically. But good for tactile input and hand strengthening. 

Party Supplies: This section is a hidden gem. Seriously. 

Rubber bouncy balls- fun to roll around in your hands

Glow slime: providing tactile and visual input.

Oblong Puff Balls: great for calming tactile input. And it is possible to make noise with it, though it is quite difficult. I actually have one of these slated for review. 

The squishy dinosaur is hard to describe. It has a sticky puff ball-like texture but feels like there are plastic pellets inside. When you squeeze it you can feel the grainy particles grinding up against each other. But this would be a great fidget for a dinosaur lover.

Stretchy wristbands: they come in fun colors and are safer than rubber bands. 

Crazy straws: these are fun for working on oral motor skills and great for oral and visual input. A more challenging straw on the cheap.

Toy Section: There is a small area in a corner of the toy section that offers some pretty cool fidgets.

They're hard to see through the mesh, but these puzzle cubes are a fun activity to complete while listening to a lecture. For an added bonus, the individual pieces can be fingered by themselves. 

Pin Board: This thing was huge. I wish I had gotten something in the picture for scale. Looking back, I approximate it to be the size of an iPad. I love playing with these things any chance I get so an extra large one is super fun.  

Harmonica: these make nice oral motor fidgets but are best suited for home use. Plus music is super fun and a great outlet for all. 

Glow in the Dark Stars: These would be a pretty visual affixed to a ceiling but would also be fun to finger at night or in the dark.

Bonus: This pencil case was on clearance next to the party supplies and I honestly am regretting not picking it up. Small pencil cases with tactile elements can hold either pencils or some fidgets. 

Where else do you shop for fidgets? Have you ever gone fidget hunting? 

Fidgeting Without the Toy

One of the major reasons I seek out fidget toys is to detract from fidgeting with myself or surrounding objects that I do not want to damage.

Fidgeting with myself: I am naturally a very fidgety person, so my hands are always looking for ways to disperse their energy. I find that some of the best fidget toys are already naturally found on your body!

Hair: My preferred fidgeting method involves running strands of hair through my fingers. I find that this is calming and provides soothing tactile input. The only negative with this is that I often do this when I am stressed, and often end up pulling out my hair during the process. 

Nails: When I have no other outlets for my fidgeting, I will pick at my cuticles and pull off bits of skin, which can occasionally lead to mild bleeding. This can be problematic for obvious reasons. 

Hands and Feet: If you were to observe me over the course of a school day, you would find me bouncing my leg or shaking my foot continually. I'm sure it annoys people, but I really can't help it! At home, I often flap my hands to relieve tension. I also crack the joints at the bases of my thumbs often, partially because my hands cramp up writing and typing all day. 

Ears: I like to run my fingers over the curves on my outer ear. 

Mouth: I occasionally bite my lips, and put my fingers in my mouth. (I know it's unsanitary, but it's more sanitary that putting other random objects in my mouth! For example, I chewed my school ID card all through last year.)

There are always some "safe" objects in your environment that are okay to fidget with and disfigure, for example a paperclip. But fidgeting with a paperclip can often lead to mild (most often unintentional) self-injury, which is why I consider fidget toys to be a staple for anyone with busy hands. 

Fidgipod by Desk Buddy Fidget Review

The Fidgipod by Desk Buddy is marketed as an "instantly calming" sensory tool. It was purchased off of Amazon for around $11 plus shipping, which initially seemed rather high. However, I was willing to give it a try. It is meant to be kept on a desk to ensure availability in a school or work environment. I was also curious as to what it looked like in person because the listing only provided a CAD (computer aided design) blueprint of the fidget.

First impressions: The Fidgipod was packaged in sealed polyethylene tubing and was accompanied by a chemical smell. It was accompanied by a product information card, which I can't seem to locate at the moment. The card indicated that the fidget was manufactured by The Sensory University.
The first thing I noticed was the fidget's size. This is far too large to serve as a discreet, ultra-portable single-hand fidget, however it works nicely as a two handed one for home use.

Underside of the Fidgipod

I received a mildly translucent green Fidgipod.

On my computer 

Top view

The second thing I noticed was that (for me) the fidget had more alerting properties than calming ones. The noise the spikes make when you run your finger along it with a hard touch is nice and relaxing though. Putting the palm of your hand on the top of the fidget is rather calming though. I like picking it up with two hands and fingering the bottom and top at the same time. I am fidgeting with it as I write it and when I think about it, actually feeling more regulated and aware of my hands and fingers.


A downside to this fidget is the way it gathers dust. It looks odd, but with the growing trend of desk toys for office professionals, it could work depending on how you market it to others. For a teenager like me, however, it's better living at home. My Fidgipod also had several indents on the underside. As they are irregularly placed I am led to believe they are defects, which is disappointing.



Effectiveness: 4/5. This fidget is a nice tool to have on your desk or laptop to keep your attention and provide tactile input throughout the day or homework session.
Durability: 4.9/5.  It is highly durable. The only con is its tendency to attract dust.
Portability: 2.8/5. It's portable enough, but designed to be a desk fidget. However its bulkiness and tendency to get dusty could make simultaneously using it at school and at home difficult. It is also marketed as a hand fidget, and hand fidgets should be designed to be portable.
Weird Factor: 3/5: Depending on how you pitch it to peers, the Fidgipod could be another thing that makes you stick out or something cool and modern.

Conclusion: The fidgipod is a nice addition to anyone's sensory bin, but serves you best when it hangs out on your desk. It is a durable fidget that can be easily cleaned in the dishwasher and can withstand some chewing. I reccommend the Fidgipod for anyone looking for a fidget that provides alerting tactile input for use in a school or work setting.

*note: I was not compensated for this review in any way. These opinions are my own.*