18 of the Best Fidget Toys for Anxiety

A quick look at the best fidget toys for anxiety

Best on-the-go toys

• Coogam Qiyi Speed Cube Bundle
• Tom’s Fidgets Original Flippy Chain
• Möbii Fidget Ball
• JOEYANK Fidget Infinity Cube

Best desk toys

• SPOLEY Desk Sculpture
• Toysmith Deluxe Zen Garden
• Toysmith Euler’s Disk
• COFFLED Newton’s Cradle
• EASTBULL Useless Box

Best jewelry

• Sac Silver Fidget Ring
• Steel Lynx Customer Möbii Necklace
• Goda Acupressure Rings
• ARK Krypto Bite Chewable Gem Necklace

Best for the classroom

• Solace Fidget Chair Kick Bands
• Panny & Mody Chewable Pencil Toppers
• Tangle Therapy Relax Toy

Best sensory toy

• The Squeeze Aromatherapy Dough

Since the fidget spinner phenomenon, fidget items have surged in popularity as tools to boost focus, curb restlessness, and help manage anxious feelings.

When anxiety kicks in, stress hormones increase, often producing excess, trapped energy. Without an outlet for that energy, you’re more prone to fidget — playing with your hair, bouncing your knee, biting nails, or repeatedly folding and unfolding your arms, for example.

Fidget gadgets provide an outlet for that physical energy. They act as a diversion for the mind, which can reduce anxiety and sharpen focus. Experts are divided on their effectiveness, but many people find them highly helpful.

What are fidget toys?

The term can be misleading — fidget toys aren’t conventional playthings. Rather, they’re compact, deliberately low-key items made to channel anxious energy. The fidget spinner is perhaps the most recognized, but you’ll also find:

• fidget cubes
• chewable jewelry and wearables
• spinner rings
• keychain fidgets
• kneadable putties and doughs

Can fidget toys help with anxiety?

Fidget items are intended to assist with:

• anxiety
• obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
• attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• everyday stress relief

Scientifically, the verdict remains inconclusive.

One study suggests fidgeting can temporarily ease stress and might boost concentration and attention. But a small 2018 study found they could be distracting, particularly for children.

Still, there’s substantial anecdotal support for fidget tools. Many people with anxiety report meaningful benefits — and lived experience deserves consideration.

How we chose

Interested in trying them? We compiled 18 well-reviewed picks covering various needs. Our selection considered:

• User reviews. We included only fidget tools with predominantly positive feedback and generally 4-star ratings or higher.
• Variety of types. We showcased different formats, from subtle handheld items to larger desk pieces.
• Price range. Options span several price tiers, from under $10 to just above $30.

Pricing guide

Price categories are shown as:

• $ = under $10
• $$ = $10–$30
• $$$ = over $30

Healthline’s picks of the best fidget toys for anxiety

Best on-the-go toys

Need something to occupy your hands while waiting or commuting?

These compact picks fit in a bag or pocket for discreet use.

Coogam Qiyi Speed Cube Bundle

Price: $$

This mini Rubik’s Cube may demand more active engagement than many fidget pieces. If puzzles are your thing, it’s likely to satisfy.

Note that a few reviewers find this smaller size awkward for bigger hands.

Tom’s Fidgets Original Flippy Chain

Price: $

The Tom’s Fidgets Flippy Chain features two stainless split rings and short bike-chain segments you can flip and slide for quiet, subtle fidgeting. It includes silicone bands for tactile variety and is built to withstand frequent use thanks to the chain links.

It slips into a pocket easily; some users attach it to keys to prevent misplacing it.

Möbii Fidget Ball

Price: $

Made of smooth, interlaced rings, this ball is great for tactile stimulation. Stroking or rotating the rings — or simply spinning the ball — can be soothing and is easy to do with one hand.

The Möbii Fidget Ball is advised for ages 13 and up due to small parts that could pose a choking risk.

JOEYANK Fidget Infinity Cube

Price: $$

This aluminum cube is made of eight smaller cubes you can twist into various shapes. Reviewers note it feels solid without being overly heavy.

It can produce slight noise during use, so it may not be ideal for very quiet settings.

Best desk toys

These larger items are better suited for a desk and can double as decorative pieces.

SPOLEY Desk Sculpture

Price: $$

This desktop set includes a magnetic base and 220 small magnetic balls you stack into shapes. It’s useful for short breaks when you want to relax and distract anxious thoughts.

Avoid giving it to young children because the small spheres are a choking hazard.

Toysmith Deluxe Zen Garden

Price: $$$

Mini zen gardens come with sand or gravel you rake into patterns to encourage a meditative mindset. Having one on your desk can make it easier to pause and calm yourself when anxiety rises.

Toysmith Euler’s Disk

Price: $$$

Place the disk on its mirrored base and spin it. As it accelerates, it hums and creates shifting color patterns, which can be mesmerizing.

Because it makes sound and flashing visuals, it isn’t ideal for very quiet spaces or for those sensitive to light.

COFFLED Newton’s Cradle

Price: $$

The Newton’s cradle features hanging spheres that transfer motion from one to another when you release a pulled-back ball. Observing the motion can be calming.

The contacting spheres click audibly, so consider that before using it in quiet settings.

EASTBULL Useless Box

Price: $$

The EASTBULL Useless Box isn’t a conventional fidget, but it distracts from intrusive thoughts. Insert two AA batteries and flip its switch — a mechanism pops up to turn the switch off, closing the lid. Flip it again and the cycle repeats.

Best jewelry

Fidget jewelry offers a discreet way to self-soothe when you’re out and about or need to be subtle.

Sac Silver Fidget Ring

Price: $$

Spinner or worry rings mimic fidget spinners: one stationary band sits on your finger while a second band rotates around it.

They come in many designs and hues. This sterling silver option is unisex, reasonably priced, and won’t discolor your skin after wear.

Steel Lynx Customer Möbii Necklace

Price: $$

Similar to the Möbii Fidget Ball, this pendant has smooth interlocked rings. It’s available in several colors, and you can often mix hues for a custom look.

Reviews indicate it’s a quiet, discreet fidget useful for adults and children old enough to wear jewelry.

Goda Acupressure Rings

Price: $$

These spring-like rings are intended to stimulate pressure points on fingers, and they work well as fidget tools.

Slide them up and down a finger for a calming massage-like sensation.

ARK Krypto Bite Chewable Gem Necklace

Price: $$

Some people chew pens, clothing, or skin when anxious. A chewable necklace provides a discreet, portable sensory option that can be calming for certain individuals.

The ARK Krypto Bite is stylish enough for adults and sturdy enough for kids. It’s made from medical-grade TPE — similar to silicone but more durable — and is latex-free and free of BPA, heavy metals, and phthalates.

Best for the classroom

Having fidget tools available in classrooms may assist some students in managing anxiety and stress.

Solace Fidget Chair Kick Bands

Price: $$$

Kick bands, or resistance bands, help people who tend to jiggle their feet or kick furniture when anxious. They attach to chair legs and reviewers say they’re fairly silent.

Panny & Mody Chewable Pencil Toppers

Price: $$

Chewing can be a quiet stress outlet. These pencil toppers are crafted from 100% food-grade silicone, nontoxic and free of BPA and phthalates.

They feature different textures — larger studs and smaller bumps — for varied sensations. Ensure students don’t share them to prevent germ spread.

Tangle Therapy Relax Toy

Price: $$

The Tangle is popular in classrooms because it’s silent. It’s made of connected, curving sections you can reshape, twist, and reassemble.

Reviews indicate benefits for children and adults alike; many users say it helped with anxiety, PTSD, and similar issues.

The Tangle Jr. is a smaller model that’s handy for school or travel.

Best sensory toy

Sensory-sensitive people may feel overwhelmed by noise or light, while others need extra sensory input. Sensory fidgets address those needs.

The Squeeze Aromatherapy Dough

Price: $$

Adult stress dough resembles childhood play dough but this version is infused with pure lavender essential oil to encourage calm.

Squeezing and kneading the dough can relieve tension physically while the lavender offers aromatherapy benefits.

Frequently asked questions

What are the different types of fidget toys?

Fidget toys come in many varieties: spinners, stress balls, fidget cubes, chewable wearables, putties, and doughs. Though they work differently, their shared aim is to redirect anxious energy to reduce stress and improve attention.

Do fidget toys help with stress?

Research specifically on fidget toys is limited, but fidgeting itself has short-term stress-reducing effects. Many users report that fidget items improve focus and ease stress, especially for those with ADHD, based on anecdotal evidence.

Can adults use fidget toys?

Yes — adults can use fidget toys. Many designs are subtle or resemble jewelry, making them appropriate for workplaces or situations where you want to be unobtrusive.

Takeaway

Fidget items can be useful tools for moments of stress or anxiety.

Although debate continues about how effective they are, there’s no sign they’ll worsen symptoms, so trying them may be worthwhile if you’re curious.