When I went to school, fidgeting was frowned upon and punished. However, over the past 30+ years, attitudes have changed and it is now understood that some children need to fidget to help them sit still and learn. I don’t know the psychology behind it but I know that at this time of year, fidget toys sell fast on my website as parents prepare to send their children back to school.

From what I can see, the fidget toys that sell tend to be:

• small enough to fit into a pencil case
• static toys that will stay in the child’s hands (ie not bouncy balls or flying gliders or similar toys)
• toys that don’t make noise to distract other children
• sensory in nature, particularly touch sensations.

Not every child needs to bring fidget toys to school and for some, bringing them would be an added distraction to learning, so before considering buying some of these sensory toys to send into school, maybe check with your child’s teacher or someone in the profession.

Here’s are my top 10 fidget toys for school.

1. Stretchy Men– 50c.

These little yellow rubber guys have dangly arms and legs that can be pulled and stretched.

2. Finger Spy – €1.10

Place one of these on top of your forefinger and watch the eyes wobble.

3. Finger Monsters – €1.50

Again, these fit nicely on fingers and then your child can pull on the arms, fingers and snout

4. Bendy Monsters – €2.50

These little toys have wiry limbs that hold the shape they have been bent into. They have fun faces to encourage imagination.

5. Bendy Robots – €2.50

These are the same as the bendy monsters only they look like little robots

6. Sticky Slug – €2.50

These slugs can be pulled and squished. They stick to surfaces and once they have lost their stick, they just need to be washed to work again.

7. Wobbly Wooden Fairies – €4.99

These lovely wooden toys have a button underneath to press. The top part (Fairy) is held together with elastic so when the button is pressed, the elastic tightens and the fairy moves.

8. Wooden Flexi Robots – €4.99

These wooden robot’s limbs are held together with elastic, so when you bend them, the wooden pieces lock and they hold their shape.

9. Magnet Set – €7.50

Your child can pick up paper clips and other metal objects in their pencil case while listening at the same time.

10. Putty Peeps – €7+

Choose from different colours and effects (change colour putty and magnetic putty). These little tins are perfect to pop into your child’s pencil case. Each tin has a hand full of putty and two eyes so that they can mould it into shapes or creatures.

I hope that school starts well for all children next week. If you have a child that needs fidget toys to get along in school, I’d love to hear what other toys have worked for them, as I feel my range is quite small but I’m not sure what else to add and I’d love some parent’s and teacher’s opinions.

If you haven’t already stocked up on some fun stationery for your child, check out this blog post.

Thanks for reading and supporting my small, Irish business,

xx Suzie