Best Cheap Fidget Toys for Anxiety for 2024 – CNET [CNET]

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These affordable fidget toys can help you ease anxiety and stress.

Updated Feb. 14, 2024 10:50 p.m. PT

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Caroline Igo (she/her/hers) is a wellness editor and holds Sleep Science Coach and Stress Management certificates from the Spencer Institute. She received her bachelor’s degree in creative writing from Miami University and continues to further her craft in her free time. Before joining CNET, Caroline wrote for past CNN anchor, Daryn Kagan.

Expertise Sleep, mattress accessories, vitamins and supplements, nutrition & personal care Credentials

  • Carl R. Greer/Andrew D. Hepburn Award for Best Nonfiction Essay (Miami University, 2020)

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Fidget Cube

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Appash Fidget Cube

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$7 at Amazon

Pop It balls

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Pop Tubes

Best cheap fidget toy for young kids

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Water Bead Stress Balls

Best cheap fidget toy for the classroom

3 Set Water Beads Stress Ball

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While they may look silly, fight toys can be incredibly beneficial for those dealing with anxiety. In the last few years alone, the popularity of fidget toys has risen exponentially, as well as the discourse surrounding them. Many groups of teachers, parents, professionals and students swear by them. Fidget toys are small tools you spin between your fingers to help reduce anxiety. Think of it as an outlet to channel everyday stressors. That being said, they’re not a substitute for professional help, but they may be a great tool to help manage anxiety and stress symptoms.

We searched the internet for the best cheap fidget toys and chose the ones with the best price, appearance, durability and customer reviews. 

Here are our top picks for the best fidget toys for $10 and under.

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Lego and other building blocks, you can even connect a few pop tubes together to make larger tubes. The rigid tubes can be pulled and bent to make shapes, letters or words. Every time a tube is pulled or pushed together, it makes a sound, similar to a bendy straw. Let your young kids play with these fidgets on their own or join in on the fun. 

However, be aware that the tubes can dented during rough play. If you use these in the classroom, be aware that they make noise. 

Best features:

  • Fun texture and sounds 
  • Can connect the tubes together for more play

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“,”imageCredit”:”Amazon”,”imageAltText”:”Pop Tubes”,”imageFilename”:”new-project-12.png”,”imageWidth”:756,”imageHeight”:425,”imageDoNotCrop”:false,”imageDoNotResize”:false,”imageWatermark”:false,”imageDateCreated”:”2022-08-10″,”imageParallax”:””,”imageCrop”:””,”imageEnlarge”:false}” usepricing=”true” ng-block=”{“id”:”1s7nd0u2jahj1zk”,”type”:”listicle”}” edition=”us” data-key=”cnetlisticle__ad17af00-63c4-46d4-a11f-9e383aa7196d” index=”4″ contenttype=”Best List – Precap” pagelayout=”Default – Article Page” tagslugs=”toys” imagecredit=”Amazon”>

Fidgets for children need to be entertaining enough to occupy their busy hands. These brightly colored, textured and plastic pop tubes are guaranteed to grab their attention. Each set comes with four pop tubes for one low price. Similar to Lego and other building blocks, you can even connect a few pop tubes together to make larger tubes. The rigid tubes can be pulled and bent to make shapes, letters or words. Every time a tube is pulled or pushed together, it makes a sound, similar to a bendy straw. Let your young kids play with these fidgets on their own or join in on the fun. 

However, be aware that the tubes can dented during rough play. If you use these in the classroom, be aware that they make noise. 

Best features:

  • Fun texture and sounds 
  • Can connect the tubes together for more play

Show expert take Show less

a physical way known as fidgeting. This fidgeting is due to discomfort and can look like a tapping foot or having trouble sitting still. Fidget toys are a way to soothe this anxiety and keep the mind focused and calm at the task ahead. They can direct the anxious energy somewhere else, so your mind is clear enough to continue through a work meeting or an important lecture. 

The research on the effectiveness of fidget toys is still new, and has had mixed results. Some children and adults seem to benefit from fidgets, while others find them distracting. Many of the studies on fidget toys are about other uses, like improving attention and focus, rather than anxiety specifically. More studies need to be done. However, based on many first-hand accounts of those who use fidgets, they often can help calm the mind.   

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When the body is under stress and anxiety, it often responds in a physical way known as fidgeting. This fidgeting is due to discomfort and can look like a tapping foot or having trouble sitting still. Fidget toys are a way to soothe this anxiety and keep the mind focused and calm at the task ahead. They can direct the anxious energy somewhere else, so your mind is clear enough to continue through a work meeting or an important lecture. 

The research on the effectiveness of fidget toys is still new, and has had mixed results. Some children and adults seem to benefit from fidgets, while others find them distracting. Many of the studies on fidget toys are about other uses, like improving attention and focus, rather than anxiety specifically. More studies need to be done. However, based on many first-hand accounts of those who use fidgets, they often can help calm the mind.   

“,”dislike”:””,”hed”:”How do fidget toys help with anxiety?”,”imageCaptionOverride”:”

“,”imageCreditOverride”:””,”imageGroup”:{“imageData”:[],”size”:””,”float”:””,”lightbox”:false,”imageDoNotCrop”:false,”imageDoNotResize”:false,”imageWatermark”:false,”imageParallax”:””,”imageCrop”:””,”imageEnlarge”:false},”isLive”:true,”like”:””,”merchantOffers”:[],”metadata”:{“parentId”:”95e88371-262e-45e1-b39e-f9c523a0b2a7″,”parentContentType”:”content_article”,”slug”:”best-cheap-fidget-toys-for-anxiety”,”dateUpdated”:{“date”:”2024-02-15 06:50:04.713110″,”timezone_type”:3,”timezone”:”UTC”},”timestamp”:1707979804000,”lastUpdatedBy”:null,”edition”:”us”},”shortcodeType”:”listicle”,”siteId”:1,”subhed”:””,”supplementalText”:””,”supplementalUrl”:””,”techObjectInfo”:null,”techProdUuid”:””,”usePricing”:false}”> variety pack for $13. 

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Fidget toys are accessible and already fairly affordable. You can find cheap fidget toys on Amazon or in department stores like Walmart or Target. Your local grocery store might even carry a few fidgets.
However, Amazon usually has the best prices for fidget toys. They even offer variety packs of 50 small fidgets or less for about $20. Here’s one variety pack for $13

“,”dislike”:””,”hed”:”Where can I get cheap fidget toys?”,”imageCaptionOverride”:”

“,”imageCreditOverride”:””,”imageGroup”:{“imageData”:[],”size”:””,”float”:””,”lightbox”:false,”imageDoNotCrop”:false,”imageDoNotResize”:false,”imageWatermark”:false,”imageParallax”:””,”imageCrop”:””,”imageEnlarge”:false},”isLive”:true,”like”:””,”merchantOffers”:[],”metadata”:{“parentId”:”95e88371-262e-45e1-b39e-f9c523a0b2a7″,”parentContentType”:”content_article”,”slug”:”best-cheap-fidget-toys-for-anxiety”,”dateUpdated”:{“date”:”2024-02-15 06:50:04.720732″,”timezone_type”:3,”timezone”:”UTC”},”timestamp”:1707979804000,”lastUpdatedBy”:null,”edition”:”us”},”shortcodeType”:”listicle”,”siteId”:1,”subhed”:””,”supplementalText”:””,”supplementalUrl”:””,”techObjectInfo”:null,”techProdUuid”:””,”usePricing”:false}”> a physical way known as fidgeting. This fidgeting is due to discomfort and can look like a tapping foot or having trouble sitting still. Fidget toys are a way to soothe this anxiety and keep the mind focused and calm at the task ahead. They can direct the anxious energy somewhere else, so your mind is clear enough to continue through a work meeting or an important lecture. 

The research on the effectiveness of fidget toys is still new, and has had mixed results. Some children and adults seem to benefit from fidgets, while others find them distracting. Many of the studies on fidget toys are about other uses, like improving attention and focus, rather than anxiety specifically. More studies need to be done. However, based on many first-hand accounts of those who use fidgets, they often can help calm the mind.   

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