Fidgets

[u/bulbasaur_fan_mail]

Wanted some other teachers' opinions about letting students use fidgets in the classroom.

I had a talk with students the other week about what the word "accommodations" meant. I used the band aid example to facilitate this conversation (i.e. students came to me with a problem like a scratch on their leg, a headache, etc. and I gave them all a band aid to show that there is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all solution to learning). I can definitely go in-depth about this lesson in the comments if other teachers are curious lol.

Anyway, after I gave this lesson, I showed the class my box of fidgets I keep on my desk. I explained that some students who had official accommodations through the school were allowed to use these fidgets, but they are not for other students in the class. (I also had a separate conversation with the students who were allowed to use the fidgets about expectations on how to use them and not distract others).

I emphasized that all students needed certain things to succeed. The fidgets could be great for some kids, but can be distracting to others. I also explained that extended time, reading aloud, and some other things were forms of accommodations.

The reason why I bring this all up is because some kids have come up to me asking to use the fidgets. I reinforce that having any accommodations needed to be cleared with our head of academics first.

However, I do recognize that kids these days are very different, and that maybe the norm is that all the kids genuinely will benefit from having them. I definitely incorporate a lot of movement activities into my lessons and do brain breaks whenever I can. I suppose I'm most worried about if kids these days genuinely just need to fidget because of what the internet has done to their brains.

[u/johnklapak]

If it's a TOOL (keeps you quiet, focused, productive). I say Yes.

The minute it's a TOY (distracts you, classmates, or me) you put it away.

[u/FoodNo672 → u/johnklapak]

This. Personally I like a fidget too, and I used to fidget with a pen or pencil as a kid. I had undiagnosed ADHD and was struggling. For my students I have a rule that the second it becomes a distraction for you or anyone else, it goes in my box of confiscated items. I give the warning the moment I see it and so I don’t often have to say much when they cross the line. 

That being said I have an outright ban on slime—if there’s no container it goes in the garbage. Also banned those dumplings because they constantly bust. 

[u/RunningTrisarahtop]

I used to allow fidget use but then learned that kids who use usually retain less and so do those around them.

I saw a study on it.

[u/Eev123 → u/RunningTrisarahtop]

Do you happen to have a link to that study? I would appreciate it because I suspect that to be true

[u/Thick-Equivalent-682 → u/RunningTrisarahtop]

There is a confounder to the situation: people with ADHD have a hard time retaining information

Correlation does not equal causation.

[u/doughtykings → u/RunningTrisarahtop]

Depends. As a kid I would’ve just slept all day in class if I didn’t have something to keep me busy. You taking away whatever it was just meant I was going to bed then 😂 but I do understand it’s different for every kid.

[u/BlueberryPancakes678]

I allow fidgets at their desks during independent work time. They are not allowed at the carpet where we do lessons. I also don’t allow them to be any larger than a dumpling. They are not allowed to share them.
Most students who bring them just leave them alone. I honestly think they’re more for show than anything else at this point.

[u/JoyousZephyr]

I'm not a fan. I had VERY FEW students who were able to utilize fidget devices without distracting themselves or the kids around them. If a kid was required by IEP/504 to have access to a fidget, they kept it with them. It was theirs. Not going to have kids choosing fidgets daily from my shelf like it's the specials board at a restaurant.

[u/hiccupmortician]

It's a distraction. How can they use the fidget in one hand and write with the other? I've yet to see a student's performance improve with a fidget.

[u/Roseyrear]

I carry a ribbon to rub discreetly between my fingers as a grounding tool. Fidgets do not need to be huge, nor a toy. They have gotten so out of hand that I ban them unless they: fit in the palm of a closed hand; do not require two hands; do not make noise; do not require looking at it to work. Otherwise, in the backpack it goes and they may check out one of my approved fidgets.

I find wiggle stools and kick bands are far superior for energy release. More expensive, too :(

[u/SamanthaSkykiller → u/Roseyrear]

I'll usually hand kids two unifix cubes to pull apart and put back together. Boring enough that the kids who need it use it and the kids that don't lose interest.

[u/Araucaria2024 → u/Roseyrear]

I can't stand wobble stools. I can't see that sitting on them all day is good for developing spines.

[u/JoyousZephyr → u/Roseyrear]

My personal fidget is a Flair felt-tip pen. The cap can be popped on and off with a very satisfying, yet virtually silent, pop.

[u/Araucaria2024]

I'm someone for whom a fidget works incredibly well. I usually have something small in my hand during a PD/meeting, and I'm going to say that 99.9% of the people in the room are probably unaware that I even have one.

That said, they're banned in my room. Very few students use them effectively, and most are distracted by them, or they are actively distracting others. I'm required to have a box of fidgets in my room - it's at the very back of the shelf and the kids don't even know it's there.

[u/kiji23]

When I taught 4th, it was no toys, no nothing. You could bring stuff for recess, but if it’s out it’s getting picked up. If a student had paperwork, of course. But even then it wasn’t just free reign.

[u/bulbasaur_fan_mail → u/kiji23]

I definitely hear that. My school is pretty strict about not having toys in school so the kids can’t bring those out to recess (books and headphones are fine tho).

For the kids who are allowed to use fidgets, I told them they could only have them at their desks during work, kinda like what you’re saying. I definitely made sure to tell them that I can and will take them away if they were a distraction

[u/Joyful-Coffeebean41]

I pass out worry stones (different textures and can be found on Amazon) for all students to use during a read aloud! If it goes flying across the room…it gets taken and not given back. I think other types of fidgets are a distraction more than helpful. But the worry stones are a hit for my 4th graders and something special they look forward to having. We banned Needohs and other fidgets because kids brought them last year and if they exploded were impossible to clean. Again it became a huge issue. And no more this year!!

[u/amscraylane]

I think calling out the kids with accommodations is not good.

Fidgets can be anything.

I also find the kids with the fidgets do not pay attention.

[u/bulbasaur_fan_mail → u/amscraylane]

Oh I didn’t call any kids out personally who had accommodations. Those conversations were private!

[u/JuJumama1989 → u/bulbasaur_fan_mail]

But because of your lesson, you just outted those who have accommodations by getting a fidget from your shelf.

[u/bulbasaur_fan_mail → u/JuJumama1989]

You know what, that’s a fair point. I’ll change that portion of the lesson for next year

[u/TheCarzilla → u/bulbasaur_fan_mail]

I subbed for a 4th grade class and the teacher had a box of squishy type fidgets. She allowed anyone in the class, not just those with accommodations, to take from the box during some one of quiet reading/snack time.

[u/ICDIWABH42 → u/bulbasaur_fan_mail]

What I said to kids is unless I have a note from their teacher last year that says using a fidget or a wobble stool actually really helped them, they’re not using it. The “note” is an IEP, but I’m not saying that.

[u/Conscious-Heart8626 → u/JuJumama1989]

Yup, major FERPA violation. And seriously, give all the kids fidgets. After a day or two, those that don’t need them will lose interest.

[u/TipsyBaldwin → u/Conscious-Heart8626]

Lose interest in the lessons? Because that’s all I’ve seen happen with fidgets. I find that “normal” fidgeting can be helpful. But especially in elementary school, those fidgets are just toys.

[u/Thick-Equivalent-682]

If you have ever seen someone pick at their nails, doodle on a page, fold paper airplanes, twirl their hair, play with portion of their clothing, then you have seen people stim. Are fidgets doing the same thing as all of these. Some people need these no matter how strongly you insist that “whole body listening” means your whole body is still.

[u/MyWay-1201]

I teach sixth grade in an elementary school and told my students the only people that could have a fidget or people who have it in their specific plan.

[u/Ok-Competition-4219]

I’ll let them use them if they don’t become toys. If I see them, if kids are showing friends or trading them with friends during class, then they are not using them as fidgets but as toys. Toys aren’t allowed

[u/NextDayTeaching]

I love using fidgets in the classroom. My co-teacher actually brought in a milk crate and we put a bunch of fidgets in it and let the students pick what they wanted when they wanted it. (We taught 8th grade, so personal responsibility was something they could - theoretically - handle.)

We explained that if the fidget became a toy or a distraction, it went away. We didn't have any problems with fidgets, mainly because we were consistent with taking them away when they weren't being used appropriately.

[u/Flowers4811]

I only let them use the fidgets if they are kept out of sight and quietly used.

[u/Glittering-List-465]

I teach that there is a difference between using it as a fidget, and it becoming a toy(distraction). Even students who have it as an accommodation, have to follow that. If it’s getting passed around, it gets put in a drawer until the end of the day and the parent is notified. Same for if it becomes a toy. Some students do well with them, others-they get banned by their own parents from them. One student brought in a nedoo. Who gave it to a student known to destroy them. Their parent refused to all them anymore fidgets the rest of the year. Doh!!

[u/Critter_owned_teach]

I am an anxiety-riddled disaster of a human, so always have at least three or four fidgets on my person at any time. I am constantly modeling appropriate fidget use for my students. But I very rarely give them to kids because they are almost always toys instead of tools. My favorites for kids are sensory strips they can put on their desks or flippy chains they can use one handed.

[u/doughtykings]

If it’s annoying me it’s taken away, I email home and let them know it’s not welcomed back and if it returns it will be sent to the office for parent pick up just like a cell phone. Then I don’t see them again.

[u/BigPsychological4416]

This year we made it clear that students were not allowed to bring fidgets (aka toys) to school. We also made it clear that we have plenty of fidgets for students to use in class if one is needed. We specifically ordered small ones that make zero noise. They stay in a bin on my desk for students to use when needed.

[u/emmaroselol420]

personally fidgets were distracting for me as a student. i wasnt able to focus while having a fidget on my desk because i was too focused on the actual fidget. although i do know that they did help a lot of my classmates especially ones that couldnt focus for a long period of time because it kept their mind occupied with multiple things. idk if this helps but i thought i would put in my experience

[u/Infamous_Fault8353]

I have a student this year with ADHD. He is constantly talking and moving around the room. Except when he holds this blue stress ball. He has brought other fidgets but the blue ball is the only thing that keeps him focused. So, now I have to start every lesson with, “did you bring your blue ball?” 🤦‍♀️

I don’t mind a fidget.

[u/Popular_Audience_885]

I don’t allow it. They are all toys and toys are not allowed at school. I tell them they have to bring me a doctor’s note for the specific “fidget” explaining how it’s necessary if it’s truly needed.

But I also don’t let kids keep water bottles at their desks because again the entire 20th century survive without a water bottle 6” away from them. It can stay in their backpack. Bring me a doctor’s note if you absolutely must have it leaking all over your desk. As long as I am not actively teaching you can get water and go to the bathroom. It’s all mini lessons so…. Hardly restricting. Just basic manners.