Culture
Content:
Design
Spinner fidget video
Why did it become popular
Benefits and harms
The history of the fidget spinner
How much does a spinner cost
Spinner tricks
Anti-stress spinner toy design
The fidget spinner is a stress relieving toy. Despite the fact that this toy was invented back in the 1990s, the fidget spinner only became popular in 2017.
A conventional fidget spinner is a small bearing in the center, and plastic parts are attached to it (there are options where these parts are made of another material, such as brass, stainless steel, titanium or copper).
The bearing can be made of ceramic, metal (stainless steel or chrome), or have a mixed design.
The material from which the toy is made depends on its rotation time, vibration and noise, and this, in turn, affects tactile sensations.
As a rule, a fidget spinner has three rays, but there are varieties with two and four rays. There are models in which another bearing is built into each beam, which allows the toy to rotate not only around its central part.
Also read: 15 interesting facts about toys
How does the spinner work?
To use the toy, you need to hold it with your fingers on the inside, which remains stationary, and start unwinding the outer part.
Photo spinner toy
Spinner toy (video)
Spinner toy: why did it become popular?
According to the latest data, the toy is so popular that it has surpassed US President Donald Trump in Google searches. In addition, it is ranked 15th in the list of the 20 most popular items on Amazon.
The toy is presented as a tool that can help fussy people, especially those who suffer from autism, anxiety and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. It plays the role of a calming mechanism for the nervous system or neuropsychic tension.
But experts are divided in their opinions. Some support the statements of the creators of the toy, while others believe that the toy, on the contrary, can only distract people.
Read also: The most ingenious toys for children made by parents
Fidget spinner: benefits and harms
Many psychologists say yes.
Not everyone can sit quietly in one place, so the fidget spinner helps a lot in this case.
According to the study, in order for people to concentrate better, they need an incentive. That is why some people like to work in complete silence, while others need music. And that is why the fidget spinner helps some and hinders others.
Since marketers presented the spinner as a healthy toy, many students began to play with it, which led to the ban on this toy in many schools. The ban was justified by the statement that the fidget spinner distracts children.
However, there were also schools that encouraged the hidden use of toys during lessons, believing that it helps students concentrate.
For children who have trouble paying attention, a fidget spinner can help. Moreover, therapists have been using similar devices for a long time, they are just not so popular and colorful.
Nevertheless, banning the use of spinners in classes can be considered correct, despite their benefits. The point is that when they rotate, they create noise that distracts other children and teachers.
But what about those who simply need such a toy?
There are a few alternatives that don't make noise. For example, you can use a toy such as hand gum or a stress relieving ball to concentrate. Moreover, these toys do not require attention, which means that the student can focus on what the teacher says and shows.
Well, spinners can be used at home or on the street in your free time from school and work.
The history of the anti-stress fidget spinner toy
The creator of the fidget spinner is chemical engineer Catherine Hettinger, an inventor from Florida, USA. Such publications as The Guardian, The New York Times, and the New York Post think so. She first created this toy in 1993.
According to her, quoted by The Guardian, the toy appeared in the summer when she really wanted to play with her daughter, but she could not do so because of myasthenia gravis, a disease that causes her a person's muscles get tired very quickly. By creating a spinner, she was able to keep her daughter occupied.
But in the New York Post, she presented a different version of the idea of creating a toy. The publishing house writes that Hettinger decided to create such a toy after seeing boys throwing stones at police officers in Israel. She wanted to create a toy that would help children release their energy.
Later, the inventor was able to sell several thousand spinners, and finally patented the toy in 1999. However, that's where it all stopped. Popular toy manufacturers refused to release her invention. Six years later, the patent expired, and there was not enough money to renew it.
Over the years, various companies have produced spinners, advertising them as therapeutic devices for children suffering from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, as well as for those who are struggling with anxiety, and children with autism. Despite this commercial move, until 2016, the toy remained in the dark for most people.
What's true and what's not?
One Bloomberg News article states that Katherine Hettinger is not the inventor of the toy. According to two lawyers, Hettinger's toy did not look much like today's spinner.
The inventor herself admits that her toy was different from the spinners that are sold today, and she did not say that she was the inventor of this toy.
Read also: The 10 creepiest toys in the world
How much does a spinner cost
Suddenly, on New Year's Eve, Forbes magazine called the fidget spinner “an office toy everyone should buy in 2017.” It should be noted that this meant devices, the price of which ranged from $139 to $199.
Finally, in 2017, spinners became very popular and now everyone could buy them. Already in April 2017, several tens of millions of fidget spinners were sold.
Today, simple versions of spinners can be found for $2-3, while expensive versions cost around $10-15.
In Russia, the price of such a toy varies from 750 to 4,000 rubles, depending on the material and shape.
Spinner tricks
In the spring of 2017, many videos began to appear on the Internet in which people review various spinners, as well as show tricks with this toy, such as making the spinner spin on one finger or nose.