Fidget Toy recommendations? (things to stim with)

[ZebraAutismo]

Do you use fidget toys in public though?
I always got in trouble when I clicked my own pen in the classroom. Or around any other people really

Yep but trying so hard to unmask and not be ashamed of accommodating myself. There is plenty of quiet fidget available. Like the tangle. I just discovered this brand which has some fab quiet fidgets available. Unique Sensory Fidgets

 

[ZebraAutismo]

What are the stim toys you carry in your bag with you, or the ones which are always on your table

My “self sooth helper bag” currently has a tangle, A fidget slug, a fidget cube, a liquid motion time and some therapy putty (to stop me from scratching my self).

 

[Yeshuasdaughter]

Do you use fidget toys in public though?
I always got in trouble when I clicked my own pen in the classroom. Or around any other people really

On mass transit, or at bus stops, I'll often have my fingertips in my purse. I don't know what it's called, but I have this top secret little 2 inch toy that is rubbery and looks like bubble wrap. I can pop all the bubbles, and then flip it over and pop the bubbles on the other side, and so on.

If I remember (which is more often than not), I bring a yarn craft with me and I work on that. I can listen and absorb a speech or conversation better if my hands are busy. Everything else fades, and what's important is amplified. And on a crowded bus, my anxiety drops, the looping self dialogue goes away when my hands are busy.

 

[Neia]

On mass transit, or at bus stops, I'll often have my fingertips in my purse. I don't know what it's called, but I have this top secret little 2 inch toy that is rubbery and looks like bubble wrap. I can pop all the bubbles, and then flip it over and pop the bubbles on the other side, and so on.

If I remember (which is more often than not), I bring a yarn craft with me and I work on that. I can listen and absorb a speech or conversation better if my hands are busy. Everything else fades, and what's important is amplified. And on a crowded bus, my anxiety drops, the looping self dialogue goes away when my hands are busy.

I find that I'm hypervigilant whenever out in public. Can't ever relax.
My fingers never stop. They'll be playing with the backpack strap, or a seam on my clothes, a buttonhole, playing the invisible piano, etc.

 

[Yeshuasdaughter]

I find that I'm hypervigilant whenever out in public. Can't ever relax.
My fingers never stop. They'll be playing with the backpack strap, or a seam on my clothes, a buttonhole, playing the invisible piano, etc.

Do you like crafting? Something little. Even a tiny sketchbook and a pen, might help.

 

[Neia]

Do you like crafting? Something little. Even a tiny sketchbook and a pen, might help.

I take my crochet with me to waiting rooms. Bus stops or Buses don't work for that. I'll be too distracted, too alert. Can't really explain it. I can't enjoy crochet on the bus when I'm constantly thinking "Don't you dare sit next to me!"

 

[AuAL]

I find that I'm hypervigilant whenever out in public. Can't ever relax.
My fingers never stop. They'll be playing with the backpack strap, or a seam on my clothes, a buttonhole, playing the invisible piano, etc.

I don’t know that I’m hypervigilant - I often find I have gone into the “aspie stare” and it has all gone away - but my fingers are often moving. I finger-stim by rubbing the webs between fingers with a thumb or fingertip in a repeating pattern. Then if I have one of my kombologia with me I will take it out and use that instead. The fingers getting busy alert me.

 

[Neia]

I don’t know that I’m hypervigilant - I often find I have gone into the “aspie stare” and it has all gone away - but my fingers are often moving. I finger-stim by rubbing the webs between fingers with a thumb or fingertip in a repeating pattern. Then if I have one of my kombologia with me I will take it out and use that instead. The fingers getting busy alert me.

I also rub the very tip of my index on the folded knuckle of my thumb. And usually only on my left hand, as the right hand will be busy holding something.
If both hands are free, the fingers will be wiggling non-stop.

Even when I do things like scratch my scalp (which I'm starting to realise might also be a stim) while watching videos or tv, I only do that with my left hand. My right hand will almost always be holding something like the pc mouse or a blanket, or my right arm will be all twisted and hand jammed between cushions

I made myself a quiet fidget toy, and last night fell asleep sitting up (leaning back) and holding the toy.

 

[Rachie]

I think that they really should come out with more adult stimming gadgets as some adults with little children will find them harder to use. This is 2024 as well. Myself, I would find some of these things hard to recommend to my adult nephews who have little children. I myself do use some and have soft toys and this one have proved helpful for me to squeeze and I can keep it often in my pocket.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01BLKGCBS?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details
I saw a sensory specialist for 12 weeks at home shortly after diagnosis as I am Level 2 for sensory. She recommended quite a few gadgets to me which I have. The most helpful one to me is the soft squeezey toy I have found. My phone can be helpful as well just to scroll through repetitively, but you cannot use it in all environments. I have found that some picture cards have been useful as welll to distract my thoughts.

 

[Rachie]

I bought a sensory brush today and will see how I get on with that myself. I bought mine from Amazon. What are the Benefits of a Sensory Brush or The Wilbarger Brushing Protocol?

I saw as well online that the soft toy above would come under plush fidget toys.

I kind of been neglecting this area a bit and just waiting at times for my body to do it automatically, which you really should try and avoid I guess. Seeing as well that I had the sensory treatment course at home by an OT who specialises in sensory sensitivity I should really use it more at home. I ended up buying a rocking chair on their recommendation. She gave me weekly summaries so I really should go over those again. I ended up doing an ASH Spiral test with them to see where my areas of sensitivity really are.

 

[Rachie]

I have got the sensory brush delivered which I mentioned above. I had a discussion after I bought this with my nurse for another condition with this more processing what I wrote above with her. She said blocking stims is quite outdated. But sometimes it is not just the stim it can be the behavioural issues and may be your environment etc.

I have purchased it and I don't know what I think. My skin is very sensitive and I cannot bare to use massagers with my nerves electrical ones. It is like when I use a brush on my skin I don't know if it encourages me to panic like I am getting an attack or it is helping to a point. It seems to a bit of both going on. I do not wish to trigger an attack like some thing is after me. It is like my body doesn't quite know how to read it from observation. I don't know if continue to be honest.

 

[TikvaBall]

My favorite stim toys are cups. I get a stack of twelve. I also collect them.