Fiddle Toys?

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I've noticed that the ways I usually stim are by constantly running my fingers through my hair, or singing to myself. But I have noticed that I feel less anxious, and often (especially in classroom settings) pay attention better, if I have some kind of toy to play with. Things I've used in the past are my Rubik's cube, pens and pencils (by twirling them), and my favorite were those little magnetic balls. I don't know why, I just love those things, and magnets in general, especially super strong ones. But I lost a couple and it bothered me that I couldn't make that perfect cube with them anymore so I gave them to my brother, who promptly lost all the rest.

I'm wondering, is there anyone else who stims more by playing with objects? If so, what do you use? This is out of curiosity and also for possible ideas on what I might want to get.

EDIT: I also remembered, something I often did in classes (especially in elementary and middle school) is I would fold paper. Either into cranes, frogs, dragons, stars etc. or just start folding and see what it came out to look like. Though this didn't usually help me pay attention, it was just more enjoyable than doing my work. Still is. Does anyone else like origami?

When I am in a meeting, I do better fiddling with stuff. I have torn up pieces of paper into bits and rolled them into tiny balls if I had nothign else... I don't recommend that - it looks particularly childish and makes a mess. I have clicked pens a lot, but that annoys people. So, something quiet and not messy is best.

yes... its pretty much a constant thing with me. my hands and fingers get hurt sometimes while doing all the weird twisting and moving i do unknowingly.
but sometimes i will stare past my 3ds screen and just be pressing the buttons to just be pressing them, and causes a way to cope some. and i feel much better when i have something to mess with. generally it will be rolling the hoodie string up and down, or twisting the rubber thing around on one if my pens. or as in school i had this pink small rubber bouncing ball and i could bounce it, and try to squeeze it, and press around the part that i took notice of on the ball. and i also had one if those twister jr.s or... oy, i can't remember the name, but- TANGLEr jr. i think... but that worked until i the pieces started poping apart. theres a theraputic one but up in the $30s from what i found on amazon a few weeks ago. and in my dream last night i acquired the metalic shiney smooth one, and people kept taking it away from me. but even in my dream i was stimming lol

Silly putty works well for me, but I get disgusted with it after a few days because it gets sticky and dirty. Also, I sewed a bean bag, it is small and that is a great permanent toy for me. Also, small diameter (like < 1/4 inch) smooth metal chain about 10 inches long (from the hardware store) is my favorite at the moment. But I go back and forth to these three.

I use stim toys a lot: I have a whole shoebox full of them in my room. My favourites are generally squishy things like water-filled rubber balls (I used to play with them so frequently when I was younger that I burst every one I owned; this was before I had any understanding of sensory needs, or even autism), stretchy toys, silly putty, etc. You can find some good ones called "splat balls" on Amazon; I got one about a year ago, and though the rubber is on the thin side, it's still intact, which says something.

One of the stim toys I use most frequently at school (because I wouldn't want to pop one of my squishy balls all over the desk, or have a pencil puncture it in my bag) is a fuzzy tangle. I first heard about it on a thread here, and bought one off Amazon (I'm a serious Amazon addict; it's dangerous.) The fuzz wears off eventually, but it's a huge anxiety reliever. I can play with it under the table during class or on the bus while listening to my ipod and the physical motion and tactile sense it provides definitely helps relieve tension. They do have a tangle specifically designed for sensory seekers that has rubber nubs on it, but I haven't tried that one yet. I can't say enough about the fuzz

I also have two slinkeys; one standard size metal one that I will occasionally bring out for the weight and repetitive movement it provides, and a mini plastic one that I bring to school. It's too small to pass from hand to hand like the bigger one, but I like grinding it through my palms, stretching it and counting the loops.

I have been known to just sit there with a Rubik's cube spinning it, scrambling it then solving it. I like some of the other toys mentioned, I'll have to look into them.

At the moment I use two pens clipped together, and a piece of string.

Although Im likely on the high end of the spectrum, my stim is too intense to do in public.


For me my pens and string, are like a junkies Tourniquet and syringe. I hide them, deny and generally try to throw em out once a month or so.

For a long part of my life, my stimming binges were something I tried to hide from everyone including myself.

It was a source of great shame and depression.

However since Ive come more aware Im working hard to modify my stimm to something I can do in public,

The best thing Ive come up with is shuffling decks of cards. Ive also started using the randomness of a deck of cards to help make my decisions when I get stuck.