Fidget Craze

By Lareesha Khabatari, lk145@uakron.edu

Have you seen those Tiktoks about Fidget trading? I mean, everyone seems to have jumped onto this new trend of Needohs and what not. In 2026, it’s not odd for something to suddenly go viral and everyone get swept up but fidgets are something that most probably wouldn’t have expected. Fidgets have been an ongoing trend, you probably just haven’t realized it yet. They are extremely popular because they provide good texture sensations, some fidgets have a gacha system, and they even have health benefits.

Fidgets have been going through a cycle of worldwide fame then everyone loses interest till the next trend. A great example of this are the fidget spinners: In The rise and fall of the Fidget Spinner from 2018, Jeremy Bloom states, “The annoying, inexplicable little gadgets were everywhere last spring [2017], and then just as quickly as they came, they blessedly buzzed off.” Just a year later, Fidget spinners died off. This is consistent cycle; in another article, The Rise and Fall (and Rise Again) of Fidget Toys, Hannah Rosenberger says, “...searches for poppers have slowed since their height in 2021 and 2022…” There always seems to be a huge demand for a new fidget before dying off rather quickly. Just this time, it’s Needohs and squishies.

“Random draws trigger the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and reward. The uncertainty of each pull creates a dopamine rush, making the gaming experience inherently rewarding,” says Marie Marie in Gacha Effect: How Random Draws Affect Player Experience. But how is this related to fidgets? Well, have you seen the new dumpling squishy craze? Alyssa Gautieri says in Glitter Dumpling Squishies Have Taken Over Tiktok--Here’s How to Find One, “They’re completely sold out online at Five Below—both the mini Series 1 that cost $1 and the larger Series 3 for $5.” Essentially, the whole purpose of these are that you buy them, open them, and hope for a glittery dumpling. Not to mention, they also have a cooling jelly-like texture. (From experience).

Lastly, their surprising health benefits! Benefits of Fidget Tools: Enhancing Focus, Reducing Anxiety, and Regulating Sensory and Emotional Responses by Julie Bjelland, a therapist, states, “Fidget tools can help individuals focus on tasks, conversations, or lectures without becoming overwhelmed by external or internal distractions by occupying the part of the brain that becomes distracted by sensory input.” Turns out this cycle of fidget toys seem to have a beneficial effect on people! Fidget trading skits have become extremely popular as well. The previously cited articles all have one thing in common; fidgets offer beneficial effects to those who play with them.

After reading all of that, do you wonder what the next fidget craze will be? Consistently, they seem to provide dopamine effects whether it be from the gacha-like system or simply playing with them. Attached below is a photo of a teacher at AECHS, Mr. Mccown, watching these fidget videos. It seems age really doesn’t matter at all in this new trend. If you have hopped aboard the trend, what do you like about these fidgets--the texture, the scents, or something else?