Greetings! I'm doing a second blog on gift ideas for the holidays.
Hacky Sack
Kendama
Yo-Yo's
Cardistry
Trompos
High End Fidgets
Worry Coins
Knuckle Bone
Feel Flux
Loop Lasso
Ono Roller
Monkey Noodles, Stretchy Strings
Gyroscope
Chill Pill
Hacky Sacks are still a thing. I have a huge collection of foot bags made of many different materials. The great thing about foot bags is they can be in any shape, size, material, and filling. The difference in weight varies depending on the filling material. Fill material can be plastic, pellets, lead, sand, etc. There are even chainmail versions that are surprisingly bouncy and fun. These are a great option for understimulating situations. It's easy to pack in a pocket or bag. They are not noisy and can be used as foot bags, juggling, or just to hold as a fidget. My best recommendation is Dragonfly Footbags. They have a fantastic selection of quality footbags and they are very affordable. https://footbags.com/
Kendamas are another great option for when you are under stimulated and need sone activity with focus. It is a skill challenge with the potential for unlimited tricks. They come in
all types of wood and colors. I enjoy Sweets kendamas because they are budget friendly options that are good quality.
Yo-yo's are timeless. The options and possibilities have only increased over the decades. Who doesn't like a yo-yo? There are many great brands and kinds of yo-yo's. There are the classic Duncan brand and plenty of new companies making cool options in a variety of materials including some with led's. I also like the
customizable plastic yo-yo's that allow you to swap out the shell halves and mix & match to your preference. The yo-yo's are surprisingly good smooth yo-yo's. I recommend YoYo Factory for a good variety of quality options.
Cardistry is another focus skill activity involving playing cards. Check out cardistry videos on YouTube to see sone amazing tricks. Cardistry trainers (shown here) come in many different materials. They consist of 5 "packets" that are they same size as a deck of playing cards. The trainers allow for practice of card tricks without dropping cards everywhere in the process. They are a lot of fun. I have several sets but the leather trainers are one of my favorite. No idea where I bought them years ago but you can find cool options on Etsy. Trainers are a great place to start if you are interested in cardistry.
Trompos are string tops. They require sone skill to get the hang of it but again, they gone in many variety's and materials from plastic, wood, and metal. They are really fun when you get it going and have the capability of pulling off cool tricks using the string to jump the Trompos while it's spinning. These are easily found on Amazon.
pulled a few of my favorites to demonstrate the different styles. Fidget spinners are cool but the higher end fidgets are better quality and offer visually appealing stimming while also enjoying the tactile feedback. There are too many options to list but the materials vary widely and depending upon the materials used, the weight will vary. I personally prefer heavier materials but Steampunk Spinners make sone truly amazing spinners that even the lighter weight options are incredibly smooth, satisfying, and provide nice visual appeal.
Worry Coins are great for holding, rubbing, or doing coin manipulation tricks. Small and easy to use in situations where you don't want to be distracting while stimming. Meton Boss makes beautiful coins. You can find them on Etsy. Aroundsquare is another great option for worry coins. They have a new line of deadeye worry coins that are also wearable. That makes it easy to have with you and also add sone style. The two companies I recommend both make high quality coins that would make an excellent gift. Metronboss.com
Knucklebones
are the perfect shape for knuckle rolling. Similar to coin manipulation but the shape abs feel of knuckle bones make them perfect for rolling. They come in various sizes and materials including the acrylic one shown in the photo. Aroundsquare makes them in many materials and even have options to customize. Highly recommend their line up of products.
Feel Flux is a magnetic skill toy based on Lenz's law of physics. You get a powerful steel magnet and a "cup" with a hollow center. The coil in the cup reacts with the magnet to create a smooth and slow pass through of the magnet. The higher you drop it, the slower it passes through the cup or cylinder. You can do more tricks than you'd think is possible. This is a very high quality sensory toy that feels and looks amazing. It I'll impress anyone who likes science or magnets.
Loop Lasso is probably one of the coolest toys I've purchased this year. Everyone is amazed by it and loves it immediately. It consists of a handle that houses a motor and a pulley system you thread the string through. A single charge will last all day long. It really looks amazing and has a built in LED black light that will illuminate the string in the dark. It truly is a lasso and so much fun to play with. You get an excellent product in great packaging and it's a variety of color stringsinckuded. It's easy to learn and use with great possibilities to manipulate its shape in the air. Plus, the motor is not too loud. It's a high quality toy that will not disappoint.
The Ono Roller is stellar. I didn't know how much I'd love it until I tried it. It's a simple sleek design available in a few size and material options. I got the smaller black version due to the cost. They are not cheap! This small one was around 30$. However, it is worth it. The feel is so smooth and calming. I can't quite explain it other than to say it just feels so smooth and amazing. It makes no sound and is easy to use in groups without being distracting to others. onoroller.com
Monkey noodles go by many different names but essentially, they are stretchy strings that come in various lengths, colors, and thickness. These are very inexpensive and simplistic but are more fun than you'd think. They are usually a hit with everyone. Can't go wrong!
Gyroscope fidgets are very satisfying. I got mine from Etsy for around 50$ but totally worth it. You can find many cheaper options but the quality will be different. This is built to last and gas so many ways to use it, including using your hand to manipulate the parts and how they spin. It's a great weight, spins like nothing you've seen, and is very satisfying to feel and watch.
Fidget Things make "chill pills" that are fully customizable magnetic fidgets in pill form and packaged in a faux prescription bottle. I love it. They offer a wide range of materials to create your own unique chill pill. A lot of options were sold out so I opted for two transparent acrylic ends and an "extra dose" middle cylinder. The quality is really great. I'm interested in the metal versions and the glow options. It would be cool if the offered LED versions. The price varies, depending on the materials you choo in the build your own option. A general set up could cost around 40$ but the price seems fair when you take into consideration the small business and quality of the product. I would recommend this product as a good fidget for the money.
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