Remember fidget spinners? Turns out they actually distracted kids

[noblegiraffe]

Just popped up on twitter, it turns out the research shows that fidget spinners distracted kids and made them less able to concentrate, including kids with ADHD.

My classes were overrun with kids who swore they needed them

twitter.com/dtwillingham/status/1188737995966468097?s=21

No! What on earth will be discovered now- water bottles makes them need the toilet maybe?!

Angry because “duh” but also because, even if you remove the fidget spinners, the children are still left with the utterly ridiculous notion that they need something to do other than learning, in order to learn.

Really!?!

Ok, which other common sense thing needs proving? I am willing to change careers here in the name of science!
For starters: red, green and purple pens are equally threatening or non-threatening depending on which words you are writing!

Who knew?
Well, call me an old cynic but I did! Said all along they were a crazy fucking idea and I would not allow them in my classroom.
And yes, water bottles. Will children really collapse into a heap of dehydrated dust if they don't have access to one to guzzle from, every couple of minutes? "In my day," the entire school had to queue for the one weedy fountain, and we only did that if it was really hot and there was a dull lesson coming up. No one died.

As one who suffered terrible headaches as a child, almost certainly due to dehydration, I'm a bit of a fan of water bottles myself.

Fidget spinners are really a sensory aid. They can be very helpful for children with sensory processing difficulties to reduce anxiety.

They can be very helpful for children with sensory processing difficulties to reduce anxiety
And potentially very disruptive in a classroom environment.

Who'd have thought it?

Scarlett my class start drinking from massive water bottles almost as soon as they are in the classroom door, then spend the entire day trooping in and out to the toilet. Our HT says we must always let them go. I have pointed out that when I was at school there were no such things as water bottles and none of us dies

And potentially very disruptive in a classroom environment.
Yes - but not as disruptive as an autistic meltdown.

My DS has sensory processing difficulties and fidget toys were suggested by the OT. When I discussed it with school, I said I would prefer him not to have them as I knew they would distract him, and other children, I didn’t think it was fair on the rest of the class, and I would prefer him to learn techniques to self-regulate his fidgeting rather than becoming dependent on the crutch of a fidget toy. He does have various fidget / tactile gadgets at home but I personally don’t think they are appropriate in a classroom environment. My view is probably not very popular though.....

Squid he probably fiddles with other things. Alternative ‘fiddle toys’ can include rubber bands, blutac, retractable pens, bulldog clips, paper clips, bits of paper, scissors, compass....