To relieve tension. Despite the fact that this toy was invented back in the 1990s, the fidget spinner only became popular in 2017.
A typical fidget spinner has a small bearing in the center with plastic parts attached to it (there are options where these parts are made of another material, such as brass, stainless steel, titanium or copper).
The bearing can be made of ceramic, metal (stainless steel or chrome), or a mixed design.
The material from which the toy is made determines its rotation time, vibration and noise, and this, in turn, affects tactile sensations.
As a rule, a fidget spinner has three beams, but there are varieties with two and four beams. There are models in which another bearing is built into each beam, which allows you to rotate the toy not only around its central part.
How does a spinner work?
To use the toy, you need to hold it with your fingers by the inner part, which remains motionless, and begin to unwind the outer part.
Photo of spinner toy
Spinner toy (video)
Spinner toy: why did it become popular?
According to the latest data, the popularity of the toy is so great that it has surpassed US President Donald Trump in Google searches. In addition, in the list of the 20 most popular products on Amazon, it ranks 15th.
The toy is being touted as a tool that can help fussy people, especially those who suffer from autism, anxiety and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. It plays the role of a calming mechanism for the nervous system or neuropsychic stress.
But experts are divided in opinion. Some support the statements of the creators of the toy, while others believe that the toy, on the contrary, can only distract people.
Fidget spinner: benefits and harm
Many psychologists say yes.
Not everyone can sit quietly in one place, so a fidget spinner really helps in this case.
According to research, in order for people to concentrate better, they need a stimulus. This is why some people like to work in complete silence, while others need music. And that is why the fidget spinner helps some and hinders others.
Since marketers presented the spinner as a toy that was good for health, many schoolchildren began to play with it, which led to the ban of this toy in many schools. The argument for the ban was the statement that the fidget spinner distracts children.
However, there were also schools that encouraged the hidden use of the toy during lessons, believing that it helped students concentrate.
For children who have problems with attention, a fidget spinner can help. Moreover, therapists have been using similar devices for a long time, they are just not as popular or colorful.
And yet, banning the use of fidget spinners in classrooms can be considered correct, despite their benefits. The fact is that when they rotate, they create noise that distracts other children and the teacher.
But what to do with those who simply need such a toy?
There are several alternatives that are quiet. For example, you can use a toy such as hand chewing gum or a stress ball to help you concentrate. Moreover, these toys do not require attention, which means that the student can concentrate on what the teacher says and shows.
Well, spinners can be used at home or on the street in your free time from school and work.
History of the anti-stress fidget spinner toy
The creator of the fidget spinner is considered to be chemical engineer Katherine Hettinger, an inventor from Florida, USA. Publications such as The Guardian, The New York Times, and the New York Post think so. She first created this toy in 1993.
According to her, quoted by The Guardian, the toy appeared in the summer when she really wanted to play with her daughter, but she could not do this because of myasthenia gravis, a disease that causes a person’s muscles to tire very quickly. By creating a spinner, she was able to keep her daughter occupied.
But in the New York Post, she outlined a different version of the idea for creating a toy. The publisher writes that Hattinger decided to create such a toy after she saw boys throwing stones at police in Israel. She wanted to create a toy that would help children release their energy.
Later, the inventor was able to sell several thousand spinners, and finally, in 1999, she patented the toy. However, everything stopped there. Popular toy manufacturers refused to release her invention. After 6 years, the patent expired, and there was not enough money to renew it.
For several years, various companies have produced fidget spinners, promoting them as therapeutic devices for children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, those who struggle with anxiety, and children with autism. Despite this commercial move, until 2016 the toy remained unknown to most people.
What's true and what's not?
The inventor herself admits that her toy was different from the spinners that are sold today, and she did not claim that she was the inventor of this toy.
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The passion for spinners is increasingly reminiscent of some kind of vulgarity. Everywhere you look, someone is twirling this thing in their hands. And it would be fine for children who like to repeat after each other, but finger spinners can often be seen in adults too!
The editors of “AWESOME” decided to understand the reasons for the popularity of spinners, and at the same time find out a little about the history of their creation and find out whether they pose a danger.
What is a spinner? A spinner is essentially a type of spinning top. Its main difference from the classical scheme is the bearing around which the main structure rotates. This allows the toy to spin longer, while being comfortable to hold in your hand.
What types of spinners are there? The classic spinner is a three-pointed star, but there are many variations of it. So there are rectangular spinners that have only two petals, not three. There are also six-pointed and round pinwheels. In addition, various manufacturers decorate the toy in any way possible, for example, adding LEDs. Kids love glowing spinners!
How does it work? The principle of operation is extremely simple: you take the spinner by the core with your thumb and forefinger and spin it with a sharp blow of your other hand. Once untwisted, the toy acquires a gyroscopic effect, and you can hold it on the tip of one finger!
What is this toy for? Most people buy a spinner to keep their hands busy and relieve stress. For many people, a fidget spinner helps them concentrate, and it also develops finger motor skills. You can also do different tricks with a spinner, but you need to practice for this.
Who invented the spinner? Back in 1993, the spinner was invented by Florida resident Katherine Hettinger. The woman could not play with her little daughter because of myasthenia gravis (a disease in which muscles quickly tire). It was this toy that allowed her to distract and occupy the child. A little later, the woman sold several thousand devices and received a patent for her invention in 1999. Now the patent has expired.
Is fidget spinner dangerous for children? Like all new toys, fidget spinners cause mistrust among parents. But there is no particular cause for concern: these turntables are no more dangerous than other amusements. The main thing is not to stick the spinner where it is not needed and not to buy frankly cheap Chinese products, which reek of cheap plastic a mile away.
What accidents have occurred due to fidget spinners? The biggest danger is that small children may swallow small parts. So Kelly Joyek from Texas said that her daughter almost died after accidentally swallowing a part. In addition, some schoolchildren injured their eyes while spinning the spinner on their nose.
How else can a toy harm you? Many schools have already banned the use of fidget spinners indoors because children are distracted and do not listen to teachers. In addition, there have been cases of teenagers reselling fidget spinners to classmates, but this can be said about any other fashionable toys.
What is the secret of the popularity of spinners? Despite the fact that experts are trying to track all the success factors under a microscope in order to repeat the trick with other gizmos, there is no clear answer. Undoubtedly, the popularity of the toy was greatly contributed to by Forbes magazine and the BuzzFeed website, which did a good job of promoting it. But, most likely, it just hit the market at the right time, like the yo-yo or Tamagotchi once did.
A toy called a spinner sensationally quickly gained popularity in early 2017, becoming a trend and turning into an object for memes. What is the reason for this phenomenon? Why does everyone need a spinner so much? The correspondent looked into it Federal News Agency.
What is a spinner?
The functionality and technical characteristics of the spinner are very limited. A small invention is squeezed between the fingers and rotated, sometimes gracefully thrown from finger to finger. Manufacturers compete in originality and fantasize about the shape of the spinner, its materials and style. The spinner is made of titanium, copper, brass, stainless steel, and plastic. The duration of rotation, type of vibration and noise depend on the material and design of the bearings.
There are even wooden models that are made only by hand. They look solid and even prestigious. Both ordinary and valuable wood species can be used for production, which allows you to discern a luxury item in a simple toy. Metal spinners also look impressive. They are heavier, so they spin longer. There are premium turntables that are created in single copies and look like a work of art.
Initially, the spinner was positioned as an anti-stress toy. However, now it has turned into a means of getting rid of bad habits. If you quit smoking, then spinning the fidget spinner will distract you from thoughts about cigarettes, and at the same time also entertain you. The spinner can also be presented as a toy that develops fine motor skills.
A great reason to make money
In March of this year, an entrepreneur Evgeny Bychkov decided to invest in a business that was already incredibly popular in the West. And he was not mistaken. Together with his friend Alexander Proshchalygin he invested several thousand dollars in the project. In Orel, two men rented a small room (about 120 square meters), where they created their own workshop.
For the first time, spinners were demonstrated at an exhibition of electronic cigarettes. It was a resounding success: about a thousand turntables were sold at 500 rubles apiece. About a hundred were stolen. Today you can’t find a toy in stores for less than 300 rubles.
In the USA, spinners appeared back in 1993. Florida resident invented the toy Katherine Hattinger. She could not play with her little daughter because of myasthenia gravis, a disease whose main symptom is rapid muscle fatigue. It was the turntable that allowed her to distract and occupy the child. A little later, the woman sold several thousand devices and received a patent for her invention in 1999.
Meanwhile, the product gained terrible popularity only after an article in Forbes this spring, which discussed toys for office workers. So any idea can work, the main thing is to present it correctly.
Instead of cigarettes
The spinner has become popular among schoolchildren who perform various tricks with it. They were even banned in several schools in the USA - turntables distract children from their studies so much.
At the same time, the opinions of experts and citizens about the benefits of a spinner vary. While some believe that a toy can help release pent-up energy, others believe that a fidget spinner is more likely to distract than help you concentrate.
“What good can a meaningless pinwheel bring? This is another money scam for parents. Children cry around stalls of colorful fidget spinners, hoping they can add this nonsense to their collection. There used to be educational toys - just remember “Chickens on the Feeder”. It perfectly develops a child's sense of rhythm and hearing. In addition, toys with balance train coordination of movements, gross motor skills and introduce the child to the physical phenomena of the surrounding world,” the grandmother of two granddaughters, a 59-year-old resident of St. Petersburg, shares her opinion Elena Lilienthal.
The 21-year-old takes a completely opposite position Nikita Shcheglov- fourth year student of St. Petersburg State Institute of Culture, teacher-organizer and counselor.
“There has always been, is and will be some thing among young people that can create a lot of hype across all social networks and throughout society as a whole. Remember how much the same happened with vapes and hoverboards. On the way to work or school, while you are standing in line or in traffic jams, you need to distract yourself with something. And this little thing perfectly distracts and even calms. This is a useful thing to kill time. It does not harm your health, quite the contrary! In my opinion, it’s better to let people spin fidget spinners in their hands than cigarettes,” he says.
In a short time, fidget spinners have become incredibly popular among children, teenagers and even adults. This is no coincidence: bright spinning toys help keep your hands occupied and calm your nerves, and you can also put on real performances with them. The RIAMO in Korolev columnist found out the history of the appearance of spinners, talked with their owners and found out the opinion of a psychologist.
Anatomy of a spinner
GIF: GIPHY website
The fashionable toy is called differently - spinners, fidget spinners, spinners. The design is very simple: a bearing in the center, a housing of three or more “petals”. There are no batteries or accumulators in the toy; rotation occurs solely due to the bearing. A spinner with a ceramic bearing rotates longer than one with a metal bearing.
Spinners are made of metal, plastic, and sometimes wood. There are combined models that combine several materials. The toy most often has three petals, but it can have two, four, five or even more. Some spinners are equipped with LEDs, and there are also musical models.
Usually the spinner is held between the thumb and middle finger, and “winded” with the index finger. You can start rotating it with your other hand, and in any way you like - that’s why you can show a lot of spectacular tricks with this toy.
Two “births” of the spinner
The spinner was invented by Katherine Hettinger from Florida, USA back in 1993. She couldn't play with her daughter because of her illness and came up with a pinwheel made from a ball bearing. The woman sold several thousand devices and patented the invention.
But demand gradually fell, in 2005 the patent expired, and everyone forgot about spinners. The creator of the toy only needed $400 to renew her invention patent. Therefore, now she has no right to receive royalties from thousands of spinner manufacturers. But Katherine Hettinger has launched a crowdfunding campaign and offers to order a “classic spinner”.
In December 2016, Forbes magazine wrote that the spinner is the main office toy of the coming year. The real spinner boom has begun!
The peak of spinner sales occurred in April 2017 - several tens of millions of toys were sold worldwide. At the beginning of May, the spinner entered the top 20 best-selling toys on Amazon.
The cheapest spinner costs just 60 cents, while the most expensive Hand Spinner Gyro costs $430. In Russia, a spinner costs from 200 rubles to 10 thousand rubles; you can find both original models and cheap Chinese fakes. Most people prefer to buy a finger toy for 600-900 rubles.
Excellent anti-stress
GIF: GIPHY website
Many fidget spinner fans note that these toys help relieve stress. Experts agree with them. Psychologist Olga Sorokina says that a spinner is a great way to cope with the desire to chew on a pen or your own lips.
“When a person is nervous, he tries to cope with stress and expresses it physically - he twirls everything he can get his hands on, chews something, taps his foot. This manifests itself differently for everyone. The spinner helps you relax and get distracted without damaging objects. This is a wonderful anti-stress. People who do not suffer from such habits can use a fidget spinner to concentrate,” explains the psychologist.
A huge plus: learning how to spin a spinner is very simple. No special skills are needed, no strict rules. The toy can be used anywhere: in the car, in line, in the office, at home. The spinner improves productivity, which is why in some American offices it is common to use the toy during breaks between work. It only takes five minutes to relax.
Olga Sorokina adds that fidget spinners are recommended for anyone whose work involves a high level of stress, as well as for hyperactive children. An inexpensive and compact toy develops motor skills of the hand and fingers, helps to concentrate, and lifts the mood.
The spinner increases tactile sensitivity and muscle tone of the hands. The specialist notes that it will be useful for those undergoing rehabilitation after injuries and illnesses. Also, a fashionable toy can help in getting rid of tobacco addiction and distract from negative thoughts.
The spinner distracts children from computers and tablets. They can keep your child busy on the road or in a long line. But you shouldn’t get too carried away: like any toy, a spinner is good in moderation.
The popularity of the toy also causes a negative reaction: some teachers believe that it distracts children. For example, 64 of the 200 largest schools in the United States ban fidget spinners. If a child brings them to class, he will be sent for an explanatory conversation with a psychologist, and his parents will be fined.
In Russia there is no ban on spinners in schools. Children play during recess, learn various tricks and compete with each other.
New sport?
Fans of spinners claim that the reason for the popularity of the toy is not at all that it helps relieve stress. They are more attracted to the opportunity to show tricks and compete with each other.
“So far I have learned to spin the spinner between my fingers, and on both hands. I want to learn how to throw it, twist it between my palms. And I also train my dog,” says the owner of the toy, Rustam Mamedov.
With a spinner spinning, you can perform spectacular tricks. Videos of such impromptu performances appear daily on YouTube. Spinners are twisted, thrown, rotated on one finger, on the nose. Tricks with animals are also popular - cats and dogs also “spin” spinners.
“The toy is very simple, you can even assemble it yourself. My son and I made our first spinner ourselves. It doesn't look very nice, of course, but it has all the functions. Then they bought beautiful spinners for both my son and me. We go and spin with him. He is making progress - he is already throwing it up and spinning it on one finger. Great toy, much better than any tablet!” - Nikita Egorov shares his impressions.
The owners of the popular toy are sure that its main feature is the ability to perform tricks and organize competitions. Perhaps very soon spinning will become a new sport.
In a short time, fidget spinners have become incredibly popular among children, teenagers and even adults. This is no coincidence: bright spinning toys help keep your hands occupied and calm your nerves, and you can also put on real performances with them. The RIAMO in Korolev columnist found out the history of the appearance of spinners, talked with their owners and found out the opinion of a psychologist.
Anatomy of a spinner
GIF: GIPHY website
The fashionable toy is called differently - spinners, fidget spinners, spinners. The design is very simple: a bearing in the center, a housing of three or more “petals”. There are no batteries or accumulators in the toy; rotation occurs solely due to the bearing. A spinner with a ceramic bearing rotates longer than one with a metal bearing.
Spinners are made of metal, plastic, and sometimes wood. There are combined models that combine several materials. The toy most often has three petals, but it can have two, four, five or even more. Some spinners are equipped with LEDs, and there are also musical models.
Usually the spinner is held between the thumb and middle finger, and “winded” with the index finger. You can start rotating it with your other hand, and in any way you like - that’s why you can show a lot of spectacular tricks with this toy.
Two “births” of the spinner
The spinner was invented by Katherine Hettinger from Florida, USA back in 1993. She couldn't play with her daughter because of her illness and came up with a pinwheel made from a ball bearing. The woman sold several thousand devices and patented the invention.
But demand gradually fell, in 2005 the patent expired, and everyone forgot about spinners. The creator of the toy only needed $400 to renew her invention patent. Therefore, now she has no right to receive royalties from thousands of spinner manufacturers. But Katherine Hettinger has launched a crowdfunding campaign and offers to order a “classic spinner”.
In December 2016, Forbes magazine wrote that the spinner is the main office toy of the coming year. The real spinner boom has begun!
The peak of spinner sales occurred in April 2017 - several tens of millions of toys were sold worldwide. At the beginning of May, the spinner entered the top 20 best-selling toys on Amazon.
The cheapest spinner costs just 60 cents, while the most expensive Hand Spinner Gyro costs $430. In Russia, a spinner costs from 200 rubles to 10 thousand rubles; you can find both original models and cheap Chinese fakes. Most people prefer to buy a finger toy for 600-900 rubles.
Excellent anti-stress
GIF: GIPHY website
Many fidget spinner fans note that these toys help relieve stress. Experts agree with them. Psychologist Olga Sorokina says that a spinner is a great way to cope with the desire to chew on a pen or your own lips.
“When a person is nervous, he tries to cope with stress and expresses it physically - he twirls everything he can get his hands on, chews something, taps his foot. This manifests itself differently for everyone. The spinner helps you relax and get distracted without damaging objects. This is a wonderful anti-stress. People who do not suffer from such habits can use a fidget spinner to concentrate,” explains the psychologist.
A huge plus: learning how to spin a spinner is very simple. No special skills are needed, no strict rules. The toy can be used anywhere: in the car, in line, in the office, at home. The spinner improves productivity, which is why in some American offices it is common to use the toy during breaks between work. It only takes five minutes to relax.
Olga Sorokina adds that fidget spinners are recommended for anyone whose work involves a high level of stress, as well as for hyperactive children. An inexpensive and compact toy develops motor skills of the hand and fingers, helps to concentrate, and lifts the mood.
The spinner increases tactile sensitivity and muscle tone of the hands. The specialist notes that it will be useful for those undergoing rehabilitation after injuries and illnesses. Also, a fashionable toy can help in getting rid of tobacco addiction and distract from negative thoughts.
The spinner distracts children from computers and tablets. They can keep your child busy on the road or in a long line. But you shouldn’t get too carried away: like any toy, a spinner is good in moderation.
The popularity of the toy also causes a negative reaction: some teachers believe that it distracts children. For example, 64 of the 200 largest schools in the United States ban fidget spinners. If a child brings them to class, he will be sent for an explanatory conversation with a psychologist, and his parents will be fined.
In Russia there is no ban on spinners in schools. Children play during recess, learn various tricks and compete with each other.
New sport?
Fans of spinners claim that the reason for the popularity of the toy is not at all that it helps relieve stress. They are more attracted to the opportunity to show tricks and compete with each other.
“So far I have learned to spin the spinner between my fingers, and on both hands. I want to learn how to throw it, twist it between my palms. And I also train my dog,” says the owner of the toy, Rustam Mamedov.
With a spinner spinning, you can perform spectacular tricks. Videos of such impromptu performances appear daily on YouTube. Spinners are twisted, thrown, rotated on one finger, on the nose. Tricks with animals are also popular - cats and dogs also “spin” spinners.
“The toy is very simple, you can even assemble it yourself. My son and I made our first spinner ourselves. It doesn't look very nice, of course, but it has all the functions. Then they bought beautiful spinners for both my son and me. We go and spin with him. He is making progress - he is already throwing it up and spinning it on one finger. Great toy, much better than any tablet!” - Nikita Egorov shares his impressions.
The owners of the popular toy are sure that its main feature is the ability to perform tricks and organize competitions. Perhaps very soon spinning will become a new sport.
