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Fidget spinner facts for kids

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Fidget spinner
Fidget spinner red, cropped.jpg
A typical three-lobed fidget spinner
Type Stress-relieving toy
Country United States
Availability 1993–present
Materials Brass, stainless steel, ceramic, titanium, copper, plastic, latex etc.
Child with spinner (34074347651)
A child playing with a fidget spinner

A fidget spinner is a small toy designed to spin easily. It has a special part called a ball bearing in the middle. This bearing lets the toy spin around its center with very little effort. Most fidget spinners have two or three flat parts that stick out, but some have more. They are usually made from metal or plastic.

Even though fidget spinners became a big trend in 2017, similar toys were actually invented much earlier, around 1993. People often use these toys to help them focus better. They can also help relieve nervous energy, anxiety, or psychological stress. Some people claim that fidget spinners can calm those with anxiety or conditions like ADHD and autism. However, as of 2017, scientists had not found strong proof that they work as a treatment for ADHD.

How Fidget Spinners Work

FidgetSpinnerSpinning
A fidget spinner in motion

Fidget spinners are a type of toy that you can spin, much like a yo-yo. They are made to spin smoothly and easily. A basic fidget spinner usually has two or three arms or prongs. In the very center of the toy, there's a circular pad with a bearing inside. You hold this center pad while the rest of the toy spins around it.

Materials and Design

Fidget spinners are made from many different materials. These can include brass, stainless steel, titanium, copper, aluminum, and plastic. The bearings themselves are often made from ceramic or metal, like stainless steel. Some bearings are "hybrids," meaning they use ceramic balls with metal parts.

Each fidget spinner also has two or more weights on its outer parts. These weights help the toy spin faster and keep it balanced. Different types of bearings can change how long the spinner spins. They also affect how much it vibrates and how much noise it makes. This creates unique feelings when you play with it.

Playing with a Spinner

A fidget spinner works a bit like a flywheel or a gyroscope. This means it can do cool things when it's spinning. You can balance a spinning fidget spinner on your finger. You can also throw it and catch it while it's still spinning. These effects happen because of the forces that a gyroscope creates.

Images for kids

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Fidget spinner para niños

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