Amidst the rigor and exhaustion of school, it can be hard for students to find relaxation and fun at the tips of their fingers. However, different brands of fidgets have tried to solve this. What was originally a boring lecture or stressful day could be made slightly better thanks to a fidget spinner, a scented kneaded eraser or perhaps thinking putty.
Though fidgets have long been commonplace at school, one particular brand has made its way into many hands at LHS recently. This sensory fidget toy brand is called NeeDoh, owned by the toy company Schylling Inc. After the brand debuted at the New York Toy Fair in 2010, it has been creating stress-relieving toys that are all unique in their texture and design. The first to go viral was its Groovy Glob in 2020, after TikTok videos increased their popularity. Since then, NeeDoh has launched many other bestsellers that have gained media traction such as the Nice Cube, Nice Ice Baby, Dream Drop, Gumdrop and plenty more.
“I have a whole car console full of them,” said junior Eliana Partain. “After I got my first one, I fell in love with them and just started collecting.”
Partain believes that the fun isn’t just in the squish, but in the search.
“I think they’re becoming popular because there’s so many different kinds you can collect, and people like to go Needoh hunting,” said Partain.
Many students such as Partain turn to these sensory fidget toys as a way of relieving stress and focusing at school.
“It makes my brain able to focus on what I’m learning,” said freshman Hazel Mikolitch. “They are such a great tool if you need extra help with focusing.”
What makes them so enjoyable to owners is their variety of consistency. Many of the newer ones, such as the Nice Cube, contain a more resistant maltose-based syrup. Its consistency is said to be very similar to oobleck, which is a substance that is rigid when struck upon but liquid when slowly pressed.
“I really like the sugar filled ones!” said Mikolitch. “They are especially good for when you’re stressed out and they come in so many shapes and colors!”
While these harder NeeDohs are popular, some find them too difficult to play with and dislike how dense they can get when exposed to the cold.
“I don’t like the hard ones,” said freshman Grayson Williams. “The ice cream is my favorite because it’s nice and squishy and doesn’t need to be warmed up.”
As this brand of fidgets has grown exponentially in popularity due to their extensive media coverage and affordable prices, they have been quickly selling out. Local places that sell them include Let’s Celebrate!, Barnes and Noble and of course, Amazon.
“I think people are finally realizing it’s not embarrassing to need extra things to be able to focus or do well in school, and the stigma around it has lessened,” said Mikolitch. “Or people just think they are really fun to play with!”
