Sharing a bit about my personal favorite fidget toys and how helpful it’s been to use them…
This is not my first foray into the discussion surrounding fidget toys. I’ve previously written about such fidget toys and tools in Calming the Chaos, when I wrote about Orson’s neurodivergent struggles. (We’ve learned a lot since then…) However, this is a more personal look at my own venture into using fidget toys.
(If you want to jump straight to my favorite fidgets, use this link!)
And this story starts, in part, back when Nathan and I started dating… Up until recently. During that years-long course of time, I was obsessed, absolutely fixated on using Nathan as my personal hand tickler. Anytime I found myself next to him, my hand beckoned his. Not to hold in mine… But to be TICKLED. Caressed. Gently massaged.
The palms of my hands specifically. Sometimes my wrists, but mostly my palms.
Seriously, if he were feeling particularly patient with me, tolerant of my quirky sensory needs, I’d have him rub and tickle the palms of my hands for hours. Through church. Through movies. My hands were always demanding.
I know. Poor Nathan.
As you can imagine, as patient and tolerant as he is, it still felt like I was taking certain advantages. Like, no, I don’t want to hold your hand. I don’t want our fingers intertwined. I just want my sensory needs met. Obviously I never intended to make him feel that way, but that’s what my behavior professed.
Lesson learned, and with it, some significant clarity gained.
Suspected Stim Suppression
I’ve suspected for a long time that I’m on the autism spectrum. It’s only been recently, however, that I’ve started to really unpack that and take it seriously. I wrote about this recently in This is me at 33 and Buffering. For as many questions as being autistic answers for me, there are a lot of questions raised, too.
In regards to this article concerning fidget toys, though, I’ll keep it pointed here.
I began to question whether or not I’ve been suppressing stims subconsciously. Maybe instead of needing something done TO my hands, I need to DO something WITH my hands?
You need context here. I tend to affix myself to a comfortable spot on the couch when I’m relaxing in the evening and just not move. Not wiggle. Not fidget. While my body is still, however, my mind is anything but. If I’m not writing, I’m ruminating. If I’m not practicing the discipline of leisure (for me, it’s something I actively have to choose), I’m twisting myself in loops.
It’s incessant.
Overthinking any haunting social interaction. Second guessing responses or trying to interpret facial expressions. Trying to make sense of stressful situations outside of my control. Rehearsing arguments with people that’ll never happen. Litigating to an imaginary audience about how misunderstood I feel.
My body is still. My mind is anything but. And, unfortunately, Nathan frequently becomes my captive audience, hostage to my external processing. But, hey, I’m growing. And in light of self-discovery, acceptance, and compassion, I decided to see if intentionally stimming could mitigate the mental burdens to myself and my spouse.
And, friends, it was like a dam broke. A turbulent force of finger-tapping, hand-wringing, hair-twirling burst forth.
To be fair, these were all stims that would manifest under the most dire of straits but were all kept under the strictest control. I’d notice vulnerability peeking through in how my hands would communicate, and I’d dial it back quickly. Monitoring my body language, masking by default.
The more I made room for it, the quieter my mind would get. Intentional stimming, in some ways, felt awkward. But also liberating. Grounding. Regulating. A necessary physical release of mental energy.
Less captive to ouroboros ruminations, I decided to incorporate some fidget toys into my stimming repertoire…
My Favorite Fidget Toys
Enter the ONO line of fidget toys. This is the start of a beautiful friendship…
Sleek, minimalist, and virtually silent fidget toys that are inconspicuous, convenient, and oh so grounding. The ONO offerings are straightforward; plenty of options but not so many as to cause decision fatigue. At the time of writing this, the line-up consists of 5 different styles of fidget toys and tools: Rollers, Scrollers, Sliders, Signets, and Sigbits.
I can personally speak to the quality of the Rollers and Sliders. 5 Stars!
ONO Roller
I have two rollers: a soft-touch plastic one in a glow-in-the-dark junior size and another standard-sized, rose-gold aluminum roller. Although seemingly identical in function, I enjoy using these for different purposes.
Because of the differing materials and sizes, they are slightly different weights and each fit in my hand in distinct ways.
The plastic junior roller is supremely lightweight. Ideal for my evening walks, convenient for travel, and perfect to share with my preschoolers (who frequently vie for it). It’s made with soft-touch plastic which feels comfortably smooth and it doesn’t transfer temperature like my aluminum roller. And, even without charging, it does glow well enough!
The rose-gold aluminum roller is stunning, for one thing. It’s heavier, as well, so it can provide more grounding during mindful rolling. Because of its weight, it also is a wonder at working out knots in the palms of my hands and massaging my wrists.
As an added sensory bonus, I enjoy chilling it before use, as it does conduct temperature quite a bit. Both a pro and a con, in my opinion, as it tends to heat up from my hands overtime as I use it.
Both rolling fidget toys are silent, frictionless, and easy to reach for in a moment of anxious, fidgety need.
ONO Rollers come in three different sizes (mini, junior, and standard), as well as a variety of colors and materials, like soft-touch plastic, aluminum, steel, titanium, and textured silicone.
ONO Slider
This right here is the G.O.A.T. This fidget tool facilitates methodical mindfulness. The gentle magnetism between the two aluminum disks of my slider offers a grounding feedback that keeps me focused. Calms my mind. Slows me down.
It’s ergonomically designed in such a way that it just feels uber comfy in my hands. I can use it in a multitude of ways. It’s far more pleasurable than just anxiously rubbing my fingertips together while still filling that sensory need.
It simulates rubbing two poker chips together, but, for the most part, it’s completely silent. If you want occasional auditory feedback, you can pop the magnetic disks together for a satisfying, yet quiet, click that will scratch the itch.
I can use my Slider like poker chips, I can twist the top magnetized disk with my finger, or I can gently click the two disks together, depending on my current sensory need.
These are pricey fidget toys, definitely geared more toward an adult user, but the Slider has been my favorite. Under close supervision, my three-year-old daughter and four-year-old son have greatly enjoyed the experiences they’ve had with this device as well.
It is available in three materials: aluminum, steel, and titanium, and I could absolutely see myself upgrading to titanium in the future.
Fun side note:
I had Orson’s occupational therapist test out this ONO line up, and she fell in love instantly. Requested a link for the products to help her with flight anxiety for an upcoming trip. Really a perfect example of a reason to snag some ONO fidget toys, and exactly my motivation for purchasing the lightweight junior roller with our impending Disney trip.
The Benefits of ONO Fidget Toys
Just a summarized, to-the-point recap of how the ONO fidget toys are unbelievably helpful:
These aid in alleviating anxiety. They calm restless minds and quiet ruminations. These fidget toys channel mental energy outward by involving mindful, grounding, meditative, physical movement.
I love that they are silent and discreet. Uber-colorful, overly-clicky, obtrusive fidget toys do not appeal to me. I don’t mind spending a bit extra on a tool that will actually help as opposed to annoy and distract myself and those around me. These are particularly ideal for people with misophonia who need a quiet stimming outlet.
And understand, stimming is not exclusive to the neurodivergent community. Plenty of neurotypical and allistic individuals still find stimming to be soothing, subconsciously or otherwise. The repetitive, meditative movements of stimming with ONO fidget tools are particularly relaxing and can even offer a dopamine boost.
All in all, I highly recommend ONO fidget toys. They’ve been my favorites and my preschoolers beg me to share, so I’m sure we’ll be adding more to our collection over time.
That being said, if you’re interested in perusing the ONO lineup of fidget toys, use my affiliate link or code ONOTHEMAMASAUR at checkout to take advantage of 10% off your ONO order today!
Happy, shame-free, silent stimming to you and yours!