Fidget Tools and their Benefits in your Kids and Youth Ministry Setting

DiscipleshipYouth Ministry
Written By Bec Baines

17/06/24

Fidget tools are becoming increasingly popular, and we are seeing a rise of various forms such as hand-held squeezers, pop-its, and even slime.  But do fidget tools actually help people maintain focus or are they just a big distraction for everyone?

What is a fidget tool?

A fidget tool is something physically interactive that provides extra stimulation for an individual in their learning environment. Sometimes they are called fidget ‘toys’ but that can lead to a misunderstanding of their purpose.

But how could this be helpful? Just as some people might learn better listening to an audiobook as they walk or highlighting notes on a page while studying, a fidget tool can provide stimulation that helps some people focus more on the task at hand. Think of it like a pair of noise-cancelling headphones – they work by providing enough background noise to drown out other noise. In the same way, it’s thought that fidget tools can provide enough background stimulation that other distracting stimuli are “drowned” out.

Occupational therapists and psychologists advocate for the use of fidget tools for those who need them. A study has shown[1] that people who have ADHD, and don’t have a suitable fidget tool will find alternate ways to attempt to stay on task which may cause disruption to others, such as moving around, leg jiggling, pen tapping, or talking excessively. Fidget tools may be a helpful alternative to redirect towards more successful ways to self-regulate and participate more fully in the task at hand[2].  

Using a fidget tool in your church or ministry setting may be helpful, not only for a person who is neurodivergent but also for the people around them.

What do helpful and suitable fidget tools look like?[3]

  • Handheld and quiet: stress balls, tactile items, blu-tak;

  • drawing, doodling, sketching, note taking; or

  • knitting/crocheting, wearing headphones, moving, wearing special purpose jewellery.

What are unhelpful fidget tools?

  • Anything that creates noise, lights, or mess, (pop-its, slime, some spinners);

  • something that is considerably bigger than their hand; or

  • something that could be used to harm or distract others (stretching and flicking or throwing).

How do I implement the use of fidget tools?

Fidget tools are best implemented when there is a mutual understanding and agreement on the use of them. Communicate with the person using the fidget tool to find out:

  • what works best for them;

  • at what point in the service or program it can be used; and

  • when it is appropriate to use.

There may be some trial and error to find the best tool to help a young person.

Won’t everyone want one?

Some people might wonder if it’s fair for one person to use a fidget tool and not others. But studies have shown[4] that people who use tools but don’t need them will have their learning negatively impacted. It’s like a pair of glasses, if no one was allowed to wear glasses, that would hinder the people who need them. But if everyone was issued a pair of glasses, that would hinder the people who don’t need to wear glasses by distorting their vision. Using examples like this can help children understand why some kids use a fidget tool and why others don’t.

What might this look like?

In a kids’ program

  • Allowing certain children to choose from a box with a few choices of suitable toys/tools when the teaching time is about to begin.

  • Encouraging and equipping some children to be colouring in while they are listening.

  • Giving the option for children sit on a chair or cushion rather than the floor.

  • Allowing children the option to move around the back of the room during listening time.

 

In a youth program

  • Allowing youth to bring their own fidget tool, or pick one up from a box.

  • Providing a notebook and pen, either blank or with interactive notes (e.g.: handouts with headings, fill in the blanks, underlining key words).

  • Giving the option of sitting at a table.

 

In a church service

  • Providing pen and paper for note taking and/or doodling.

  • Providing the option of using a handheld fidget tool.

  • Allowing crocheting or knitting.

  • Providing couches in the back of the meeting space (if space permits).

 

Fidget tools can be a relatively easy way to help some neurodivergent people find the extra stimulation they need to focus during ministry programs. Could Fidget tools be useful in your ministry to young people?

Bec Baines
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