We’re seeing it everywhere, but is the fidget spinner a good or a bad thing?
You have seen it everywhere. Your 10 year-old brother has it, the kid on the street is playing with it, and maybe even that teenager on the bus. They spin it like there’s no tomorrow, but what is it?
The Fidget Spinner Craze
Just like the Beyblades and the Tamiya Cars of the past, the fidget spinner is the latest toy craze to hit Singapore’s shores. The playing mechanics are simple; you use your fingers to spin the blades, and ball bearings within the toy allows the device to create a strangely appealing wave of patterns and colours.
According to Time, the intricate but strangely addictive toy traces its origins back to Catherine Hettinger, who invented the device in 1993. However, it fell into obscurity, and has only recently resurfaced. A check on Google Trends shown that Singapore experienced a spike in the volume of search for the term “fidget spinners” earlier in March this year.
In Singapore, the fidget spinner is sold everywhere – on mobile phone applications like Shopee and in various toy shops around Singapore. Specialty online shops like spinculture.sg, which sell custom spinners and modification parts, have begun to emerge.
Why Is It So Popular?
The toy is said to have many health benefits, as it was initially marketed in the United States as a tool to help children suffering from ADHD, stress, anxiety and Autism. In fact, Alex Fitzpatrick, a writer for Time, makes a bold claim that these little spinning toys helps with his smartphone addiction
In an interview with Rojak Daily, Mr Chong Joo Chien, a clinical psychologist at Serene Psychological Services, explains how the simple toy keeps us spinning back for more: “Watching a fidget spinner whirl like a small fan stuck on full blast with a mesmerising swirling pattern is soothing…it kind of creates a hypnotic effect that is said to provide relief and focus, hence it can be addictive,” he said.
The spinner has evolved into a culture of sorts. Calling themselves “fidgeters”, people now use the small contraption to do tricks, and some have even posted tutorials on how to build their very own DIY fidget spinner.
Confiscated In Schools
However, the spinner has caught the bad side of the older crowd – specifically parents and teachers – who complain about the distracting nature of this device. In Malaysia, the education ministry is considering banning the use of spinners in the classroom. According to Spinner List, the “largest database of all fidget spinners and makers in the country”, the toy has been banned in 32% of the largest high schools in America. While there have been some reports of teachers confiscating these toys in Singapore, no major action has been undertaken by the Ministry of Education.