{{Short description|Stress-relieving toy}} {{Redirect|Hand spinner|spinning yarn by hand|hand spinning}} {{Infobox toy |name = Fidget spinner |image = fidget spinner red, cropped.jpg |caption = A typical three-pronged fidget spinner |inventor = Michael Scott McCorskey |type = Stress-relieving toy, fidget toy |country = United States |from = 2014 |to = present |materials = Brass, stainless steel, titanium, copper, plastic, etc. |slogan = }}
A '''fidget spinner''' or '''hand spinner''' is a fidget toy composed of a central ball bearing and two or more weighted lobes that rotate around the central axis when spun. Typically made of plastic or metal, the toy operates on basic mechanical principles such as angular momentum and low-friction motion, allowing it to spin smoothly and for extended periods. The toy rose to widespread popularity in 2017, and was marketed as a variety of uses, including stress relief and support for individuals with attention-related conditions. Although some proponents claimed therapeutic benefits for conditions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism, empirical studies have not substantiated these claims. Reception was mixed, with reports of both positive user experiences and criticism regarding classroom disruptions and safety concerns.
== Structure and physics == thumb|A fidget spinner being spun|rightFidget spinners are typically made of rubber or metal, with a central ball bearing and several prongs extending outward.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Belluz |first=Julia |date=May 4, 2017 |title=Fidget spinners, the latest distraction craze, explained |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2017/05/04/fidget-spinners-the-latest-distraction-craze-explained.html |access-date=July 19, 2025 |website=CNBC |language=en}}</ref> The ball bearing consists of small metal balls that roll between an inner and outer race,<ref name=":1">{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHVuCjxNUm4 |title=How Fidget Spinners Seem To Spin Forever {{!}} Mach |date=May 19, 2017 |publisher=NBC News |access-date=July 19, 2025 |via=YouTube}}</ref> allowing the spinner to rotate smoothly around its axis.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Gillespie |first=Katherine |date=May 15, 2017 |title=Fidget Spinners: Are They Good? |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/fidget-spinners-are-they-good/ |access-date=July 19, 2025 |website=Vice |language=en-US}}</ref> When a prong is flicked, the spinner rotates around the bearing with minimal resistance due to the rolling motion of the balls inside the bearing.<ref name=":1" />
The design also distributes mass away from the center, increasing the moment of inertia, which helps maintain rotational motion. As the spinner rotates, it behaves like a gyroscope, resisting changes to its orientation due to angular momentum. Over time, the speed of rotation decreases following an exponential decay pattern, meaning that while it slows gradually, it cannot spin indefinitely.<ref>{{Cite web |last=English |first=Trevor |date=July 7, 2017 |title=Understanding the Physics of Fidget Spinners |url=https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/the-physics-of-fidget-spinners |access-date=July 19, 2025 |website=Interesting Engineering |language=en}}</ref>
== History == thumb|Spinner "Bomblet" On May 11, 2016, Michael Scott McCoskery filed a provisional patent application for a toy incorporating a centrally mounted ball bearing and specific design features. The application included illustrations of two- and three-lobed variants. A final application was submitted in May 2017, and a U.S. utility patent was issued in March 2018.<ref>{{cite news |last=Malone |first=Kenny |date=May 4, 2017 |title=Fidget Spinner Emerges As Must-Have Toy Of The Year |url=https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2017/05/04/526840892/fidget-spinner-emerges-as-must-have-toy-of-the-year |access-date=May 18, 2017 |work=Planet Money |publisher=NPR}}</ref><ref>{{cite patent|country=US|number=9914063B1|title=Toy designed to spin in a user's hand|fdate=2017-05-11|gdate=2018-03-13|inventor=Michael Scott McCoskery|url=https://patents.google.com/patent/US9914063B1|quote=This application claims priority to provisional patent application U.S. Ser. No. 62/334,879 filed on May 11, 2016}}</ref> Separately, on November 29, 2016, David Allen Pavelsky of Killeen, Texas, filed for a design patent on a three-lobed spinner with a central ball bearing. Unlike McCoskery's application, Pavelsky's focused on the visual design rather than functional aspects. He was granted a U.S. design patent in October 2017.<ref>{{cite patent|country=US|number=D801440S1|title=Triple ended spinner toy|fdate=2016-11-29|gdate=2017-10-31|inventor=David Allen Pavelsky|url=https://patents.google.com/patent/USD801440S1}}</ref> By May 2017, no patent had yet been granted for what was popularly known as the fidget spinner, despite increased consumer interest.<ref name="Brustein2017">{{cite web |last=Brustein |first=Joshua |date=May 11, 2017 |title=How the Fidget Spinner Origin Story Spun Out of Control |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-05-11/how-the-fidget-spinner-origin-story-spun-out-of-control |url-access=subscription |access-date=May 12, 2017 |work=Bloomberg News}}</ref>
Media reports from outlets including ''The Guardian'' and ''The New York Times'' incorrectly identified Catherine Hettinger, a chemical engineer, as the inventor;<ref name="Luscombe2017">{{cite news |last1=Luscombe |first1=Richard |date=May 5, 2017 |title=As fidget spinner craze goes global, its inventor struggles to make ends meet |url=https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/may/03/fidget-spinner-inventor-patent-catherine-hettinger |access-date=11 May 2017 |agency=The Guardian}}</ref><ref name="Williams2017">{{cite news |last=Williams |first=Alex |date=May 6, 2017 |title=How Fidget Spinners Became a Hula-Hoop for Generation Z |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/06/style/fidget-spinners.html |url-access=limited |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230120063803/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/06/style/fidget-spinners.html |archive-date=20 January 2023 |access-date= |work=The New York Times}}</ref> Hettinger had actually filed a patent application in May 1993 for a "spinning toy" resembling a "finger frisbee" or "finger hat." The patent was issued in January 1997,<ref name="US5591062A">{{cite patent|country=US|number=5591062A|title=Spinning toy|pubdate=1997-01-07|fdate=1993-05-28|pridate=1992-02-10|gdate=1997-01-07|inventor=Catherine A. Hettinger|url=https://patents.google.com/patent/US5591062A}}</ref> but it lapsed in 2005 due to a lack of commercial interest.<ref name="Brustein2017" /><ref name="Luscombe2017" /> A May 2017 ''Bloomberg News'' article stated that Hettinger’s design did not include the central bearing characteristic of modern fidget spinners.<ref name="Brustein2017" />
In a May 4, 2017, NPR interview, Scott McCoskery described developing a metal spinning device called the "Torqbar"<ref name="NPR">{{cite news |last1=Gonzalez |first1=Guadalupe |date=June 8, 2017 |title=The Inside Story Behind the Rapid Rise of the Fidget Spinner Trend |url=https://www.inc.com/guadalupe-gonzalez/who-created-fidget-spinners-catherine-hettinger-scott-mccoskery.html |url-access=registration |access-date=April 16, 2022 |work=Inc |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=May 17, 2017 |title=Millions sold: Was the original fidget spinner made in Suquamish? |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/our-high-end-fidget-spinner-will-beat-the-competition-local-makers-say/ |access-date=April 16, 2022 |work=The Seattle Times}}</ref> around 2014 to manage his fidgeting during meetings and conference calls while working in the information technology sector in the Seattle, Washington, area.<ref name="Malone2017">{{cite web |last=Malone |first=Kenny |date=May 4, 2017 |title=Fidget Spinner Emerges As Must-Have Toy Of The Year |url=https://www.npr.org/2017/05/04/526931943/fidget-spinner-emerges-as-must-have-toy-of-the-year |access-date=May 18, 2017 |work=Planet Money |publisher=NPR}}</ref> He stated that he believed it was the first version of what became known as the modern fidget spinner.<ref name="NPR" /> At the request of an online community, he began selling the device online.<ref name="Malone2017" />
==Reception and popularity== [[File:Fidget spinner search popularity 7d rolling mean.svg|thumb|upright=1.5|Google Search popularity of fidget spinners in early 2017]]
Fidget spinners gained immense popularity in 2017. Initially developed as tools for individuals with ADHD, autism, and anxiety, they were later produced and marketed to a broader consumer base.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Pisani |first=Joseph |date=May 16, 2017 |title=Fidget spinners, the hit toy that spun out of nowhere |url=https://apnews.com/parenting-general-news-2d9d6c370ff641b6986c77ac951b3e88 |access-date=2025-07-19 |website=AP News |language=en}}</ref> Most manufacturing occurred in China,<ref name=":3" /><ref>{{Cite news |last=Mead |first=Rebecca |date=May 12, 2017 |title=The Fidget Spinner Is the Perfect Toy for the Trump Presidency |url=https://www.newyorker.com/culture/cultural-comment/the-fidget-spinner-is-the-perfect-toy-for-the-trump-presidency |access-date=2025-07-19 |work=The New Yorker |language=en-US |issn=0028-792X}}</ref> and retailers such as Amazon, 7-Eleven, and Toys "R" Us reported high sales volume, with the product ranking among the top-selling toys and games.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=Willingham |first=A. J. |date=May 5, 2017 |title=All your questions about fidget spinners, answered |url=https://www.cnn.com/2017/05/05/health/fidget-spinners-what-is-trnd |access-date=2025-07-19 |website=CNN |language=en}}</ref> The devices were used by a range of age groups,<ref name=":2" /> with 23% of sales coming from millennials.<ref name=":5">{{Cite journal |last=Soares |first=Julia S. |last2=Storm |first2=Benjamin C. |date=2020 |title=Putting a negative spin on it: Using a fidget spinner can impair memory for a video lecture |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/acp.3610 |journal=Applied Cognitive Psychology |language=en |volume=34 |issue=1 |pages=277–284 |doi=10.1002/acp.3610 |issn=1099-0720|url-access=subscription }}</ref>
Public response varied. Some users reported temporary stress relief or distraction from routine activities,<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":4" /> but the widespread use of the devices caused disruptions in schools.<ref name=":0" /> Educators in the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia reported that fidget spinners were frequently misused and interfered with classroom management,<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":4" /><ref>{{Cite news |last=Strauss |first=Valerie |date=July 1, 2017 |title=Analysis {{!}} Schools are banning fidget spinners, calling them nuisances and even dangerous |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2017/06/01/schools-are-banning-fidget-spinners-calling-them-nuisances-and-even-dangerous/ |access-date=2025-07-19 |work=The Washington Post |language=en-US |issn=0190-8286}}</ref> leading to formal bans in various school districts.<ref name=":0" /> In some cases, limited use was allowed under specific conditions, though educators expressed concern about the device's impact on attention and classroom behavior.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":4" />
Scientific evaluations did not confirm effectiveness in improving focus. Research indicated that fidget spinner use was associated with reduced memory performance, increased attention lapses, and decreased focus during academic tasks.<ref name=":5" /><ref name=":6">{{Cite journal |last=Biswas |first=Ratnadeep |last2=Kumar |first2=Yogesh |last3=Rani |first3=Ruchi |date=2023-12-01 |title=Effect of fidget spinners in enhancement of cognitive skills in healthy individuals: An interventional study |url=https://www.jns-journal.com/article/S0022-510X(23)01056-0/fulltext |journal=Journal of the Neurological Sciences |language=English |volume=455 |doi=10.1016/j.jns.2023.121595 |issn=0022-510X}}</ref><ref name=":7">{{Cite journal |last=Graziano |first=Paulo A. |last2=Garcia |first2=Alexis M. |last3=Landis |first3=Taylor D. |date=2020-01-01 |title=To Fidget or Not to Fidget, That Is the Question: A Systematic Classroom Evaluation of Fidget Spinners Among Young Children With ADHD |url=https://doi.org/10.1177/1087054718770009 |journal=Journal of Attention Disorders |language=EN |volume=24 |issue=1 |pages=163–171 |doi=10.1177/1087054718770009 |issn=1087-0547|url-access=subscription }}</ref> These effects were observed in both new and existing users who had positive expectations of the product.<ref name=":5" /><ref name=":6" /> Some studies found that general physical activity might benefit children with ADHD,<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":7" /> but researchers concluded that fidget spinners involved limited movement and functioned more as distractions than supportive tools.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":5" /><ref name=":7" /> Children using the devices in classroom studies generally showed lower attention levels than peers who did not use them.<ref name=":5" /><ref name=":7" />
Safety issues were reported. Incidents included ingestion of small components, such as in the case of a 10-year-old girl requiring surgery.<ref name=":8">{{Cite web |last=Jimison |first=Robert |date=May 17, 2017 |title=Texas girl chokes on fidget spinner part |url=https://www.cnn.com/2017/05/17/health/texas-fidget-spinner-xray-trnd |access-date=2025-07-19 |website=CNN |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Pawlowski |first=A. |date=May 17, 2017 |title=Mom warns about fidget spinner choking hazard after girl needs surgery |url=https://www.today.com/health/fidget-spinners-mom-warns-about-choking-hazard-t111655 |access-date=2025-07-19 |website=TODAY |language=en}}</ref> The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and European safety authorities issued warnings about choking hazards and the dangers of button batteries, which can cause internal injuries if swallowed.<ref name=":8" /><ref name=":9">{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=March 13, 2018 |title=Fidget spinners pose choking, burn hazards for children: EU report |url=https://abcnews.go.com/International/fidget-spinners-pose-choking-burn-hazards-children-eu/story?id=53710621 |access-date=2025-07-19 |website=ABC News |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":10">{{Cite news |date=August 11, 2017 |title=US warns of fidget spinner fire and choking hazards |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-40898768 |access-date=2025-07-19 |work=BBC |language=en-GB}}</ref> Another case involved a battery-powered spinner catching fire during charging.<ref name=":10" /> Regulatory bodies advised adult supervision and recommended the toys not be used by children under three years old.<ref name=":9" /><ref name=":10" />
== See also == {{Portal|2010s|Toys}} * Fidget Cube * Office toy * Pet Rock * Pop it, a 2021 fidget toy * Stress ball * Top * Worry stone
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == *{{Commons category-inline|Fidget spinners}} *{{wiktionary-inline|fidget spinner}}
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Category:2010s fads and trends Category:2010s toys Category:20th-century inventions Category:American inventions Category:Internet memes introduced in 2017 Category:Mechanical toys Category:Metal toys Category:Novelty items Category:Office toys Category:Physical activity and dexterity toys Category:Plastic toys Category:Products introduced in 1995 Category:Sensory toys Category:Toy controversies