Help your kiddos reduce anxiety and enhance concentration by introducing them to a few DIY fidgets. For the busy kids in your classroom, check out these creative craft ideas to keep those hands busy, minds at ease, and attention focused! With 31 varied choices, there’s something here for every learner and every interest!
1. Soda Tab Toy
Grab a keyring and the tabs off of a few empty soda cans and invite your learners to make this super simple fidget. This discreet fidget toy is extremely low cost to make and small enough to keep those fingers occupied and minds at ease in any social situation.
Learn More: Steamsational
2. CD Spinner
These cute, school-friendly fidget toys can be made in the classroom using some old CDs, glue, and marbles! For extra fun have your kids decorate their CDs with permanent markers, stickers, and glitter before gluing them together and letting them spin.
Learn More: Meaningful Mama
3. Infinity Dice
These homemade die cubes are great for any fidget fans and, a little bonus here, they allow for some basic math practice. Simply task your kiddos with piecing the dice together with clear tape to make a fidget cube with infinite possibilities for fun!
Learn More: Instructables
4. Cap Spinners
Find a water bottle cap and a toothpick, put them together, and watch your kiddos have a ball! This fidget will keep them occupied for hours on end and can even be used as a manipulative in a spinning competition by getting your littles to compete to see who can keep theirs going the longest.
Learn More: The Craft Train
5. Squeezable Stress Heads
If you’ve got a few balloons and a sack of flour, you have all you need to help your kiddos make stress heads! Help them fill a balloon with flour before tying a knot at the end. If their balloons aren’t already patterned, invite them to use markers to add all the decorative elements their heart desires.
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6. Foam Fruits
This fidget craft invites your kids to squish all of their favorite foods without making a mess! You’ll need some memory foam, sharp scissors, fabric paint, and paintbrushes to bring it to life. From fruit to pizza and sweet treats, your littles can make just about any foam creation they can think of.
Learn More: Buggy and Buddy
7. Let Go with Legos
Most lower-grade classrooms are stocked with Lego so making this fidget should be as easy as pie! Simply have your kiddies strategically join their blocks together so that they have a movable toy.
Learn More: Frugal Fun 4 Boys
8. Zipper or Buckle Bracelets
Functional and fashionable- two things we love! To make these bracelets, gather a few basic crafting materials, scissors, zippers, buckles, and sewing needles. Then, help your students follow a set of instructions to create a fidget that they can carry with them wherever they go.
Learn More: Moms and Crafters
9. Marble Maze
This is a quiet fidget for crafty people who enjoy little to no noise. You’ll need a few small pieces of fabric, sewing needles, thread, a marble, and a maze template! Help your learners stitch up a colorful piece of fabric by following their maze template. To finish the fidget off and get it ready for use, they can pop a marble inside and close up the ends.
Learn More: Apple Green Cottage
10. Nuts and Bolts
This is one of my favorite fidget toys, and all you need are a few metal pieces! Invite your learners to join the pieces before twisting away at these small shiny fidgets.
Learn More: Pinterest
11. DIY Fidget Putty
Putty is an easy-squeezy fidget to make and it’s sure to keep your kids’ hands busy all day long! Whip up a batch in class and invite each learner to grab a portion to play with if they finish their work before their classmates.
Learn More: Little Bins for Little Hands
12. Colorful Fidget Stick
Keep those fidgety hands and minds out of trouble by engaging your kiddos in a fun DIY creation. You can make these in class as a fun art project using an assortment of materials including, colorful beads, duct tape, popsicle sticks, and pipe cleaners.
Learn More: The OT Toolbox
13. Chewable Necklace
Ever heard of kids putting their sweatshirt strings in their mouths as a way of self-soothing? This DIY was created with that in mind! Have your kids pick out some cool socks and grab some wooden beads and a shoestring to get crafting. In the end, they’ll have a cute necklace that can be used to calm them down when in a panic.
Learn More: Lemon Lime Adventures
14. DIY Paper Ninja Spinners
Everyone knows about the ever-popular fidget spinner, but did you know that your kiddos can make their own using paper? These ninja star spinners are a fun origami activity that can be completed at home or in the classroom. To see how to fold your own, grab some colorful paper and get folding by following the instructions linked below!
Learn More: Red Ted Art
15. Braided Yarn Dolls
For these cute little fidgets, all you need is yarn! Have your kids grab their favorite color and get tying and trimming. Once complete, they can keep their busy hands busy by braiding the threads whenever they want!
Learn More: The Craft Train
16. Stretchy Foot Bands
This classroom fidget is great for your students with antsy feet! All you need is some spandex fabric and sewing materials to bring a few to life. Once ready, your kiddos can wrap the band around the bottom of any chair to push, pull, step on, or kick the spandex as they are completing classwork, listening, or reading.
Learn More: And Next Comes L
17. Paper Clip Buddies
This is an awesome fidget for school or traveling because it’s small, light, and super easy to make! All you need are some plastic beads and paper clips. Once made, your kids can then keep them handy for days when they feel anxious or fidgety.
Learn More: Sensibly Sara
18. Fidget Pencil Topper
For this classroom-friendly fidget, all you need are some pipe cleaners, small beads, rubber bands, and your kids’ favorite pencil. Help them thread their chosen beads onto a pipe cleaner before securing it to a pencil using a rubber band.
Learn More: The OT Toolbox
19. Woven Finger Traps
Woven finger traps are a great way to use paper scraps to create your own fidgets. Guide your students through crafting woven finger traps out of straws or strips of paper. Creating them out of recycled materials allows your kiddos the freedom to design unique patterns and add vibrant colors for more visual pizzazz.
Learn More: Make Pop Up Cards
20. Tangle Toys
Let’s add a delightful twist to your classroom with DIY Tangle Toys. Using some craft wire and beads, have your students dive into the world of bead stringing and wire bending to create their own reusable fidget toys. They can be unwound and retwisted time after time; offering endless opportunities to build fine motor skills and satisfy the urge to fidget.
Learn More: YouTube
21. Button Spinner
Grab a button and some string and you’ll be ready to create the simplest fidget toy on the market. Have your students thread the button onto the string and tie it into a loop. When in use, the button will spin as they pull at the end of the string; mesmerizing them while giving their fingers a workout.
Learn More: YouTube
22. Bendy Pipe Cleaner Creatures
Get twisty with it! Hand out a pile of colorful pipe cleaners and have your students morph them into anything their hearts desire. Whether they want to create letters, funky shapes, or fun little creatures, this fidget is all about getting some hands-on play time and having a blast while doing so.
Learn More: Frugal Fun 4 Boys
23. DIY Fidget Rings
Bring some fashion into the classroom with DIY fidget rings! Using colorful beads and wire, your students can craft their own rings. Here, it’s not just about creating cool accessories; these rings are secretly designed to be a perfect outlet for fidgeting during class.
Learn More: Muumade
24. DIY Felt Fidget Squares
For this touchy-feely fidget, take some small squares of soft felt and embellish them with colorful buttons, beads, and ribbons. When your students get their hands on them, they won’t want to let go of their new tactile tool! The best part? They won’t simply be fidgeting- they’ll also be experiencing sensory play in a new way.
Learn More: Joann Fabrics
25. Popping Bubble Wrap
When you unwrap that next package that shows up at your door, hang onto the bubble wrap! Cut it up and provide your students with squares. Then, let the popping commence.
Learn More: YouTube
26. Straw and String Fidget
Keep it simple yet satisfying! This simple fidget requires a few everyday items and is extremely easy to make. Have your students thread a string through a straw before tying knots at both ends. This will bring to life an effortlessly engaging slidable fidget. Ideal for calming those restless hands, it’s proof that sometimes less really is more!
Learn More: YouTube
27. Fidget Sensory Bottle
Let’s sprinkle some glittery magic into your classroom for those moments when you need an extra touch of tranquillity. Fill empty bottles with water, glitter, and food coloring before handing them to your students and inviting them to give the bottles a gentle shake when they feel like they need a moment.
Learn More: Autism Speaks
28. Worry Stones
Send those everyday worries packing by making worry stones with your students! Using assorted clay, help them mix up the colors before setting them to work on shaping pebble sized pieces. Next, pop them in the oven to bake and firm up. Once hardened, these hands-on calming tools make great fidget toys and the craft time provides a fun and creative outlet for your learners as well.
Learn More: Therapy and Mindfulness
29. Balloon Fidget
This one’s a little bit messy, but a whole lot of fun! Have your students fill balloons with flour and tie closed before decorating as they please. What a lightweight fidget that’s perfect for melting away anxiety or tension.
Learn More: YouTube
30. DIY Soft Toys
Sewing can be soothing! Have your students stitch two pieces of fabric (thick felt and embroidery thread work well for little hands) and stuff them with cotton wool or pillow stuffing. The result is a cuddly, squeezable toy that they can cherish while easing any fidgety or anxious feelings.
Learn More: The Crafty Gentleman
31. DIY Slap Bracelets
Unleash a slap-happy classroom! Cut up a cheap, dollar-store tape measure into 8-inch strips. Wrap the strips in fabric or duct tape to transform them into slap bracelets that are fun to play with.
Learn More: Kids Activities Blog
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