NeeDoh is starting to take over as a recent trend and new fidget toy. Unlike fidget spinners and pop-its, NeeDoh is a soft, block shaped fidget toy filled with a dough-like material. Students are using NeeDoh’s to calm their minds in and outside of school.
Junior Tristyn Jones speaks about why she uses her NeeDoh.
“I use my NeeDoh for fun,” Jones said. “I like to play with it in class because it’s something to relieve my stress with.”
Students are not the only ones using NeeDohs to help them. Science teacher Chad Brown also enjoys using it.
“I mostly just absent mindedly squeeze [my NeeDoh] while doing other tasks, but I have also used it for physics demonstrations related to static friction, projectile motion and other things,” Brown said.
NeeDoh is advertised to help people with learning disabilities as well. It is advertised for people with ADD, ADHD, Anxiety and Autism.
According to Brown Health, When people with learning disabilities use things like NeeDoh, “They are provided with easy and accessible ways to self-regulate and concentrate by providing visual, audible, or tactical input.”
Fidget toys have always been a confusing subject inside of schools. Some teachers believe that they are too distracting, while others think that fidget toys are beneficial to the student body.
Brown doesn’t see any issue with his students using fidget toys.
“I have no problems with fidget toys, as long as people are responsible with them,” Brown said.
Not only are fidget toys beneficial, “I can see the possible benefits as a stress toy or even as a way of dealing with sensory issues,” said Brown.
If it’s a fidget spinner, stress ball, fidget cube or NeeDoh, students believe that they can be fun to play with and beneficial to their mental health.
Jones emphasized that as long as they don’t distract people they can be helpful for students.
“From my personal experience, I think they are beneficial and fun. I’ve never been distracted because of my NeeDoh, but it could be distracting if people are sharing it with other classmates,” Jones said
Not only is NeeDoh beneficial to the student body, but Jones believes that it is beneficial to all ages, young and old.
“I think fidget toys have their pros and cons because some students benefit from the stimulation, while others might get distracted,” Jones said.
