Sensory and fidget toys are products that help children with sensory integration, which is the process of the brain understanding and responding to information we receive through our senses. The tools can help a child calm down, focus, or keep occupied while they’re waiting in line or during a class—there are a lot of different ways they can help.

The tools typically come in bright colors and exciting textures. They’re meant to be touched and played with. Some look like small animals, some are shaped like puzzle pieces, some are just really colorful and interesting patterns.
A sensory and fidget toy is a toy that can be manipulated by the user in order to release energy, calm nerves, and focus concentration. Sensory toys are used by people with special needs or who are on the autism spectrum, but they can also be used by anyone looking to relax.
Fidget toys are designed to engage a user’s hands and/or mind. Fidget toys can improve focus, help with social skills, and increase attention span. Sensory toys are designed to engage a user’s 5 senses. Sensory toys can help to calm an individual who is experiencing sensory overload as well as help individuals with special needs.
They are toys that help people with sensory integration disorder to improve their cognitive functions and ability to focus. The toys come in many shapes and forms and are made of various materials, all of which are designed to have a certain effect on the brain. Fidget toys can be used casually by anyone to help them focus on a task at hand or keep their hands busy while they wait, but they’re especially helpful for people with autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, or other conditions that make it difficult for them to concentrate.
Sensory toys are a form of therapy that uses multi-sensory tools to engage all five senses (sight, touch, taste, smell, and hearing), often in order to provide an outlet for children with sensory processing disorders (SPD). Fidget toys are handheld objects, often with a strong tactile sensation or visual element, that are used to lessen anxiety and stress. Children with SPD may benefit from both sensory and fidget toys.
Speech therapists often use sensory toys as part of their therapy regimen. Sensory toys can help children understand how they’re feeling, and they also help children learn how to respond appropriately to those feelings. Sensory toys can be used across the spectrum of SPD diagnoses to help children process their feelings and emotions in a productive way.

While some fidget toys are recommended by speech therapists as part of a larger treatment plan for children with SPD, fidget toys are not designed specifically for children with special needs. Some fidget toys can be used by anyone who feels anxious or stressed—from schoolchildren on the playground to adults in a work meeting—in order to help them feel more calm and focused. Sensory & Fidget Toys are tools that give people with sensory processing disorders or autism a way to self-soothe. Since children (and adults) with these disorders often have difficulty regulating their own emotions, they can benefit from having something they can focus on that helps them regulate and refocus their mind.