Best fidget toys 2022: Pop it toys, snap bands, squish balls and more

Best: Fidget toy for multitasking

Rating: 9/10

Silicone push poppers are still going strong and it’s clear to see why: they don’t smell, they don’t get super dirty, they’re cheap and cheerful and essentially, they’re bubblewrap you don’t need to chuck. The push popper fidget has evolved from when it exploded on playgrounds in 2021; now you’ll find push popper pens, notepads, key rings, handbags, game boards and more, in every colour combo you can imagine. Our testers especially liked this rainbow popper pencil case from Claire’s, which is practical and a useful size as well as satisfyingly, well, poppable.

Best: Fidget toy for adults

Rating: 8/10

Having never played much with fidget toys ourselves, we weren’t expecting to become obsessed by them. But, the Feel Flux skill flux is a brilliant, soothing addition to any desk space and one we’ve noticed the other adult sharing our “home office” is constantly swiping and commenting on how “cool” it is.

It’s gorgeously constructed, made from aluminium wrapped in leather, with a magnetic ball that passes through a cylindrical tube. Or you can buy the set to toss the magnet between two tubes. We’ve been enjoying it for its calming, focusing powers, but you can also use this physics-based toy for tricks, like juggling. Note: this is one that’s built to last, and designed for adults over kiddos.

Best: Fidget toy for squeezing

Rating: 7/10

These squish ball toys are wonderfully satisfying to squeeze and come in a range of sizes – the big ones are especially fun – and colour combos from pastel to rainbow. In addition to offering tactile sensory stimulation, they’re a visual treat as they change colour when squeezed. We can also confirm they’re less gross than some of the other sticky fidgets (we’re looking at you, stretch noodles) in terms of getting covered in dog hair and other ick from being dragged around the house. One caveat: they can explode if squeezed too intensely, which we learned the hard way, courtesy of our four-year-old tester.

Best: Brain teaser fidget toy

Rating: 8/10

This is a fun fidget cube that our older testers particularly enjoyed. The solid white cube frame features eight removable, flexible, 3D puzzle pieces in a rainbow of colours. For basic fidgeting, keep hands busy by removing the colourful pieces one by one. Or, take it to the next level and use it as a brain teaser challenge game for spatial insight, problem solving and concentration, by figuring out the various ways you can slot the pieces back into the cube.

It comes with a challenge booklet showcasing over 48 possibilities, ranging from easy to expert. However, the booklet only shows you one completed side of the cube, so you will need to figure out the rest. This certainly does the job of keeping kids entertained for longer than 10 minutes.Our six-year-old tester probably put it best, “It’s complicated but fun, too.”

Best: Fidget toy design

Rating: 9/10

We thought we’d seen every push popper variation out there, so we were pleasantly surprised to discover this stylish paint palette design with seven different coloured poppers. Our four-year-old tester absolutely loves it and keeps singing out the names of the colours, but it’s suitable for even younger kids (10-months and up), since it’s constructed from food-grade silicone and BPA-free plastic. We also love the hole in the palette which makes it easy to carry around – or attach to a buggy for on-the-go entertainment. For the social media obsessed, yes, it will also look fabulous on the grid as you chronicle your future Picasso’s adventures.

Best: Wooden fidget toy

Rating: 8/10

This is a stylish wooden alternative to those hard plastic fidget snakes and flexible fidget tracks you see everywhere. The articulated animal designs (choose from snake or crocodile in pink, orange or green), have an elastic running through them so they can be coiled, twisted and stacked in all different directions. They look cute with painted facial features and are made from FSC-certified wood. Fun fact: according to our tween tester, these are popular with the Year 7 kids – she knows about five who have them – as well as the younger crowd they’re designed for. These slip easily into pockets or bookbags and are also good for swirling around pencils.

Best: Bath time fidget toy

Rating: 8/10

These rectangular suction strips in rainbow hues have suckers on the back which enable them to stick onto all kinds of hard surfaces – windows, suitcases, lockers, wooden drawers, plastic laundry baskets, anything really. They make a satisfying popping sound as you peel them off and are also textured on top so keep idle fingers occupied even when you’re not sticking and unsticking them.

All of our testers were fans; the younger ones liked the “tie-dye” effect of the colours, while the older ones found them useful when they needed distraction. Our testers especially loved playing with these in the bath – and as parents, we prefer them to bath crayons (less messy) and plastic animals (less dirty).

Best: Fidget toy set

Rating: 8/10

Sometimes fidget toys can be pocket-money toys that tweens collect; other times, they’re multi-taskers that even younger kids will enjoy. And Moluk really is a Swiss toy brand you should have on your radar as it makes everything from bath toys to stacking ones. The Oogi family set includes two larger and two smaller figures, which can be stretched, suckered and stuck together in any combination or direction. These guys attach to windows, too, so don’t forget them for fidgeters on car trips.

Best: Pocket-sized fidget toy

Rating: 8/10

Our 11-year-old tester likes “how small” the Zuru cube is, calling it her “best fidget” and loving “all of the different things you can do with it.” This palm-sized design is super easy to carry around and will easily fit into trouser pockets or coin purses.

Not only is the Zuru cube excellent value for money and a lot sturdier than many of the fidget toys out there, it packs a ton of activities into one small design. It features six sides that encourage fingers to click, glide, roll, spin and flip with switches, gears, rolling balls, buttons and spinny circles. It comes in a variety of colours, too, and is one of our favourites to reach for as an adult.

Best: Magnetic fidget toy

Rating: 9/10

Clixo is a fantastic toy which falls somewhere between a fidget and a building toy (with plenty of STEM points). The magnetic pieces are flexible, encouraging all kinds of imaginative creativity as you make 2D and 3D sculptures from pieces of all different shapes and sizes.

If the measure of a good toy is mass appeal, then Clixo is a winner as all four of our testers, aged 4-11, were enraptured and divided up the bits to use Clixo in different ways. We also like the little boxes the pieces come in for easy portability and sharing.

This is a far better alternative to those magnet toys which seem to invite danger (we’re looking at you, way-too-easy-to-swallow ball magnets) – yet another point in Clixo’s favour.