The new fad: Fidget spinner

CEBU, Philippines - It’s the toy that’s presently gripping young people’s attention – Fidget Spinners. Some parents find it a good antidote to their children’s internet addiction; others see the threat of it becoming an addiction itself.

First spinning its way into children’s hearts and hands across the UK and US, the toy has lately found its way to the Philippines as well and, for sure, to other Asian countries. It’s been lauded by many people as a way for the young to manage anxiety and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), although experts dispute it. Whether Fidget Spinners would equal – if not surpass – the popularity of the Brick Game and the recent Pokémon Go, it’s hard yet to say.

The Fidget Spinner is a small device that fits in one’s hand. It is usually made up of two parts – a central bearing that one grips with the index finger and thumb, and a three-pronged rotational blade resembling a rounded Chinese throwing star that spins around it once it is given a flick with one’s free hand. Some wackier designs around this template are available, such as the multi-bladed cog version, but these generally stick to the same blueprint.

Max Benwell, writing at www.independent.co.uk, gives his analysis on why the toy is quite addictive. He cites that while other crazes have relied on collectability or competition, the fidget-spinner craze has taken off due to the toy’s immediately addictive nature. The sensation that comes from holding a fast-spinning contraption, he opines, is a large part of its appeal. He adds that as one tilts it back and forth while it whirrs, one can feel the various spinning forces undulate in his hand.

The real fun, says Benwell, comes from trying to pull off various tricks and stunts with the Fidget Spinner as its forces take hold. As it spins, the toy can be balanced on top of fingers, toes, and those who are really daring, on their nose or forehead. If the player has more than one unit, he can stack them on top of one another, and create a spinning tower that titillates the eyes, Benwell adds. But perhaps the biggest challenge is throwing a spinner to someone else who’ll try to catch it, and keep it spinning.

Some schools abroad have already banned Fidget Spinners for it being too distracting. That is likely to happen with local schools, if school authorities find it to sidetrack students’ attention from their class lessons. But perhaps it would be okay to do it after class and outside the classroom.

In Cebu, the Fidget Spinner craze is catching on quickly. One factor for its appeal is the fact that the toy is not expensive, starting at P100 or less apiece. The more features there are to the toy, the higher the price.

Different types of Fidget Spinner has developed since the toy emerged a month or two ago. Stunts and tricks that can be done with the toy are also abundant on YouTube and other online platforms. Tutorials on Fidget Spinner stunts and tricks are also easy to find online, including reviews and answers to questions.

Those interested to try playing Fidget Spinner and see for themselves what all the fuss is about may find the toy sold at the city’s sidewalks, in a variety of different colors and shapes.  The toy does not appeal only to kids. A lot of adults are now attracted to it, too. (FREEMAN)