Sometimes a simple thing can catch the fancy of a child or adult and it can become a trend. Do you remember a #fidgettoy that caught everyone’s attention a few years ago? The fidget spinner with all its crazy speed,colour and shapes took the world by storm for a few months. I know my son made me buy them in different colours and sizes. I have to admit I was quite addicted to them by the end of it. We even made our own looking at this video. But after a while like most things that go viral this trend died down.
But kids (and adults) are always looking for something new to keep themselves engaged. Especially with everyone staying indoors as much as possible, any new toy is always greeted with excitement. The CDC estimates symptoms of anxiety or a depressive disorder increased significantly from 36.4% to 41.5% through January 2021 People have resorted to different modes of coping mechanisms. One such thing is the Pop Its.
During one of our weekly meetings, a couple of people mentioned this new viral toy that they had just ordered that weekend and were loving it. So today on #FindItOnKSP we’re going to tell you about the new fidget toy in town – Pop It Toys. Have you heard of them?
What Are Pop It Toys?
Made out of silicon, you press in “bubbles” to hear a slight popping sound, and when all the bubbles have been “popped” you can flip the toy over and start again. Now that does sound so satisfying right?
This concept of toys was the brainchild of an Israeli couple Theo and Ora Coster in the 70s. But it didn’t take off at that time since silicone rubber wasn’t really as easily available. It was much later when their kids dusted off the prototype their parents had made and launched Pop It Toys.
Pop Its have gained popularity over the past year with #fidgettoys driving 12.5 billion views as of the middle of August.
The company says originally made them says that it sold more than 7 million units in North America between 2020 and 2021; it sold 700,000 units in 2019.
Dr Will Shield is a child psychologist from the University of Exeter and in a recent article he mentioned that sensory toys are not a new phenomen. He says and I quote,
“Sensory toys activate one or more of our senses, for example our sight, hearing or our sense of touch.
“So when we are feeling a big emotion – like being scared or worried – then playing with something that looks, feels or sounds different can help take our attention away from that big emotion.
“Sensory toys can also help us with concentration and attention, just like how adults play with a pen when they’re trying to listen to something.”
Of course Pop It’s are not the first #fidgettoy. We’ve all bought our kids fidget spinners and have been guilty of playing it too. Experts have concluded that movement is essential for learning because the learner is required to use both the left and right sides of their brain.
Are #FidgetToys a new phenomenon?
If I think of it we all fidget whether it’s with a stress ball, playing with a hair clip, a ballpoint pen where you keep tapping it. Fidget toys not only help you focus or channelize focus on something or think but for kids they can also help them manage emotions.
What pushed this product to the forefront was an unboxing video by an eight-year-old capuchin monkey named Gaitlyn Rae, who has 7.8 million followers on TikTok. https://www.instagram.com/p/CGS0vK-ngjH/embed/?cr=1&v=13&wp=1120&rd=https%3A%2F%2Fksp.kidsstoppress.com&rp=%2Fdetails%2Fenjoy-popping-bubble-wrap-youre-going-love-fidget-toy-kids-adults%2F20007#%7B%22ci%22%3A0%2C%22os%22%3A3933.39999999851%7D
Why Have They Become So Popular?
These silicon rubber toys don’t cost much but a parent has rightly described the experience as “bad as watching Instagram Reels or listening to Let It Go the ten-thousandth time”. You kind of tend to lose a sense of time popping these little bubbles.
- Push pop fidget is a great sensory tool you fidget with again and again. Marketed as sensory toys that help relieve anxiety and stress or help children and adults who struggle with maintaining focus.
- Some kids find the simple act of popping bubbles soothing and helpful for paying attention. And then there are others who have found creative ways to use this toy by playing games with other friends.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/CRC0-yhpikk/embed/?cr=1&v=13&wp=1120&rd=https%3A%2F%2Fksp.kidsstoppress.com&rp=%2Fdetails%2Fenjoy-popping-bubble-wrap-youre-going-love-fidget-toy-kids-adults%2F20007#%7B%22ci%22%3A1%2C%22os%22%3A3937.699999999255%7D
- Since it is made out of silicone, you can reuse it and wash it too. But is it bio-degradable?
- Kids who have autism have also found this is a great sensory toy to help calm them down.
Games Kids Have Been Playing Using These Pop It Toys
- One of the most popular games is called “Last One Lost.” Players take turns popping bubbles in a single row, and the person to pop the last bubble loses.
- Another game can be hiding a marble in an inverted bubble. Flip the board over and ask a friend to pick a number to guess where the marble is hiding.
- Of course, the old-fashioned race to see who can pop all the bubbles in their fidget toy the fastest never goes out of style.
- You can use it to teach your kids Math while having fun.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CUXy8sBM3em/embed/?cr=1&v=13&wp=1120&rd=https%3A%2F%2Fksp.kidsstoppress.com&rp=%2Fdetails%2Fenjoy-popping-bubble-wrap-youre-going-love-fidget-toy-kids-adults%2F20007#%7B%22ci%22%3A2%2C%22os%22%3A3940.699999999255%7D
Should I Be Worried As A Parent?
When my child started asking for this toy after seeing it I first put it down to a fad – I also want this new toy. But when he started asking me to buy the different varieties out there something rang warning bells in my head.
The toy is marketed as a prop to help kids and adults who are dealing with anxiety, stress or autism. It helps them to calm down and help them focus better. Was there something I was missing on with him? Where was the craze coming from? Truth be told, I have grabbed the Pop It toy more than once from my child too. It’s quite addictive. In an age where kids are constantly using their fingers and imagination mostly to swipe left and their motor skills have suffered a huge setback, is this toy going to help them focus better?
As someone rightly said, the best ideas come to you when you are bored. Mindlessly popping bubbles on a silicon rubber pad could be just what a child or adult needs for their ‘Aha!’ moment on some days. What do you think as a parent?
That being said there are so many other ways for children to burn off nervous energy. Exercising before school, taking a bike ride, a walk or a run is a great way to get students ready to focus on their day ahead I feel.
We spoke to Clinical Psychologist and Psychotherapist, Dr Shwetabhara Sabharwal about fidget toys and how they impact kids. She says
Playing and manipulating objects in their environment are significant contributors to learning amongst children. I have always encouraged parents to encourage children to use their fingers, fine motor muscles, eye-hand coordination, touching, feeling surfaces from an early age. The activity and growth in the human brain as a result of sensory stimulation in children has been supported in multiple neuroscientific and brain research. Handling, moulding, creating, squeezing, spinning objects each have neurological, emotional and perceptual benefits. This can be achieved with toys as much as playing with some household materials like manipulating dough, shelling peas or sorting lentils etc.
Age Recommendation: 15 Months & Up
You can check some Pop It Toys below if you want to buy
Wonder why schools ban it then? Me too?
The minute anything becomes a distraction to someone else’s senses i.e. sound or sight, it loses it’s purpose. That is why teachers have been banning it to get into classrooms because they are distracting other kids with their sound, sight and most importantly a matter of comparison.
Will this be a passing fad, now that it has taken over our children’s playgrounds and our homes or will it help them concentrate better is a question only time will tell. As a generation of parents we earlier dreaded the TV, The internet but now are we dreading a toy?
KSP Team
Parul Gupta
