Date : August 28, 2021
DIY Fidget Bar Toy
You’ve probably noticed fidget toys are all the rage in school playgrounds. It started with fidget spinners, and now Pop It fidgets are very popular. But despite being a trend, fidget toys actually have a genuinely useful purpose, and can enable a child to concentrate in a group setting and keep calm.
Learning new things at school often requires focus, but it’s not always easy to do. For some of us, tapping our foot or drumming our fingers on the desk can enable the information we’re being taught to be retained. However, these actions can cause noise and disruption to others around us. A fidget toy allows the individual to concentrate and filter out other distractions, without interrupting the class time.
What is a fidget toy?
A fidget toy is a small object which can fit in the palm of your hand, and can be moved around, squeezed or pulled while participating in a group activity.
Fidget toys can come in all shapes and various small sizes.
This DIY Fidget Bar Toy is one which can fit into a pencil case at school and can be easily moved without creating noise or distracting others.
It’s such an easy project to create. We’ve used May Gibbs ribbon for the base of this fidget toy.
Materials
- May Gibbs Ribbon (available from Spotlight)
- Glue
- Paddle Pop Sticks (2)
- Wooden Beads
- Washi Tape
- Scissors
- Pipe Cleaner
Instructions
1. Place two paddle pop sticks together and glue to one side of the May Gibbs Ribbon.
2. Fold the ribbon and glue to the other side of the paddle pop sticks.
3. Turn over your covered paddle pop sticks with the smooth ribbon side facing out. This will be referred to as the base. 
4. Grab a pipe cleaner and fold one end to create a bar alongside the base.
5. Thread on your wooden beads. Ensure there is enough space for the beads to be moved up and down the pipe cleaner.
6. Fold over the end of the pipe cleaner and fasten into place on the adjacent side of the base with glue and washi tape.
Once your fidget bar toy is complete, it’s ready to be played with the next time you need to concentrate at school.
Crafty Bec
Crafty Bec is here to help stimulate little imaginations and spark a creative flame in little people. Inspired by May Gibbs’ own passion for creative writing and art, Bec helps educators and mums to embrace nature inspired creativity.
https://www.theplumbette.com.au/
