Chapter 1
Ancient tools of touch
Chapter 2
The brain on fidgeting
Chapter 3
The modern toy revolution
Chapter 4
Fidgets in extreme environments
YOUR GOAL
Master of The world of fidget toys
Ch 3 · The modern toy revolution
artiteacher The modern toy revolution
That tiny cube raised millions! (Oh yeah!) Now we click and spin all day! (Oh-oh!)
artiteacher Originally designed to teach 3D geometry, the Rubik's Cube became history's most famous hands-on puzzle.
artiteacher Inspired by medical silicone and classic bubble wrap, Pop Its became the ultimate tactile trend.
Fun Fact
Fidget spinner bans: At the peak of the 2017 craze, an estimated 35% of the largest high schools in the United States banned fidget spinners for being too distracting.
Glossary
fidget spinner (noun)
A toy consisting of a central ball bearing with radiating lobes designed to spin between the fingers. Fidget spinners became a global phenomenon in 2017, dominating schoolyards and online marketplaces worldwide.
A toy consisting of a central ball bearing with radiating lobes designed to spin between the fingers. Fidget spinners became a global phenomenon in 2017, dominating schoolyards and online marketplaces worldwide.
Quiz
In which decade did Hungarian architect Ernő Rubik invent his famous 3D combination puzzle?
Quiz
What was the original educational purpose of Ernő Rubik's famous 3D cube puzzle?
Quiz
What percentage of major US high schools banned fidget spinners during the height of the 2017 craze?
Quiz
What mechanical component allows a fidget spinner to spin smoothly for minutes at a time?
Quiz
Keyboard enthusiasts often carry standalone keychains featuring what mechanical component as a fidget?
Quiz
Which country did the husband-and-wife inventors of the original Pop It toy call home?
Quiz
In what year did the modern fidget spinner explode into a massive, viral global phenomenon?