If you’re a person that struggles with stress and anxiety, you know how hard it is to sometimes find a way to distract yourself in order to calm down. Have you ever seemed to find peace from your worries by fidgeting with your pen or hair clip? What about finding peace from simply doodling on a piece of paper? Or maybe you reach for the stress ball? All of these items play a part in the psychological aspect of calming one’s self in times of stress. Read more about the psychological aspects behind stress objects here.
If you are searching for more items to aid you in stressful times, especially during exami periods during the school year, then you came to the right place!
1. Kinetic Sand
Kinetic sand is my all-time favorite resource to turn to when I’m stressed out. It’s soft to the touch which aids in sensory association of peace. Aim to buy a set that has molds and tools that you enjoy the most (I bought the set with a castle and sea turtles! if you want the same set as me, you can grab it off Amazon here). It comes in different colors which means you can buy your favorite color to aid in focusing your mind! Kinetic Sand can be found at the following retail stores: Michaels, Walmart, Amazon, Kohl’s, Toys R Us, Target, Meijer, and Kmart.
2. Thinking Putty
You can find putty virtually anywhere, however if you really want some fun and neat putty, you need to check out Crazy Aaron’s Putty World. Crazy Aaron’s Putty comes in all sorts of styles such as some sparkly styles called Precious Metals and Precious Gems, Super Magnetics (they are actually magnetic and come with a magnet!), UV reactive putty, heat sensitive color changing putty, glow in the dark putty, and many more!
3. Magnetic Sculpture
I used to play with these when I was little on trips to my great aunt’s house; my favorite was the stars and moon sculpture! They’re simple, can keep your attention, and can be bought for less than ten dollars! Grab one for yourself off Amazon or even eBay!
4. Toroflux
Toroflux is actually something a friend and I came across in a toy store (for the locals, it’s the store with the butterfly chair outside it!) at the Downtown Mall in Charlottesville. Toroflux is an item that’s a set of rings bound together and when you put it on your arm it pops out and allows you to roll it up and down your arm. The sensation it provides while rolling across your arm is very soothing to some people. This item typically runs at a flat $19.95 no matter where you look. Grab yours either at flowtoys or Amazon.
5. Slinky
Continuing on with the ringlet shaped theme, the slinky is also another timeless classic for tinkering. You can grab the Original Slinky at virtually any store for five dollars! Check out places such as Walmart, Rite Aid, Amazon, or even Cracker Barrel!
6. Tangle Therapy
Tangle is a handy little item to even wrap around your wrist as a bracelet until you’re ready to tinker with it! If you enjoy the ability to twist and shape, then Tangle may be a great option for you. Grab yours here!
7. Rubik’s Snake
Also known as Rubik’s snake, this simplistic tinker toy is similar to Tangle except you’re unable to squeeze Rubik’s Snake into a new shape like you can with Tangle. Grab one for less than $15 here at Walmart! Also, check out a University of Virginia student, Senthil Kannan’s very own 3D printed Rubik’s Snake and his information on how he made his!
8. Begleri
More commonly known as Worry Beads, begleri beads are predominant throughout most Hellenic cultures. My father has one on him at all times and has even gotten me into carrying one around every now and then. It’s a very simple item that you can fit in your pocket and take anywhere. There are tons of tutorials on the internet on how to make one and it all mostly depends on your preference. However, if you would rather buy one over making one, check out Etsy to find several types of begleri worry beads! If you want to learn the basics on worry beads, here’s a short YouTube video on it.