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8 Wearable Stim Toys for Autistic and Neurodivergent People

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Stimming is a necessity in the lives of many neurodiverse people — including autistic people, people with ADHD, and those with anxiety. Everybody stims in some way or another. I love having easily accessible, wearable stim toys and things for my sensory needs with me at all times. There have been many times when I start to feel overwhelmed, need to release excess energy, or just feel the need to stim, and digging around in my bag for a stim toy is just too much for me. Wearing a stim toy means it can be fidgeted with throughout the day, it can be discreet in workplaces and school, and it can help with accessibility during meltdowns. Plus they look super cute! Here are some ideas for wearable stim objects or toys:

Other relevant stories:
Do People With ADHD Stim?
How to Treat ADHD in Adults Without Meds
Can a Man With ADHD Be Faithful?
What Is ADHD?

1. Mindfulness Fidget Bracelet

Old Soul Project Bracelets are perfect for fidgeting and mindfulness, helping regulate the stress from overstimulation and under-stimulation that people with ADHD and/or on the autism spectrum often experience. The bracelet comes with ideas for exercises and ways to stim with the bracelet. Their site is also full of how-tos and great information.

2. Push Pop Fidget Bracelet

I love those push pop fidget toys but I never have them handy when I need them. I love the idea of having a push pop bracelet on my wrist that’s easily accessible. You can find these in all sorts of colors and styles.

3. Fidget Necklace

Have you ever worn a necklace and played with it? Well, some necklaces are specifically designed for stimming. Check out Stimm’s jewelry collection.

4. Fidget Key Rings

Having stim toys that you can easily access on your keys is perfect for autistic and neurodivergent people to use while out and about. There are push pops, pea poppers, and gear shifters that you can put on your key rings. Plus key rings can be pretty fun to fidget with.

5. Chewable Jewelry

Many autistic and other neurodiverse people stim through chewing on things. This can be chewing on their fingernails, clothes, etc. Having a chew necklace can be a great way to stim and stop destroying our nails and favorite t-shirts. One of my favorite companies is Chewelry. You can usually find their products on Amazon. Most companies have different textures and hardness; you might want to try a couple of different variations out and decide what you like.

6. Spinner Rings

Spinner rings are really popular for anxiety, but are great for fidgeting and stimming for other reasons as well, such as ADHD and autism. I wear a lot of rings and I often find myself fidgeting with them. You can find spinner rings on Amazon and beautiful handmade spinner rings on Etsy.

7. Hair Ties

If you have long hair, you probably always have a hair tie with you. Hair ties can be a wearable stim. Phone cord hair ties can be good for this because of the texture, and they’re fun to fidget with. However, everyone has their likes and dislikes with texture. Try them out to find out what feels best to you.

8. Bonus — Earplugs

While earplugs are not necessarily stim toys, they are a great thing to always have with you for sensory issues. You can attach earplugs to a key chain or (as I’ve seen some people on TikTok creatively do with their loop earplugs),  make them into earrings.

Originally published: September 29, 2021
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