First came fidget spinners, now get ready for NeeDohs. Squishy, colorful and relaxing, NeeDohs are one of the hottest fad sensory toys on the market. In an increasingly distraction-heavy world, Generation Z, specifically college students, have turned to fidget toys like NeeDohs to help stay grounded.
The concept of fidgets, or sensory toys, proves well-established, with toys such as fidget spinners and slime becoming mainstream.
“I was big on fidget spinners,” journalism freshman Zion Tesfaye said. “I love those little squishy things that you can get as prizes … I just have always … (had) something that I can fidget with.”
People diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) utilize fidgets as a sensory output, allowing them to regulate restlessness and improve concentration.
“I was diagnosed with ADHD at a really young age, so my doctor … (recommended me) to play with sensory objects,” Tesfaye said. “So I feel like it’s just always been something that’s been a part of my life. My mom was always carrying fidgets or something for me to play with.”
NeeDohs are soft, moldable stress balls that come in different sizes, shapes and colors, offering users an easy and portable way to fidget on the go.
“(With) the squishies, … they tear,” advertising sophomore Ashley Trejo said. “With slime, you can’t take it everywhere. It gets your hands dirty … but the NeeDoh just requires you to squish it and use it whenever you need.”
For students like Trejo, NeeDohs can help them focus in class.
“I can’t use it when I’m doing actual work … but when I’m listening to somebody, it kind of helps, because I’m using my hands,” Trejo said. “I’ve heard that it helps cognitively, you’re listening or actually still doing something while you’re listening.”
Other students said they use NeeDohs to help them relax.
“Sometimes when I come home from class, I see it on my bed (and) I’m like, ‘(It’s) NeeDoh time,’” government freshman Addison Brink said. “I get really excited. It’s a relaxing end-of-the-day reward.”
TikTok and word of mouth jumpstarted the NeeDoh craze, leading to low stock and exorbitant prices.
“I have gone to multiple stores looking for NeeDohs, wanting to buy another one because my sister popped hers and they were sold out everywhere — Walmart, Target, CVS, (even) the store that I bought my original NeeDoh from,” Tesfaye said. “(I realized) on how large of a scale that NeeDohs have gained traction, and the fact that the NeeDoh company just hasn’t been able to produce as much as people have been wanting.”
While Needohs continue to trend, Brink said that fixating on NeeDohs for stimulation acts as a much healthier alternative to other media and substances.
“I think it’s just a fun thing, and I would rather be stimulated by a NeeDoh than TikTok or some … harmful substance,” Brink said. “I think even if it maybe is childish, it seems more stimulating and helpful.”
