Let’s make a fidget spinner! Fidget spinners are the latest fad, but you don’t have to buy one. We are going to show you how to make a new fidget spinner with just a few craft supplies because making your own fidget spinner is a simple craft that works well for older kids and adults!
DIY SPINNER
The best thing about this DIY project is that your kids can customize a fidget toy to make cool fidget spinners that no one else has!
Related: Make our favorite DIY fidget toys
Fidget spinners started being popular in 2017 although you can find similar fidget toys as far back as the early 1990s.
WHAT IS A FIDGET SPINNER?
A fidget spinner is a toy that consists of a ball bearing in the center of a multi-lobed (typically two or three) flat structure made from metal or plastic designed to spin along its axis with very little effort.
–Wikipedia
How to use a Fidget Spinner
There are a lot of ways to use and hold a fidget spinner, but here are the most popular holding positions from our fidget spinner experience:
1. Thumb & Middle Finger position: Hold the center of the fidget spinner between your thumb and middle finger with a stable hold allowing the rest of the fidget spinner to rotate around the thumb and middle finger. Use your 4th or 5th finger to rotate the spinner.
2. Thumb & 2nd Finger position: If you want to spin the fidget spinner faster, then try positioning the thumb and index finger on the center which allows more movement of the spinning finger to create speed.
3. Reverse Fidget spin: It will be natural to spin your fidget spinner in one direction no matter what hold you choose, but try reversing the fidget spinning direction!
4. Two hand position: Try using your fidget spinner with two hands to see how that works. There are an unlimited number of holds and positions to try!
What are Fidget Spinners for?
I have known about fidget spinners from the early popularity because it quickly became an effective sensory tool in our house. Use of fidget spinners by kids and adults as a great tool to help expend nervous energy allowing greater concentration is on the rise. The repetitive motion created by centrifugal forces is mesmerizing. That is why it is common to see one on anyone’s desk…no matter their age!
It is also why I love the idea of making a homemade fidget spinner that can be customized. Theses simple figet spinners make great gifts! And they are really fun to make and give or trade to friends. We have seen really fun science fair projects created around hand spinners and they are an easy way to integrate fabulous STEAM activities into summer camps, homeschool, classroom and other youth programs.
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How to Make a Fidget Spinner
The supplies you will need to make a homemade fidget spinner are pretty simple except you will need a skate bearing. This is important because you want a mechanism which spins as freely as possible and we found that a skate bearing is easy to find, inexpensive and the perfect way to create a super functional DIY fidget spinner.
QUICK DIY SPINNER TUTORIAL VIDEO
DIY FIDGET SPINNER TOY SUPPLIES
Catherine Hettinger invented the fidget spinner and took it to Hasbro. She was confident that this calming toy would be a big hit, but Hasbro didn’t agree. Despite how popular fidget spinners became years later, Catherine has not been able to capitalize on her invention.
- Skate bearing are the ball bearings that are the easiest to use
- 1-inch by 2.6-inch craft sticks is what we used, but you could use the .4 x 2.5 inch mini craft sticks or the STEM basics mini craft sticks too
- Patterned Duct tape
- M10 flat washers
- E6000 clear glue is what we used, but a hot glue gun with hot glue may work as well
- Clothespins or large paper clips
- Scissors
HOW TO MAKE A SPINNER
Step 1 – Homemade Fidget Spinner Craft
Cut two of the craft sticks in half lengthwise — you’ll need three of the halved sticks. We are using the very short craft sticks. Obviously if you only have the longer craft sticks, you can cut them to a length of 2.6 inches.
Note: Several other fidget spinner tutorials online have a printable template, but you do not need one when you are starting with three uniform popsicle stick sides like you are with this tutorial.
Step 2 – Customize Your Fidget Spinner
Now it’s time to decorate the sticks which will form the side of the spinner. This is where your kids can get really creative to make the custom spinner their own. They can paint the sticks, color on them, or cover them in duct tape like we did.
Using Duct Tape to Decorate the Fidget Spinner
- Tear off some duct tape and place the craft sticks onto the sticky side.
- Place another piece of duct tape over the other side of the craft sticks to cover them.
- Press around the edges to seal them in, then cut around them to release them from the duct tape.
Step 3 – Glue Fidget Spinner Parts Together
Glue the craft sticks together to form a triangle. Place the skate bearing in the center and tighten the triangle until the bearing is held in place. Secure each joint with a clothespin while the glue hardens.
Step 4 – Add Skate Bearings
Turn your fidget spinner over to the bottom of the spinner and apply glue where the skate bearing meets each craft stick. Allow to harden.
Now, your fidget spinner will spin, but to make it go faster and longer, we’ll need to add some weight.
Step 5 – Add Weight to Fidget Spinner
Glue washers onto each of the corners of the triangle. Allow glue to harden, and your fidget spinner is ready!
Step 6 – Spin Your Homemade Fidget Spinner
Now spin your homemade fidget spinner!
It will make you want to make another one…and another one.
DIY Spinner
Making your own fidget spinner is not only a really fun craft project for all ages, but the results are an awesome toy...for all ages! Creating a fidget spinner from scratch allows you to choose the colors and patterns so that you truly have your own customized fidget spinner.
Materials
- Skate bearing
- 1-inch by 2.6-inch craft sticks
- Duct tape, paint or other decoration
- M10 flat washers
- E6000 clear glue
Tools
- Clothespins
- Scissors
Instructions
- Cut 2 craft sticks in half - you need 3 halves
- Decorate the sticks with duct tape, paint, markers or whatever you desire
- Glue craft sticks together on the ends to create a triangle, while the glue is still wet continue to next step...
- Place the skate bearing in the center and push the crafts toward the skate bearing to hold it in place
- Once you have the craft sticks where it will hold the skate bearing, use the clothes pins to hold it in place while the glue dries
- Add a little glue to the middle of each craft stick at the skate bearing to further re-enforce keeping the bearing secure in the middle
- To make a fidget spinner that goes faster and spins for a longer time, add weight to the triangle corners - we used washers and glued them in place
FAVORITE FIDGET SPINNER TOYS YOU CAN BUY
Don’t have time to make your own fidget spinners? Here are some you can grab online right now:
- This Figrol Pop Simple Fidget Spinner 3 pack has push bubble metal-looking fidget spinners for ADHD, anxiety, stress relief sensory toy or a great party favor.
- Try this Atesson fidget spinner toy ultra durable stainless steel bearing high speed 2-5 minute spins with precision brass material hand spinner EDC, ADHD focus, anxiety, stress relief and boredom killing time toys.
- This traditional Scione fidget spinners toys 5 pack has sensory hand fidget pack bulk, anxiety toys for stress relief and stress reducer. They also make a great party favor for both kids and adults.
- DMaos Ferris Wheel fidget spinner kinetic desk toys spin with stand. This metal stainless steel smooth bearing, high speed colorful marble rainbow is a premium gift figit toy for adults or kids with 10 balls.
- I love these magnetic rings fidget spinner toy set. It is a great idea for ADHD fidget toys for adults or kids that help with anxiety relief therapy. Works as a good gift for adults, teens or kids.
FIDGET SPINNER FAQs
Originally fidget spinners were to get the wiggles out and to aid in concentration. They also became popular toys to collect and trade.
As you can imagine, a classroom full of children spinning fidget spinners might be a little overwhelming. This phenomenon created a problem for teachers and many schools chose to ban the fidget spinners to decrease classroom chaos.
More Fidget Fun from Kids Activities Blog
- Cool fidget spinners your kids will love.
- Next, let’s make Ninja fidget spinners which include a printable template that look like origami ninja stars
- You might also want to check out these Fidget Spinner Math Games make math practice fun!
- Let us teach you how to make toys at home!
- Your child will love these toy crafts.
- These diy toys are the best!
- Toys can be made from rubber bands. Check out these rubber band toys and see.
- Are you a Jedi or Sith? You can be either with this diy pool noodle lightsaber.
- Looking for more diy toys and easy crafts? Look no further!
- Check out these fidget slugs!
What color did you make your homemade fidget spinner? Did your wiggly kids enjoy the project {giggle}?
Can you use hot glue to put the washer on?
Yes, a hot glue gun and hot glue works well instead of the glue we mentioned in the article for DIY fidget spinners.
You’ll need to degrease the bearing first or they won’t spin very well
Great suggestion – thanks.
@Nina the middle is the skate bearing on the materials list 🙂 they have them on amazon. hope this helps
Thanks for answering that Tiffany! Here is the link for reference – https://amzn.to/411G2Zn
fidget spinners are good things so i would give my child one they help 90% of the people who buy them they help my child get better grades. he really sucks at school and are really cool I want one even so buy you’re kids frickin fidget spinners or else. >:
Thanks Darko, it really sounds like you are heavily invested in your kids and encouraging them to improve. Glad to hear fidget spinners are part of your positive parenting model.
Is there an easier way to do this??? ;-;
Yes Yo Ass. If you don’t want to make a fidget spinner, you can easily buy one. In fact, in the article above we have a bunch of our favorite store bought fidget spinners listed.
my child needs some self soothing instruments for school but the instance i saw these spinners i new they would be far more distracting then help and he even agrees- although a very cool toy…. we use a stress ball or fill a balloon with cornstarch to make our own stress ball, or a very smooth rock that they can rub
Thanks so much for those alternate ideas. Since kids are so different, their reaction to fidget spinners can be too! I love the idea of a smooth rock or stress ball.
Where does one get the center of the spinner? It appears to have the word ‘BONES’ printed on it, and it is made in China. It is not listed on the materials list, nor is there a link to this item….??
Yes that is a skate bearing and I have updated the link in the supply list to be the exact skate bearing that we used in this fidget spinner – https://amzn.to/411G2Zn
just like f*ck u all and accept spinners. k?
I feel like you aren’t really reading everything! hahaha. We love fidget spinners, but agree with some kids they are distracting.
“If you think the answer is yes, please do not provide them with a spinner.”
So….whether the answer is yes or no, the parent shouldn’t let their children get a spinner? Ok… what would you suggest?
There is a big difference in letting your kid have a fidget spinner during home and play and sending it to class if it is a distraction. :).
Fidget spinners have been nothing but a distraction in my classroom. Students who don’t need a fidget are using them as toys and those who do need a fidget are not helped by constantly watching their spinner. If you are a parent, please consider whether your child truly needs a fidget to help concentrate. If you think the answer is yes, please do not provide them with a spinner.
This is so true. I also think that you can watch how your child uses a fidget spinner at home during homework or other concentrated activities. If the fidget spinner helps concentration then it might work at school too. Often the fidget spinner is a distraction and that is absolutely the wrong thing to send to class!