If you try to record how much time a schoolchild spends in his hands with a smartphone, you may turn gray. You cannot take away your cell phone - the child must always be in touch for his own safety, and it is also impossible to control the time - parents are not always with their children. But it seems that a contraption has appeared that can pull modern children out of virtual reality.
The other day, showman Ivan Urgant appeared on television with a strange thing in his hands and said that the spinner (that’s what this thing is called) is at this stage a symbol of childhood. We decided to tell our readers what a spinner is and why it is so necessary for modern children.
So, let’s say right away that there is no SPECIAL meaning that adults are looking for in this toy. Three rings, and in the middle there is a bearing. The spinet rotates around its own axis. Spins for a very long time. You spin and have fun. ALL!
After the appearance of this toy on the Internet, a stir immediately arose - from rave reviews to perplexed “what is this for?” So what is this?" But for children it doesn’t matter at all - for them, owning these gizmos is a matter of “misfortune and happiness.” You can find them on the Internet in online stores at prices ranging from 350 to 3,000 rubles (from the most arrogant sellers). By the way, on Aliexpress you can buy a bucket of spinners for this amount. But not everyone is ready to wait.
Sellers claim that fidget spinners help children with autism. This, of course, is complete nonsense. But one thing is undeniable - children really like these “restless spinners”.
Perhaps all parents who have schoolchildren have seen how modern children behave during recess. Most of them, leaving the office, take smartphones and headphones out of their pockets and wander into the corners. When schoolchildren have spinners, immersion in virtual reality no longer arouses such interest. After all, playing with several spinners is always more interesting: you can, for example, build a tower out of them and spin them all at the same time, or just launch several at once and see whose spinner moves longer.
To be fair, it is worth noting that in the childhood of today’s parents there was something similar - many carried bearings to school. But the modern entertainment industry responds to the needs of children more quickly. And that's great! The only important thing is that modern children like fidget spinners. And it's really cool!
And in continuation of the topic, a story about.
The last thing anyone is talking about is a fidget spinner; many people wonder what it is? Some people consider them fashionable toys that can be used to occupy some free time, while others attribute to them miraculous properties, including a cure for schizophrenia.
Therefore, it's time to put an end to the feuds and finally find out what Fidget Spinner is? First, a little history.
A fashionable spinner for fingers these days is called a fidget spinner. The fidget was invented in the early 90s by a housewife from the USA. As always, a small hand crank was invented by chance to temporarily distract a small child from boredom. Katherine Hattinger came up with a simple principle based on elementary physics that any fifth grader can understand. We will explain exactly how a finger twister on a ceramic or metal bearing works in the next section.
Over the course of 6 years, about 5,000 devices were sold, and only in 1999 a patent for the invention was received; things did not go further than that. Major toy manufacturers refused to deal with the unknown toy, considering it too simple and incomprehensible for most consumers.
In 2005, Katherine lost the rights to the fidget spinner because she did not renew the patent due to lack of money. And from that time on, anyone could obtain the rights to a toy without paying the inventor a penny. Over the past 11 years, many companies have mastered the production of fidget games for children with developmental disabilities, but the toy has not gained much popularity.
Spinners began to gain popularity at the end of 2016, when they were featured in Forbes magazine. By the spring of 2017, the world's megacities were consumed by a new hobby - the anti-stress fidget spinner toy. Time will tell whether this fashionable thing will gain popularity, but for now we’ll tell you what a finger twister on a regular bearing is.
Appearance
Initially, the classic fidget had three arms, one bearing and was made of plastic. Now on sale you can find many variations of spinners, with two, three, four beams, different shapes and colors.
What all trinkets have in common is the presence of a central massive bearing and small rays along the edges. Micro-bearings located at the edges of the beams serve as weighting agents and create the necessary torque for the product. Sometimes you can see luminous hand cranks on sale; they look especially impressive in the dark.
The case is usually flat and small, for ease of carrying and storage; you will learn more about the appearance and design options in the video.
Manufacturing materials
Hand spinners are usually made of plastic, but there are aesthetes; give them wooden or metal spinners. The latter are the heaviest and are not suitable for everyone; expensive metal devices are sometimes equipped with magnetic bearings that can spin absolutely silently, which further calms the owner’s nerves.
- The cheapest and most popular ones are made on an ordinary 3D printer, capable of producing several hundred products per hour. The appearance of the toys leaves much to be desired (the body is distinctly rough), but there are usually no problems with functionality.
- Plastic products are molded in good factories, so their appearance is excellent, without flaws. The cost is slightly higher than that of hand spinners printed on a 3D printer, but not by much.
- Especially for people willing to pay for quality and exclusivity, there are plenty of metal finger spinners on sale. These fidget spinners are more massive than their plastic counterparts, rotate much longer and are superior in design to their plastic counterparts. The price of such devices is 2-3 times higher than their plastic counterparts.
- It is considered especially chic to have an expensive fidget spinner made entirely of wood. Some of them are made in a single copy and most often to order.
Principle of operation
The principle of operation of the spinner is simply outrageous. Inside the device there is a bearing, most often an ordinary metal one of small diameter, used in many mechanisms. There are variations on magnetic and ceramic bearings; the cost of such fidgets is significantly higher than the market average, so they are bought by fans or wealthy people.
The quality of the central bearing, as you understand, will be determined by everything from the price, number of revolutions, rotation time and ending with how long the entire device will last.
On the so-called arms of the hand toy, there are small bearings that act as a counterweight. They provide the torque necessary for full functioning.
You can watch the video for more details.
How to play
To play fidget spinner you do not need to have outstanding abilities. Even a small child can cope with it; it is enough to show him the principle of operation, and then the brain will do everything necessary.
Taking the fidget by the center with your thumb and forefinger, launch it with your other hand or middle finger. It doesn't require much effort to start, you will very quickly understand how it works and will enjoy the game. Over time, when your skills grow, you can try to perform tricks, but you will have to learn a little, the video will help you with this.
Benefit
Initially, the hand spinner was intended as entertainment for a child, but over time, people from science came up with a new quality for it - to treat and have a preventive effect on the fingers and hands.
It is believed that fidget is not only a beautiful little thing, but can also develop fine motor skills even in adults. In addition, the gadget functions as an anti-stress toy, with its help you can take your mind off your daily worries by doing a few tricks with one hand.
Psychologists have repeatedly noticed that people often make useless manipulations with their hands when talking or having a difficult thought process. Why not use it for good, for example to train your fingers. By developing fine motor skills, a person simultaneously trains the part of the brain responsible for intuition, memory and is able to better concentrate on tasks.
- It is best to take a finger spinner with a ceramic or magnetic bearing; they can rotate up to 200% longer than a metal one.
- You shouldn’t buy the most expensive fidget in the store; it’s best to choose the one that suits you in terms of scales, design and other parameters.
- It is worth remembering that the more holes in the beams of the device, the better it will retain energy, i.e., the longer it will rotate.
- There are no special recommendations on materials, but if possible, you should take metal ones; they last the longest and bring joy to their owners.
It’s up to you to decide whether you should join the fashionable hobby, but you need to try, since the price of a hand spinner is not bad and is comparable to the cost of a business lunch in an inexpensive cafe.
Video
Just a month ago we knew nothing about spinners, and now they are sold in any online store, and all the world's major publications have devoted large articles to this invention.
What is a spinner?
The toy, which is called a spinner or fidget spinner (which can be translated as “fidget spinner”), is the size of a palm, has the shape of a “flower” with three petals, a metal bearing in the middle, and weights in the “petals.” The main property of a spinner is that it can spin very well; it can be easily launched by hitting the edge of the “petal”. You can spin the spinner on a table (or any hard surface), or by holding it in the center with two fingers.
You can also twirl it in your hands - instead of twirling a pen or other objects, or biting your nails. still more aesthetically pleasing.
Some spinners are made of soft plastic and rubber that are pleasant to the touch, and equipped with light bulbs.
Why is it needed?
Some teachers and psychologists believe it helps children with attention deficit disorder concentrate and calms children with autism; others are convinced that it is just a distraction. Many schools in the US and UK have banned children from bringing this fashionable toy to class.
How did he become popular?
In December 2016, Forbespublished an article in which a journalist called fidget spinners “a must-have office toy.”in 2017." At the end of March on YouTube and Reddit There were a lot of videos where people did various tricks with different models of spinners.
Already in May on Amazon In the top 20 best-selling toys, all places were occupied by different models of spinners.
However, many experts agree that this fashion will not last long and will soon decline.
Who invented the spinner?
In May 2017, when the toy began to rapidly gain popularity in the United States and Great Britain, The Guardian newspaper published an interview with British woman Katherine Hettinger, who said that she invented the spinner back in the 90s to entertain her then little daughter: Katherine suffered from myasthenia gravis. , muscle weakness, and could not play with the child for a long time, so she came up with a toy to entertain the girl.
Katherine Hettinger with her granddaughter. Photo: The Guardian
Katherine also said that although she patented the toy, the patent expired in 2005, and she did not renew it due to lack of money. At that time, no one was interested in the toy, and only now it suddenly became popular. Thus, Katherine does not earn a penny from the current million-dollar sales of fidget spinners.
Mind-blowing tricks with spinners
However, the toy invented by Katherine is not very similar to the current spinner, and it seems to have another likely author - an information technology specialistScott McCoskery, who invented a similar toy to help calm people down during conference calls. He applied for the patent in 2016.
However, the patent status of this wildly popular toy is currently unclear.
A new trend has come to Ukraine - a spinner or hand spinner. This anti-stress toy turned out to be a real salvation for kinesthetic learners who like to twirl something in their hands. People call this toy differently: spinner, hand spinner, finger spinner, hand spinner, spinner.
Moreover, both children and adults loved this popular toy. Podrobnosti.ua figured out why a spinner is needed, why the new anti-stress toy is popular and is it really useful?
What is a spinner?
The spinner is an anti-stress toy that has become incredibly popular in the USA. In the original language, the toy is called Fidget Spinner or simply Spinner.
How it works?
The operating principle of a spinner is similar to a top.
A spinner is a small gadget consisting of several parts: a housing with a bearing, a plug and external bearings. It looks like a flat structure that can be activated by hitting the side of the wing, thereby causing its wings to rotate rapidly.
History of creation
In 1993, the spinner was invented by Florida resident Katherine Hettinger. This happened because she could not play with her little daughter due to myasthenia gravis (a disease whose main symptom is rapid muscle fatigue). It was this toy that allowed her to distract and occupy the child. A little later, the woman sold several thousand devices and received a patent for her invention in 1999.
What is a spinner for?
A spinner can be used for a variety of purposes, but most often the device is used to relieve stress or keep your hands busy. Spinning helps you concentrate and can reduce anxiety or irritability.
The spinner is perfect for people who do monotonous work all day. So it's no surprise that Forbes named this gadget a "must-have office toy for 2017."
The spinner is also a good exercise machine for the hands - it develops motor skills and increases the sensitivity of the fingers.
The spinner is especially good for children! Thanks to the twister, you can get rid of some bad habits, for example, unlearning to chew a pencil.
What types of spinners are there?
The most popular spinner is with three petals. It spins the longest and is better suited for tricks. But there are other types of spinners.
- rectangular: with two petals instead of three
- glowing: regular, double, or triple spinner that glows
- round: spinner in the form of a wheel
- shuriken: made in the shape of an oriental weapon, a steel throwing star
How much does a spinner cost?
The price of the device depends on the type of spinner. In Ukraine, prices for a spinner start from 80 hryvnia. Although a toy made of expensive metal and light inserts can cost up to $200.
What can and cannot be done with a spinner?
- twirl in your hands
- twirl in hands
- twirl on your feet (for extreme extreme sports enthusiasts - ed.)
- brag to friends
What not to do with a spinner:
- wash in water;
- keep in a closed box out of sight.
Best selling toy of the year
In May of this year, just imagine, about 50 million spinners were sold around the world! They all differ in color, shape and operating principle.
Some of them can light up and make sounds, with the help of others you can perform tricks and make popular blogs about it on YouTube, instantly gaining thousands of views.
Is the toy dangerous for children?
Despite the worldwide popularity of the toy, there are also critics of the spinner who believe that the toy is dangerous. The main danger is that a child may swallow parts of the device.
Here comes a new wave of an entertaining trend among young people - spinning an incomprehensible thing in their hands. What is the name of the spinning thing in your hands and why is it needed? Why is it sold on every corner and how profitable is this business? What are the things you twist in your hands made of and how does it affect the body?
A newfangled toy that replaced chips, yo-yos and hoverboards is called spinner. Some consider it useless children's entertainment, others consider it a “cure for nerves,” and some even find it a way for daily relaxation. More details about everything in the article!
The device of a spinner - where it “came” to us and why it is needed
The device was invented back in the 90s of the last century. At that time, the spinner had no entertainment purpose at all. Scientists from the USA used the “toy” for medical purposes – they were “prescribed” to patients with retarded development and various diseases of the central nervous system.
The simple design helps develop fine motor skills, balance in case of illnesses that cause the effect of “shaky hands”, and simply calm the nerves.
Currently, the spinner is an entertaining toy that has no contraindications. On the contrary, spinning a pinwheel helps to concentrate, distract from negative thoughts, and relieve stress. Should I buy a spinner for my child? Definitely yes! We assure you that the spinner will help you take your mind off computer games and constant use of your smartphone. Considering the price of the item, the purchase should not be a matter of hesitation.
What is the spinner made of and why does it have different prices?
Now on the market you can find spinners of various colors and models. Like any newfangled toys, spinners are made in China. But this does not mean their quality is poor. Durability, alignment and quality are directly affected by the material, assembly, size, quality of bearings and cost of the turntable. For example, a primitive plastic spinner can be bought for 100 rubles, a brass spinner from 1000 rubles.
The “coolness” of the spinner is determined by the duration of the torsion of the blades. The better the material and workmanship, the longer the turntable will spin.
In addition to the basic options, you can find whimsical shapes. For example, Kim Kardashian released a dollar-shaped spinner. It has the inscription “daddy” on it. For such a creation, the author asks only $15.
It should be noted that cheap spinners also perform their functions perfectly. The only disadvantages are fragility and short-term torsion. You can appreciate all the shortcomings of a cheap device only after long-term use. It is unlikely that you or your child will use it for years. Then why spend extra money?
