Fidgets my kids use:
Rubic's cube
Fidget Spinner
Hackey Sack
Chair band


No:
Putty - even thera putty as it is all over the house
things with gel in them - my kids figure a way to pop them
things with sensory parts that can be pulled off - they will be.

+1 to marble tubes. You can get multi packs on ebay pretty reasonably, just make sure it's a US seller if you need it quickly.

Silly putty is slightly less sticky and drippy than thinking putty. The smaller size also helps some kids contain it better, you could try just giving dc a smaller piece.

There are also kneadable art erasers that work for some kids. They are stiffer, so might be harder for tiny hands to manipulate, but far less of a mess if they work.

kinetic sand

I really like the mesh tubes with a marble- super tactile and a bunch of ways to manipulate.

Jacob’s ladders and sticks filled with glitter are helpful.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It works great for my ADHD kid as a fidget and helps with focus, but now everything is covered in it. Any less messy alternatives that worked well?

You can order a box of assorted fidgets from Amazon, which might allow for trying some new things. Alternately, stuff a balloon with flour or playdough, knot it, and then place it inside another balloon and knot it. This will give all the same squishy feedback without the mess.

I agree with this. Order a assortment on amazon. With ballons you can use sand, rice, beans, whichever feeling he prefers.

Stress ball
Tangle fidget

Anonymous wrote:It works great for my ADHD kid as a fidget and helps with focus, but now everything is covered in it. Any less messy alternatives that worked well?

You can order a box of assorted fidgets from Amazon, which might allow for trying some new things. Alternately, stuff a balloon with flour or playdough, knot it, and then place it inside another balloon and knot it. This will give all the same squishy feedback without the mess.

It works great for my ADHD kid as a fidget and helps with focus, but now everything is covered in it. Any less messy alternatives that worked well?