Unusual relaxation products?
April 21, 2017 11:10 AM Subscribe
Fidget toys are a recent example of odd/fun products that have an relaxing effect. Can you name similar products?
Best answer: etch a sketch
or if you are thinking more of items you carry, there are a number of lucky/religious items that would fit:
rabbit foot
worry dolls
talisman
prayer beads
posted by veery at 11:20 AM on April 21, 2017
or if you are thinking more of items you carry, there are a number of lucky/religious items that would fit:
rabbit foot
worry dolls
talisman
prayer beads
posted by veery at 11:20 AM on April 21, 2017
Best answer: Special heavy blankets, typically filled with either balls (like in the IKEA ball pits), chains, or fibers. I don't know the name in English now, but you'll understand the Swedish tyngdtäcke.
posted by meijusa at 11:23 AM on April 21, 2017
posted by meijusa at 11:23 AM on April 21, 2017
Best answer: Aquarium, those tabletop fountains, Zen sand tray, those metal spider scalp massagers. ..
posted by The otter lady at 11:24 AM on April 21, 2017
posted by The otter lady at 11:24 AM on April 21, 2017
Best answer: I had a CRDL magnetic sculpture toy as a kid and found it very soothing to play with.
Now I kind of want it back...
posted by JoeZydeco at 11:40 AM on April 21, 2017 [1 favorite]
Now I kind of want it back...
posted by JoeZydeco at 11:40 AM on April 21, 2017 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Baoding balls. They also tend to come in beautiful boxes.
posted by FencingGal at 11:44 AM on April 21, 2017
posted by FencingGal at 11:44 AM on April 21, 2017
Best answer: Folks in our office are partial to Thinking Putty
posted by advicepig at 11:58 AM on April 21, 2017 [4 favorites]
posted by advicepig at 11:58 AM on April 21, 2017 [4 favorites]
Best answer: "Rain lamps" from the ~1970s that continuously "rained" mineral oil onto a scene, typically either a mill/water-wheel or a classical-style figure sculpture. Brass/bronze coloring and faux greenery included.
posted by mean square error at 12:25 PM on April 21, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by mean square error at 12:25 PM on April 21, 2017 [3 favorites]
Best answer: Special heavy blankets, typically filled with either balls (like in the IKEA ball pits), chains, or fibers. I don't know the name in English now, but you'll understand the Swedish tyngdtäcke.
They're just called weighted blankets in English, which unless I'm mistaken, is also what tyngdtäcke means, more or less.
posted by zamboni at 12:26 PM on April 21, 2017
They're just called weighted blankets in English, which unless I'm mistaken, is also what tyngdtäcke means, more or less.
posted by zamboni at 12:26 PM on April 21, 2017
Best answer: Mini/tabletop zen garden
Hand Spinners are very popular right now
"Stress toys" - squeezable things; many shapes and styles
Zentangles art supplies
Zen artist boards - paint with water on a board that slowly erases
Plasma Ball (which I grew up calling a "Tesla ball"), which are now available in desktop miniature size
Play-Doh and similar - there's a whole range of putty/clay/sculpting materials with different textures and colors
"Kinetic sculpture" desktop toys
Stimtastic's entire line of "fidget toys," includes chewables
If you extend it to things to watch as well as things to do:
Hourglasses
Liquid drip/color mix toys (kinda like lava lamps, without the heat)
Drinking bird
Desktop waterfall
posted by ErisLordFreedom at 12:49 PM on April 21, 2017
Hand Spinners are very popular right now
"Stress toys" - squeezable things; many shapes and styles
Zentangles art supplies
Zen artist boards - paint with water on a board that slowly erases
Plasma Ball (which I grew up calling a "Tesla ball"), which are now available in desktop miniature size
Play-Doh and similar - there's a whole range of putty/clay/sculpting materials with different textures and colors
"Kinetic sculpture" desktop toys
Stimtastic's entire line of "fidget toys," includes chewables
If you extend it to things to watch as well as things to do:
Hourglasses
Liquid drip/color mix toys (kinda like lava lamps, without the heat)
Drinking bird
Desktop waterfall
posted by ErisLordFreedom at 12:49 PM on April 21, 2017
Best answer: My mom has a penchant for Dammit Dolls.
posted by DrAstroZoom at 12:52 PM on April 21, 2017
posted by DrAstroZoom at 12:52 PM on April 21, 2017
Best answer: By far the most relaxing thing I have found that could fit the idea of a product is asmr videos like this.
posted by nanook at 1:00 PM on April 21, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by nanook at 1:00 PM on April 21, 2017 [1 favorite]
Best answer: koosh balls
playing cards (shuffling)
poker chip manipulation
posted by ApathyGirl at 1:52 PM on April 21, 2017
playing cards (shuffling)
poker chip manipulation
posted by ApathyGirl at 1:52 PM on April 21, 2017
Best answer: Fart Putty...childlike wonderment at fart humor not necessary, but helpful.
posted by Cold Lurkey at 2:03 PM on April 21, 2017
posted by Cold Lurkey at 2:03 PM on April 21, 2017
Best answer: I always liked space wheels back in the day.
Yo-yo's get pretty zen when you learn how to do them.
posted by jenkinsEar at 2:23 PM on April 21, 2017
Yo-yo's get pretty zen when you learn how to do them.
posted by jenkinsEar at 2:23 PM on April 21, 2017
Best answer: Locker rugs--they're a great size for playing with/soothing tactile stimulation. I've used them for therapy clients.
posted by epj at 2:55 PM on April 21, 2017
posted by epj at 2:55 PM on April 21, 2017
Best answer: An old roommate of mine loved to slowly and methodically pop bubble wrap...
posted by TwoStride at 4:10 PM on April 21, 2017
posted by TwoStride at 4:10 PM on April 21, 2017
Best answer: Came in to say those broken-whisk scalp massagers, which was also mentioned; I also like my Jacob's Ladder because it is analog witchcraft.
posted by batter_my_heart at 10:13 PM on April 21, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by batter_my_heart at 10:13 PM on April 21, 2017 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Lots of great suggestions. Thanks everyone!
posted by Foci for Analysis at 7:58 AM on April 22, 2017
posted by Foci for Analysis at 7:58 AM on April 22, 2017
Best answer: Newton's Cradle and other executive toys.
Spinner rings / worry rings.
posted by ourobouros at 9:21 AM on April 22, 2017
Spinner rings / worry rings.
posted by ourobouros at 9:21 AM on April 22, 2017
Best answer: My daughter's therapist has a Ball of Whacks she finds very useful for self-soothing when they're talking about uncomfortable subjects.
posted by The Almighty Mommy Goddess at 12:38 PM on April 22, 2017
posted by The Almighty Mommy Goddess at 12:38 PM on April 22, 2017
This thread is closed to new comments.
stress balls
Rubik's Cube
Silly Putty
Marijuana
vibrators
posted by bondcliff at 11:18 AM on April 21, 2017 [4 favorites]