NeeDoh Toys are sensory fidget toys designed for stress relief for both children and adults.
NeeDoh has become well-known on social media, particularly on platforms such as TikTok.
“I think [NeeDoh] are really popular right now because we’re in the thick of the semester, and everyone needs something to mess around with and use as a fidget toy,” SRU senior Haley Gilham said.
Gilham said she often hears students talking about NeeDoh.
“I think it’s the consumerism craze of the moment,” she said. “It’s kind of being used as the Stanley Cup of this year. It’s a sense of ‘I got it, and I did it,’ and I think that’s why a lot of people want one.”
“Every generation kind of has those things,” she said. “I was surrounded by fidget spinners in my youth.”
She compared the popularity of NeeDoh to that of the fidget spinner, a toy designed for concentration and stress relief that gained traction in 2017.
Though she does not own NeeDoh products, Gilham discussed the benefits of NeeDoh for students and adults.
She said many of her friends who teach special education prefer to use NeeDohs due to their non-toxic materials.
According to Schylling, the maker of NeeDoh, the fidget toy is made of non-toxic material, including the jelly-like filling made of maltose, which is like “melted sugar”.
“So if a student pops it or bites through it, it’s easy to clean up, and you know they are not gonna go blind or ingest it in any way,” Gilham said.
Gilham said it is impactful for students in special education classrooms to have a resource like NeeDoh. “Especially for kids that can’t sit still, because I was one of those kids at one point,” she said.
SRU junior Hannah Busi has stood in line at local stores for NeeDoh restocks. She said they are popular because “they’re trending on social media.”
Busi said she frequently hears NeeDoh discussed around her.
Busi said she owns NeeDoh products because they are cheap and help her focus. “I think they’re good for stress relief,” she said.
Both Gilham and Busi said NeeDoh can be beneficial to students with ADHD.
Gilham discussed potential drawbacks to NeeDoh’s popularity. “I feel like a downside to it is that they’re so popular right now that they can’t be utilized best for what they’re made for, which is children,” she said.
