Research In Action

As probably any parent of a school-aged child knows, the toy of the moment is the fidget spinner. The toy, which comes in a variety of sizes and weights and now with capabilities such as playing music through a Bluetooth speaker, provides hours of distraction for kids (and some adults, too). Several months into its soar in popularity, the fidget spinner -- and its variations -- accounts for almost half of the current top 20 best-selling toys on Amazon.com. But beware that, as with many other popular fads, users should exercise some caution as well.

• In the late spring, reports arose of the metal bearings inside the fidget spinner coming loose and presenting a choking hazard.  I recently picked up my son from a play date and found him and his friends scouring the front lawn for a bearing that had come out while they were throwing around the fidget spinner.
• There were also reports of the toy being used as a lure for young children.
• The most recent safety concern involves reports that the Bluetooth technology is causing fires and explosions.

As with any new fad, parents should exercise caution when allowing their children to play with a fidget spinner.  At the very least, they should make sure their children are not putting one in or around their mouths. For this reason, use of a fidget spinner should likely be avoided in young children. In addition, although the reports of fires from charging a fidget spinner are fairly new, in light of these reports, the charging should be monitored.