They’re in our classrooms, offices, and waiting rooms—pretty much everywhere, people are spinning, flicking, and obsessing over the newest craze: fidget spinners. Accounting for the vast majority of Amazon’s current list of top selling toys, fidget spinners are in high demand, and it seems every school-aged kid and teen in the U.S. has one. The trend seemingly came out of nowhere, but it has now completely swept the nation. But what are fidget spinners, what are they used for, and why are they so popular? We’re going to answer all of those questions for those out of the loop about the fidget spinner craze right here!

What are they?

Fidget spinners are small, hand-held toys with a simple design that come in a variety of colors, patterns, and designs. Most are two or three-paddled devices that spin when flicked, but there are a ton of different types of fidget toys on the market. Fidget spinners can be made of anything from plastic, stainless steel, aluminum, brass, ceramic, and even copper, and they may include buttons, wheels, switches, and other movable parts. A quick Google search reveals that the simple three-paddled design has now expanded to include spinners of all different designs—there are themed fidget spinners, sparkly ones, glow-in-the-dark ones, and more.

What are they used for?

Although you may have seen just about every kid armed with or at least talking about fidget spinners, believe it or not, their origins are pretty scientific. In fact, fidget spinners were originally designed to help children with ADHD, anxiety disorders, and even autism. Similar to the traditional stress ball, fidget spinners can help to release tension, and give the body a low-energy distraction so that the mind can focus. Although there is no scientific evidence to show a link between fidget spinners as effective treatments for these conditions, they remain a popular choice.

Why are they so popular?

Just like any other fad or trend, fidget spinners became popular because of their easy adaptability into the market. Simply put, they’re small, easy to use, and relatively cheap, coming in at just $2-5 per spinner for basic models. As mystifying as it might seem, the fidget spinner craze is no different than the Pokémon trading card craze, or the Beanie Baby chaos that swept the nation in the late 90s.

Controversy

Despite, or rather because of, their popularity, fidget spinners have caused quite a stir in the public school system in the first half of this year. With so many schoolchildren bringing fidget spinners to class, they have come to be seen as a classroom distraction. Many public schools have now completely banned fidget spinners, with teachers claiming that children were trading and selling them.

Where to buy

Fidget spinners can be bought at any online retailer, big box store, children’s toy stores, and just about anywhere small gadgets are sold. Because of their popularity, it may be harder to find them on the shelves of a local Walmart, prompting many to buy online. They retail anywhere from as cheap as a dollar all the way up to thousands, for the insanely intricate or rare models!