The Hottest Toy Of This Generation Is Lower-Tech Than You’d Think
If you've been even the slightest bit aware over the past month, then you're probably already acquainted with this simple toy: just a lump of spoked plastic or metal with a ball bearing in the middle.
Yup, I'm talking about the famous(or infamous, depending on your opinions) Fidget Spinner, which has exploded onto the scene out of nowhere. Every kid wants one, and as a result they are basically impossible to find in the stores anymore. You either have to turn to the internet, or travel far to find a place that has them.
By the way, when I looked last week, the only place I could find them locally was at Five Below in Portage. I called basically every store in Battle Creek, and I came up short. Although, several of the businesses said they had them on order, so your mileage may vary.
Those of us who are a bit too old for a fad like this might scoff, and say something like "why is everyone obsessed with this stupid toy"? But, it's important to remember that this is not a new phenomenon. Fad toys have been around since the beginning of mass marketing; this list from Babble.com includes some legendary ones like Beanie Babies, Silly Putty, Troll Dolls, and the infamous Pet Rock.
And oh yeah, do you remember something called the Hula Hoop?
It seems like every few years a new toy pops up that flies off the shelves and then it's forgotten in a few months. In this case, some people say that fidget toys can be helpful for kids who deal with issues like ADHD or autism, so it's for some something more than just a toy. Either way, most kids playing with the fidget toys are using them as toys, not tools, so that's an issue I won't dive into for now.
So what are your thoughts on this latest trend? What was the hottest toy from when you were a kid? Tune in Saturday morning at 7:30 for Saturday Live with Nico, where we'll be talking about this and more.