Fidget spinners took over the world a few years ago, and now you can find some kind of fidget toy in every toy shop in the world! But are they really so new? WHo invented them? How do they work? What are some of the biggest, smallest and fastest spinners out there? Read on and we’ll tell you in this super-smooth list of 15 fidget spinner fun facts!

For more great toy facts, check out these slime facts, these LEGO facts, or even these Nintendo Switch facts!

But to get straight down to business – just read on, fidget fans!

1. They’re not so new

When you think of fidget spinners, you’re probably thinking of the ones that come and go in huge crazes every few years. But the concept of spinning toys goes way back! People have been fascinated by spinning objects for thousands of years, starting with ancient spinning tops. Let’s meet some ancient spinners now!

2. Spinning through history

Spinning tops have turned up in pretty much every human civilisation. They’re the oldest toys in the world! They have found tops from 1250 BCE in China, and a carved wooden top was discovered in King Tut’s tomb in Egypt, dating to 2000 BCE. There are all kinds of variations on it, and eventually they evolved into fidget spinners!

3. Modern fidget spinners

The modern fidget spinner was invented by Catherine Hettinger in the early 1990s. She originally designed it to help children with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) focus better. Teachers sometimes use fidget spinners in the classroom to help students focus during lessons – which is especially helpful during long lectures or study sessions!

4. But how do they work?

We’re glad you asked! Fidget spinners work because of something called “gyroscopic effect.” When you spin it, the weights on the ends create a force that keeps it spinning smoothly and steadily. It’s a mix of different forces, and there’s a lot of interesting physics in it. All on the end of your finger!

5. The longest spin

The longest time a fidget spinner has spun on one finger is over 24 minutes! Takayuki Ishikawa from MinebeaMitsumi Inc managed the icredible feat, using a very high-tech spinner that was designed by a team of 50 people over 6 months!

6. What makes a champion spinner?

Fidget spinners come in all sorts of materials, including plastic, metal, and even precious metals like gold and silver. Some are even studded with diamonds! The best spinners have a precise weight in each part. The record-breaking spinner in the above fact was built with technology usually used on satellites!

7. DIY Fidget Spinners

But fidget spinners don’t have to be high-tech! You can even make your own fidget spinner at home using simple materials like paper clips, cardboard, and pennies. It’s what you make of it, really!

8. They spin seriously fast

We know fidget spinners can spin really quickly – but how fast? Well that’s actually a really hard question to answer – and it took a mathematician to work it out! Matt Parker used very clever equipmentto work out that the tips of fidget spinners can spin 360 degrees 3750 times in one minute! This is faster than a regular car engine!

9. The weeniest spinner

Remember MinebeaMitsumi Inc, who set the record for longest ever spin? Well they also made the smallest fidget spinner in the world – and it’s only 5.09 mm long! It’s so tiny you need a magnifying glass to see it properly.

10. One serious Museum Piece

Did you know there’s a fidget spinner in a museum? The National Toy Hall of Fame in Rochester, USA, has included them in their collection because of their impact on modern toy culture. And so they should!

11. Celebrity spinners!

Lots of well-known people have jumped on the fidget spinner bandwagon! Fidget spinner companies are always keep to get some celebs using their spinners – and some have even brought out their own! Kim Kardashian released a fidget spinner shaped like a dollar bill!

12. Some have caught fire

As fidget spinners became super popular, some inventors tried to make a quick buck by sticking new gadgets onto them – like speakers, batteries and allsorts. Some of these were very bad quality, and a few even caught fire or exploded!

13. Tricks!

Some people can do amazing tricks with fidget spinners, like spinning them on their noses, balancing multiple spinners, or even tossing them from one hand to the other. Like yo-yos, some people are very good at it!

14. The inventor has missed out on a lot of money

Remember Catherine Hettinger who invented the modern, 3-headed fidget spinner? Well she had a run of bad luck and couldn’t afford to pay the annual $400 fee to keep the patent (which proves she owns the technology). Because of this it became a public design, so she hasn’t made a penny from her invention! Poor Catherine!

15. They’ve changed the world

Fidet spinners are simple things, but their huge popularity has made it more acceptable to use fidget toys. It’s been part of a movement to respect different people’s needs – and is especially useful for those who have ADHD, autism, or are neurodiverse in other ways. Now you get all kinds of fidget toys – and if it helps people live their lives then that can only be a good thing!