Spinning back: What the Return of Fidget Toys Says About Our Generation

Written by Cognac Van

Image source: Adobe stock images

Just when the craze of the fidget spinner had finally faded, dumping the idea of it into the confiscation bin in the corner of the class, vibrant pop-its and squishy cubes are everywhere in school again. As you look around school, more and more people every day have new fidgets in hand, but no one really asks about how quickly this fidget trend has revived. What is a simple toy reveals how trends circulate in the current digital age and reflect how Gen Z views the past.  

The original fidget trend entered the market with the fidget spinners, which peaked in 2017, yet not even a decade later, similar toys are on students’ desks. This time, it raised more awareness through social media apps, with “fidget trading”, restocking videos, and fidget collections by multiple content creators across the world. Contrary to previous beliefs–where trends are recycled once every twenty to thirty years–today’s revivals take place in just a couple of years. This is due to social media enhancing the feeling of nostalgia across the globe, turning yesterday’s product into today’s must-have. 

Psychologists theorise that nostalgia provides comfort, meaning that familiar objects from one’s childhood can offer someone a sense of stability and control, similar to why some choose to keep their childhood stuffed toy. For Gen Z, a culture that innovates at a rapid pace, these small, repetitive and familiar trends can feel grounding in a world that’s constantly evolving. 

 However, this comeback also reflects something broader: our generation thrives on remixing rather than inventing new products. As our society is evolving every day, it is harder for businesses to market gaps to create new trends, so rather than inventing new products, they choose to go back through archived trends that have the potential of being rediscovered and add unique selling points or improvements to them. 

As fidget toys resurface in 2026, it serves as a reminder that everything published in this modern, digital society does not truly disappear and is truly dependent on the algorithm to bring it back. 

References 

American Psychological Association. (n.d.). The power of nostalgia [Audio podcast episode]. Speaking of Psychology. https://www.apa.org/news/podcasts/speaking-of-psychology/nostalgia

Fashion Times. (2024). Speed style: How fast trend turnover is transforming fashion trend cycles & consumer habits. https://www.fashiontimes.com/speed-style-how-fast-trend-turnover-transforming-fashion-trend-cycles-consumer-habits-13345#:~:text=The%20Influence%20of%20Social%20Media,of%20fast%20trend%20turnover%20include