Fidget toy boom: does popping and fiddling improve focus?
1.4.2026
Translation: Jessica Johnson-Ferguson
Hailed as great gadgets to combat concentration problems and even get a grip on ADHD, sensory aids are booming – not least because of hype on social media. This trend is reflected at Galaxus, with sales that have been soaring for months.
Many people affected by ADHD are talking about their condition on TikTok, with around 100,000 German-language videos using the hashtag ADHS and several million with the English term ADHD. The videos talk about the benefits of hyperactivity disorder, but also share tips on how to get a grip on certain symptoms. Fidget toys are often mentioned as a helpful tool to deal with symptoms, and are also said to improve focus in people without ADHD.
Squeezing and kneading for better focus
Orange squeezy mini octopuses, poppable unicorn-shaped bubble wrap and classic anti-stress balls: the range of fidget toys is vast. And demand is exploding. In 2025, Galaxus customers bought more than twice as many focus aids compared to the year before. In the first quarter of 2026 alone, almost 140 per cent more fidget toys were sold than in the same period last year.
What’s more, generation TikTok, i.e. the under 25s, are only really jumping on the trend this year. The percentage of buyers in that age group has tripled to 13 per cent compared to the previous year.
However, 35- to 44-year-olds are still the most likely to order sensory toys. This is probably due to the fact that many of them are parents ordering the gadgets for their children.
Fidget toys
Quantity discount
EUR8,89 per piece for 2 units
Liniex POP'em Bubble Fidget, Classic 6 Assorted
Women have their hands full
Seventy per cent of fidget toy orders at Galaxus are placed by women – a figure that’s been stable for several years.
The rise of fidget toys shows that in times of declining attention spans, doomscrolling and general sensory overload, people are looking for antidotes or at least some kind of relief.
Do you reach for your fidget toy or another tool to help you focus? Or isn’t this something you struggle with? We’re looking forward to reading your comments.
Header image: Shutterstock
Tobias Heller
Communications Manager
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