Coming in all colors, shapes and sizes, NeeDohs have quickly become the newest fad. Across the high school,these stress toys have become exceedingly prevalent in recent months.
Junior Charlotte Niedecken said she purchased a NeeDoh after seeing people use them on social media.
“After seeing them show up on my For You Page, I wanted to try them out, and I would say that was a great choice,” she said.
Sophomore Scarlett Burger said she has a collection of NeeDohs and other fidgets.
“I think social media brought a lot of attention to fidgets, making them cool,” she explained. “I have had my fidgets for around three years.”
Junior Zoe Brown said she is critical of NeeDohs because they encourage excessive spending.
“Consumerism has consumed people, so they think that they must spend an overwhelming amount of money on needless fidget toys,” she said.
NeeDohs are currently marketed as a sensory toy, but Brown explained she thinks they are not being used in that way.
Niedecken said her NeeDohs can be useful during some classroom activities, but not in others.
“When I’m in a regular class period, they tend to be distracting, but when a teacher is playing a movie, they help me focus,” she added.
English teacher Todd Phillips said he has noticed an increase of NeeDohs and other stress balls in his classes.
“I find that if there’s three or four or five or seven of them out, I find myself looking at them while I’m talking or doing something in class,” he said.
Burger said her NeeDohs have been beneficial to her mental health and overall productivity in class.
“I struggle with anxiety, so picking at my fingernails is a result of it,” Burger explained. “Using a fidget in class helps me avoid picking and helps me focus on what we are learning.”
Brown said she thinks NeeDohs are a distraction to herself and other students in class.
“I think a lot of people use them in a classroom setting when they are not needed and distract others,” she explained.
Guidance counselor Casey Teeters said NeeDohs and other fidget toys are useful in specific academic settings.
“Fidgets in general are extremely popular for students and I use them in grounding exercises,” he said. “They are extremely helpful with practicing breathing.”
Brown said she thinks the NeeDoh trend will not retain its relevancy.
“I definitely think it will be short-term, like when fidget spinners were around,” she explained.
Phillips said it is difficult to know what the next trend will be, but he expects the person who invents it to be set for life.
Burger said she hopes the trend will last but recognizes it is not for everyone.
“I know that not everyone can afford them or wants them, but I love seeing people have them in the hallway at school and hope they continue to use them,” Burger explained.
Published and digitized April 2026.
