The Fidget Cube, a toy for increasing focus for kinesthetic learners, will be shipping globally to stores and backers in December.
The cube is designed with at least one “fidget widget” on each side built to either improve focus or relieve stress. One side has buttons, another has a silent joystick, and one side is even modeled after worry stones.
Teachers and students alike should be prepared for the arrival of the cube as already over 70,000 backers are scheduled to receive it.
The Kickstarter project that had set out with a goal of $15,000 is now over-supported and completed having amassed over $6 million. Percentage-wise, this makes it the most successful Kickstarter project, having raised an impressive 43,100% over its original goal.
The design of the Fidget Cube had undergone four years of research and prototype-building before the final approved design hit Kickstarter in August 2016. Researched topics range from why people fidget when working and the benefits of fidgeting for ADHD students to the how stress balls improve focus for students in general. These topics have helped shape the Fidget Cube into what it is today.
The cube’s designers, Mark and Matthew McLachlan, believe that “it’s not uncommon to hear fidgeting being spoken about negatively. It’s often labeled as unprofessional and deemed as anti-intellectual behavior. But in reality, the exact opposite has been suggested to be the case. We believe that the way we look at fidgeting needs to change. This behavior isn’t one that should continue to be stigmatized and mocked as unbecoming or inappropriate. We are passionate about the idea that fidgeting is a process that, with the right tools and outlet, can have positive and real-life applications.”
The Kickstarter campaign has faced some skepticism even from its own backers. With pledges granting Fidget Cube shipments ranging from one cube to as large as 80 cubes it begs the question of how two brothers can even complete shipments to the 33,950 backers promised only one cube. The McLachlan duo assured backers in an update on September 10 that they have been “dedicating much of our time over the last few days to building out our team in manufacturing, fulfillment, and communication.”