Soft Toys for Soothing?

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Today I had a bit of a meltdown while working with my supervisors. Since I work with youth, I thought I would just get one of the fidget toys I have for meetings and it would help me calm down. All of the ones I had, with the exception of a Stretchy String were plastic or wooden (Bendeez, Tangle, wooden puzzle, glitter wand, Koosh ball). Unfortunately, I realized rather quickly that these did not soothe me, but instead made me more agitated.

At the end of the day, I realized that what I really needed was something super soft and/or fuzzy. The Stretchy String helped a bit, but since it gets sticky with repeated use, I did not like the tactile sensation after a little bit. I bought some boa yarn and made a medium size pom pom that I think will help, but I need more small, soft items I can carry with me.

Does anyone have any suggestions that would be acceptable to take with me in professional settings?

Well, you could take a teddy bear or other stuffed animal, but that might be seen as unprofessional. It might be okay in other settings, though.

LOL! I thought about that and giggled.

I think I might have to invest in a range of fabric textures and do some sewing.

Find the softest material you can at a fabric store. Buy 1/8 yard. Cut it into pieces you can easily fit into a pocket. Sew the edges down, to prevent fraying. Save the extras for whenever one wears out or gets lost. Carry one around to hold when you need it, then put it back in your pocket in between. You can even reach into your pocket for a moment, if you need, and not get it out. However, I'd be careful about doing that for too long at a time. Women can get away with it a bit longer. Men should be especially careful, though. Someone might wonder what they're actually doing with their hand in their pocket for so long, especially if anyone can tell their hand has been moving.

A very soft scarf can also work, if it fits with your fashion sense. For private locations, such as an office, with the door closed, I recommend a blanket. You can always excuse its presence if someone comes into your office by saying you're cold or that it's for when you need a nap, because it can still serve as a pillow in warm weather. When nobody's around, you can cuddle the blanket. Go for microfiber. Longer fuzz is often better.

Have fun with your search! I hope you find something really good to help.

A lot of people use these gel stress balls. They generally have a cover made of a soft and smooth fabric. The gel inside is very soft. Squeezing them is soothing and provides your hands with a bit of exercise.

http://www.overstock.com/Office-Supplie ... oduct.html

The gel is the same thing that is used in ergonomic wrist supports, motorcycle seats, and back rests. Good luck.

I knitted a mobius strip out of soft yarn and I keep that in my pocket. It's amazing because its a mobius strip and calming at the same time.

I am off to work in a few minutes, so I cannot currently respond to each post. However, I wanted to say that everyone has some really great ideas that I think will help me very much! Thank you!! !

I have small soft toys I carry with me in my bag, along with other toys....well, I try to avoid calling them "toys," - they're actually my friends. I've always found stuffed animals soothing, and in nearly every one of my childhood photos, regardless of where I am, I am usually seen carrying at least one plushie. I used to carry around my bigger ones, when I was little, but I found that as I got older, social norms dictated that I was to keep that aspect of my personality hidden.

...And I do...in my bag.



I know it looks like they must take up a lot of space in my bag, but they really don't...then again, I have a pretty big bag.

The plushies from left to right are Dory, Rebound, and Truffles....the three of them are pretty small, about hand-size. I actually put Dory in the front pocket of my hoodie when I'm going somewhere without my bag. When I get nervous, I put my hands in my front pocket and calm myself down by rubbing her tail and nose.

Perhaps if you wanted to take a stuffed animal to work, it might be a good idea to make it a somewhat small, discreet one, like Dory, Rebound, and Truffles are. I don't think it would look unprofessional if it were a small one....I used to go to my dad's work and would see people with little stuffed animals and toys in their offices/cubicles/desks all the time.

Rabbit's foot, faux fur or brushed polyester items are soft and can be used in a "professional" environment. You can also craft bracelets or chokers made of soft fabrics you can toy around with and nobody would even notice.

I'm really into stuffed animals. I bring 'em with me everywhere (including to therapy sessions, when I was still seeing someone, hehe).

I did some research last night and saw that Bernat makes a chenille yarn, so I went looking today and found some. I made these pom-poms and realized they work great as stress balls and the textures are soothing. They made me so happy that I even did some extras for table toys at trainings.



I still need a variety, so thank you all for your comments. I love all the suggestions and will definitely be testing them out

P.S. I think I might need to be careful with the one I made from boa yarn yesterday. I was so excited to have something to help me be less anxious that I instead became a bit giddy and could not focus. LOL!