Since fidget spinners became popular in 2016, fidget toys have been seen in the hands of many Chamblee students in the classroom, cafeteria, and hallways. Recently, one toy has stood out from the rest: the NeeDoh.
“I own multiple NeeDohs, but my favorite kind is definitely the Nice Cube. It’s the perfect texture, and it’s so nice [to play with] when I have nothing to do with my hands.” said Noa Robertson (‘26). “After writing so much and taking notes, my hand hurts, and it’s like a massage when I squeeze it.”
Many students have discovered NeeDohs via social media platforms like Instagram or TikTok. In special cases, some students have claimed fame on social media because of their NeeDoh.
“I made this video on TikTok about me cleaning my NeeDoh and it got 200,000 views,” said Omandee Karunanayake (‘26). “I feel like it really brought me to fame.”
While many students might find these trends online, some others found NeeDohs offline. At Chamblee, some trends travel through word of mouth.
“One of my friends told me about the NeeDoh and then I tried hers, and I realized I really want one, so I got one,” said Nysha Cheema (‘29).
The texture of the most popular NeeDoh variant, the Nice Cube, has a smooth, firm filling that gets softer the more that it’s played with. According to Parade, the signature texture comes from Maltose Sugar, which is a food-grade sugar. Many students find the texture to be the most appealing aspect.
“Some stress toys like the dumplings are a little too easy to squeeze. I can’t get my stress out. I like how the NeeDoh is hard,” said Vera Kurbatova (‘27).
On the official website for NeeDoh, a phrase appears that reads, “Feeling a bit stressed or anxious? Want to practice more mindfulness? Looking for good vibes and your best mellow and chill? You NEED (Knead) NeeDoh!” While many believe this to be just a clever marketing line, it proves to be true in some cases. Some students use their fidget toys, like NeeDohs, to study and focus.
“When I have something to [fidget with] my brain doesn’t wander, so I can listen in class and when I’m in a lecture,” said Karunanayake.
Although the NeeDoh is one of the most popular fidget toys at Chamblee, some students have gone for a crafty route.
“I have two friends, Blue [Allmon] (‘27) and Annabelle [Shim] (‘26), who both have a keyring of can tabs because they drink a lot of soda, so I always took it to play with it,” said Sarai McClinton (‘26). “For Christmas, I was given one of my very own key rings with can tabs that I always have with me 24-7… I never put it down.”
Although the NeeDoh has been considered to be a great discovery for many, some students note that the fidget toy trend has existed for years.
“Back during quarantine there was the fidget trading phase that everyone had. I had a really small collection, so I did have a few stress toys before my NeeDoh,” said Kurbatova. “I think that fidget toys becoming more trendy [results in] people becoming desensitized to them. I think it gives more appreciation and respect to people who are neurodivergent and need stress toys. The fact that everybody has a stress toy means they’re not looked down upon for having one.”
