Stimming Tools

The following tools are available:

• Plop Buttons: An interactive grid of buttons that produce a pleasant "plop" sound when pressed. Perfect for simple and soothing interaction.

• Spin Spiral: A spiral tool that spins counterclockwise when you press the left button and clockwise when you hold down the right button.

• Floating Dots: Particles that float on the screen and interact with your touch or mouse pointer. Experience a visual distraction that draws focus to simple movements.

• Color Bubbles: Colorful bubbles that float across the screen and pop with a satisfying "plop" sound when clicked.

• Lava Lamp: A digital lava lamp with gently rising bubbles. Change colors if you like, and when you touch the bubbles, they pause briefly.

• Flip Counter: A simple yet satisfying counter tool with flip animations.

• Breath Flow: A guided breathing tool based on the Box Breathing technique. A visual animation helps you sync your breath with a calming rhythm. Perfect for stress relief and emotional regulation.

• My Social Battery: Not a stimming tool in the strict sense, but a visual communication tool for nonverbal understanding. Especially helpful when you can’t speak but want to communicate what's going on. Show your smartphone with the social battery at the lowest level – this should immediately signal to the other person that you need a break.

• Calming Sounds: A selection of soothing sounds that can be played in the background. Perfect for creating a relaxing atmosphere and calming the mind and body.
  
  

Note: The needs, preferences, and experiences of neurodivergent individuals are as varied as the spectrum itself, so a tool may be more or less helpful depending on the person. Some tools may work well, while others may not, especially since many stimming tools are physical objects that just don’t fit on a smartphone. If you have any specific requests for additional tools, feel free to reach out to me, and I will do my best to incorporate them.

What are Stimming Tools?

Stimming Tools, also known as self-stimulation tools, are objects or methods that help neurodivergent individuals, such as autistic people or those with ADHD, to self-regulate, calm down, and satisfy their sensory needs. Stimming tools are not toys, but important aids that help neurodivergent people navigate an often overwhelming world.

Which stimming tool one needs is highly individual, as it depends on whether one prefers motor, sensory, or acoustic functions – or even all three. Well-known examples of motor stimming tools include fidget spinners or stress balls. Sensory stimming tools, like lava lamps or hourglasses, provide visual stimulation and promote relaxation through soothing visual cues. Acoustic stimming tools, which produce clicking or popping sounds or simply provide calming noises like rain or thunder, can help regulate stress.

In principle, almost any object can become a personal stimming tool if it helps to regulate perception or emotional balance. Items with pleasant textures, like playdough or smooth metal objects, can also become stimming tools.