Why did you need a spinner before. The history of the spinner

For many more compatriots, the question of what the word spinner means will surely turn out to be insurmountable. Although some have already seen another person twisting an incomprehensible object in their hands, vaguely resembling a propeller. This is a hand spinner or, in Russian, a hand spinner.

• What is a spinner?
• What does the word "spinner" (translation) mean?
• What does a spinner do?
• Why do you need a spinner?
• Spinner materials
• Types of spinners
• How to choose a hand spinner?
  • Appearance
  • Rotations and vibrations
  • Ergonomics
  • Rotation duration
  • Smooth running
  • Workmanship
  • Durability
• How to spin the spinner?
• Popularity and cost of spinners

What is a spinner?

But even if you see it, at first questions remain, such as a spinner - what is it and why, or, for example, what does a spinner develop?

Spinner is a toy on a bearing, in the center of which is the same bearing, to which several petals are attached. Most often it is kept medium and thumbs hands, spinning with a small click - hence the name finger spinner is clear - which is like a "top on the finger."

Such a spinner for children is completely safe, because it does not have small parts and sharp corners, that is, what the baby could harm himself with.

A visual video about what a hand spinner toy actually is:

What does the word "spinner" (translation) mean?

Of course, not everyone knows English, so for such people it is not known what the word "spinner" means. But in the very essence of this word lies the main meaning, revealing the answer to the question of what a spinner means.

IN English language have a noun spin, meaning " torsion», « rotation” and the same verb, meaning “to rotate”. In Russian, the translation of a spinner (derived noun "spinner") can be translated as "that which rotates", that is, "yula", "top", "turntable". In fact, the spinner is the spinning top or spinning top we have long known, just presented a little differently.

What does a spinner do?

First of all, the answer to the question of what a spinner is and what it is for appeared in the USA along with the gadget itself back in the 90s of the last century. Initially, the spinner was designed for restless kids who needed to constantly fiddle with something in their hands. But then the manufacturers did not show interest in this toy, and only in 2017 did its mass distribution begin. Only during the spring months of this year, approximately 50 million of these items were distributed around the world. It is clear that after seeing such a contraption from someone on the street, many people try to find out on the Internet, fidget spinner - what is it?

Already from the name "spinner" it is clear how it works - it must rotate. But today, many of its models have been developed, which, when rotated, can additionally vibrate, crackle, make other sounds, and even a luminous spinner has been invented that can produce real light music.

Even a five-year-old child quickly understands what a spinner is and how to use it - he will simply pinch the center of the toy between his fingers and begin to spin the blades, making them rotate. The toy can also be placed on any flat surface or on the palm of your hand, unwind and observe the process.

Why do you need a spinner?

Having figured out a little what a spinner means, not everyone will still catch what it is intended for.

His original task was to entertain the kids and train them. fine motor skills. Manufacturers also claim that this device is capable of:

• Get rid of anxiety, nervousness.
• Relieve stress.
• Allow to focus.

Sometimes there are questions, is it true that a spinner for autists can also be useful? Manufacturers claim that autistic people, as well as people with increased activity syndrome, suffering from a lack of attention, the spinner helps to concentrate on a specific task. Allegedly, the vibrations and sounds of a rotating device have some therapeutic effect.

In any case, each buyer finds his own answer to the question of what gives the spinner.

Video on what to do with a spinner:

Popularity and cost of spinners

These simple toys this moment are top sellers on such online trading platforms like Aliexpress and Amazon. In Europe and the USA, the peak of popularity of the spinner came this spring, and now the wave of popularity has reached the countries of the former USSR.

Here are some interesting facts about these devices:

• In a number of US schools, spinners have already been banned. What's wrong with spinners, you ask? Most often, teachers note the fact that the spinner in the lesson does not concentrate the attention of the student, but, on the contrary, distracts him from the classroom.
• According to Forbes magazine, the spinner in 2017 has become one of the main office toys.
• There are no less requests in the Google search engine for them than for the personality of the current US president.

Spinner price depends on specific model, its functional and aesthetic qualities. The simplest device can be purchased for 500 rubles, but for the highest quality and tricked out you will have to pay up to 25 000 rubles.

Do you like spinners? Do you have such a device? Tell me what a spinner is for you, share your opinion about them in the comments.

It is believed that the first inventor of the fidget spinner was Katherine Hettinger. It was she who invented the spinner. She was a chemical engineer by education. This invention was first published in the New York Post, The Guardian and The New York Times. In an interview, she said that the idea of ​​\u200b\u200bcreating a spinner visited her in Israel when she watched how the boys threw stones at the police. She immediately began to think about how to make such a "toy" that would help children release negative emotions and focus on other, safer things.

Another story about the interview is that Katherine designed the spinner for her daughter. Unfortunately, she herself could not often play with her daughter due to illness, so she invented an interesting replacement. The popularity of such a toy caught on, and Katherine began to make spinners at home (although they did not look like today's turntables), and sold them at fairs in Florida USA.

Patent for fidget spinner

On May 28, 1994, Katherine filed a patent for a fidget spinner. It was a round device with soft plastic and an extension in the center to hold it with your fingers. Unfortunately, no manufacturer agreed in the production of such toys. In 2005, her patent expired and she did not renew it.

Currently, the spinner created by Katherine and the "modern fidget spinner" are completely different. Therefore, there is no clear creator of this toy. Just like there is no clear understanding of the patent status of the product.

Who is the inventor of the spinner?

But in 2014, Scott McCoskery invented a similar spinner, but for personal purposes. She helped him cope with stress at business meetings. She then represented an iron rotating device. Many of his friends also learned about this anti-stress toy, and orders for personal production went on. And in 2016, Scott and a friend filed for a patent for a modern fidget spinner.

A spinner, or as it is also called a spinner, a fidget hand spinner, is a very popular anti stress toy for fingers, and for hands in general. It looks like this (photo):

The prototype of the modern spinner was invented back in the distant 90s in the USA, but it gained its real popularity only in 2017. Now the main manufacturer is China and makes quite high-quality toys.

What does a spinner do?

Basically, it spins, this is its meaning) But that's not all, depending on the model, when rotating, the turntable can make sounds, crackle, vibrate, and if there is a backlight, create real light music.

Even a 5-year-old child will understand how to use the spinner - just pinch the center of the toy between your fingers and click on the blades to give rotation, or you can put the spinner on your palm or a flat surface. And then enjoy the process.

According to its device, the hand twister is very simple - in the center there is a rotating element, a bearing, which is made of metal or ceramic. In a circle, the blades are evenly spaced, there can be a different number of them, and they can be of various shapes.

In terms of design, hand spinners are very diverse, they differ not only appearance, but also the speed, as well as the duration of rotation.

Differences in spinner models by material:

• Plastic. Most cheap option, and therefore massive. Of the pros - lightness, price, you can do it yourself with a 3-d printer.
• Metal. Many metals are suitable as a material for a spinner - steel, copper, aluminum, titanium, and even gold, if desired) Of the pluses - gravity increases the speed of rotation, and it's nice to hold in your hands, spinners are for real men. "Severity is good, gravity is reliable" (c).
• Wood. There are enough craftsmen who carve on machines or saw blades from wood with a jigsaw, lasers. From the pros - natural material, easy to process, can be made a real work of art if the hands are out of right place are growing.
• All the rest. Glue, ropes, rubber bands, an old bearing, wing bat and the spinner is ready. In general, if you wish, you can make spinners out of everything that comes to hand, even spinners are made of paper.

Bearing differences:

Differences of spinners in shape, size, and other decorations:

It is useless to list here, there are a lot of models of turntables, and designers are trying to stand out from the competition somehow they can: with 2 blades and with 7, and with a hollow core, and with a filled one, with sharp edges and with rounded ones, spherical, similar to shurikens, in the form of skulls or emblems of Batman, with LEDs, gold-plated, and so on, an infinite number.

You can also divide spinners into purchased and hand-made, cut from materials or printed on a 3D printer.

What is useful spinner

If you don’t understand what the trick of the spinner is, then you probably never held it in your hands. As soon as you try to turn your first turntable, you will understand everything yourself.

What is the meaning of the spinner and why is it needed:

1. This is a great trainer. The pinwheel relieves excessive muscle tension in the fingers, and also trains manual dexterity.
2. The toy relieves stress. I am sure you have noticed more than once - when you are nervous, you start to turn everything in your hands - pens, flash drives, coins, pull fasteners on clothes, drum your fingers on the table, etc. This is the body's way of relieving stress, and the Spinner is specifically designed for this, it helps to calm down quickly.
3. Helps to concentrate. For some people, the spinner helps to focus on thought processes, while the hands take on a life of their own. However, be careful, it can distract those around you)
4. It's cool. From the outside it looks funny, especially if you know how

What is the meaning of rotation?

It is generally accepted that a spinner is an anti-stress toy that helps people with autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder to focus. They even say that the vibrations and sound of a spinning spinner create a kind of therapeutic effect. Such a little thing is made quite simply. All you need is a bearing and a few body lugs. Usually the spinner is held by the middle finger and spun with a small click.

Now there are hundreds of varieties of spinners. They differ in color, size, design. Their prices range from a few dollars to hundreds.

It is difficult to say exactly who is the inventor of the spinner. Initially, the creation of the spinner was attributed to Katherine Hettinger, a chemical engineer. In one of the interviews for the American media, she said that the idea of ​​the toy came to her mind when she was in Israel. She saw Arab boys throwing stones at the police. She also wanted to come up with something that could help children release the accumulated energy. Then in another interview this version was changed. Katherine said that she created a toy for her daughter, who suffers from myasthenia gravis (an autoimmune disease that causes pathological muscle fatigue syndrome. Approx. Editor). After the spinner became known to the public, Katherine began to manufacture it at home with the aim of selling it at art fairs.

Scott McCoskery came up with his version of the spinner. In an interview, he revealed that he invented a spinning metal device to help him deal with the excitement of meetings and conferences.

New - well forgotten old

And yet, to say that the spinner is a toy of the 21st century is a mistake. Its prototypes were known in antiquity. After all, the essence of a spinner is the rotation of an object that maintains stability at one point of support. The most famous examples are top and top.

By the way, the Soviet teacher Yefim Arkin wrote a book about the history of children's play in the 1930s, including a list of items called "original toys". And a spinning top, an analogue of a spinner, was included there.

An interesting little thing was found during excavations of the sanctuary in Thebes. These clay cubes of the 5th century BC untwisted not with fingers, but with the help of a rope, like a yo-yo. Now they are kept in the Louvre collection.

Prototype spinners were not always used as toys. Suffice it to recall the Japanese hira-shuriken used by the ninja. These blades were not considered the main weapons of battle, but often they played decisive role in battle.

Another ancient "spinner" was found during excavations of the Mesopotamian city of Eshnunna. This triangular clay figurine was the top of an ancient mace. True, why make it from a fragile material is not clear.

At the excavations of Novgorod, a kind of spinning top was discovered. According to historians of Moscow State University, these tops were used in the children's game of wooden tops-kubar. In the upper part of the top there was a special recess, on which the string was wound. With a sharp jerk, the string unwound and gave rotation to the pointed toy on the plane. With certain skills, and the boys possessed such, it was possible to spur the spinning top with a string, prolonging its rotation. The winner was determined by the duration of the rotation of the toy. There are about seven hundred such tops in the Novgorod collection. So we can say that Russians have love for spinners in their blood.

Natural "propeller"

Finding a spinner of natural origin is not so easy. But it turned out that nature is also in the subject.

If you've ever paid attention to the Norway maple, you may have noticed that its fruits vaguely resemble a spinner with two blades. When the fruit starts to fall from the tree, it spins. As a result, complex aerodynamic effects arise. It is not for nothing that these fruits are popularly called helicopters. Thanks to the rotation, the maple fruit descends slowly, it is picked up by the wind and carried away from the mother tree. In this way, maples can spread their seeds over much greater territory. Many trees and shrubs have similar adaptations, there is even such a type of dry fruit - lionfish.

The spinner was designed and created by American Katherine Hettinger in the early 1990s for her daughter (who suffered from an autoimmune disease).

How much this toy helped the baby is unknown.

What is this toy. The first spinner was made of paper wrapped with tape and a small bearing from a hard drive.

It became so popular that Katherine Hettinger had to make similar toys for her friends and acquaintances and sell these toys at fairs. She subsequently patented her invention.

Now modern spinning toys are made of metal, plastic (two or three bladed, as a rule) in the center there is still a bearing.

Many spinners glow when rotated, have Beautiful colors and forms. Some even look like weapons, with steel blades.

Currently, the spinner has gained great popularity among schoolchildren and students. Even adults twist this little thing in their hands. However, public opinion was divided into supporters and opponents of this fun.

Opponents of spinners consider this fun to be a useless waste of time, an indicator of a person's "stupidity" ("I wish I took a rattle, it also spins").

Only they are limited to words and do not cite any scientific facts.

Supporters of this toy cite several theses in their justification for this hobby.

For convenience, we will call these “theses” “myths”, since they are based on individual assessments and rumors.

Myth one

When the spinner rotates, the human psyche calms down. It is possible that someone has. Only some people, on the contrary, get annoyed when they see this toy, and even more so when they hold it in their hands.

Let's imagine that you are spinning and calming down, like a doping drug. And then one fine moment you forgot this device at home, you are stressed, the toy store is far away (the boss does not let you go from work) - what will you do?

Myth two

Spinner helps develop fingers. Considering that children hold it with two fingers of the left hand (thumb and forefinger) and rotate it with the index finger of the right hand, this is a dubious development.

Although yes, they develop a large and index fingers(the most developed already in humans). If you buy a toy only for children with certain diseases, then it will somehow be wrong for healthy children to use it.

Myth three

Spinning toy promotes concentration. Again a miss - in some US schools, spinners are prohibited, because. contribute to a decrease in attention during classes.

Moreover, in children who often amuse themselves with the twisting of this contraption, there is a slight distraction of attention.

Myth four

Spinner promotes the development of coordination and agility. In part, we can agree only when the children perform some tricks with him. But many simply twist it, holding it in one hand, and then constantly drop it. What kind of dexterity and coordination can we talk about here.

Myth five

The use of this device develops logical thinking . A very stretched judgment, fiction, I would say. If only a person will think and calculate the speed of rotation of the spinner.

In the past, there were hobbies that gradually disappeared (for example, spinning tops, yo-yos, tags, and others).

Previously, there was a toy in the form of a small basketball hoop and a ball tied to the bottom with a thin elastic band - here dexterity and coordination are on the face.

Spinning tops were made from parts from Soviet alarm clocks, launched them, arranged tournaments, whose spinning top is “stronger”.

Yo-yo allows you to do beautiful tricks, and you just need to practice to get the toy back in your hand.

One of the meaningless toys of the past, like the modern spinner (although not so modern) was a rope on which a large button was spinning (probably from a sweatshirt).

The children were delighted with the hum emitted by this button, and the tone of the sound, the speed of rotation depended on the length of the thread, and the practicality - on the strength of the latter.

What is the conclusion? Modern spinners do not harm the child, but do not contribute to its development. This is something like a "rattle" for a teenager. That is, a step back in its development. And if adults play this toy ...

There are many alternatives - wire puzzles, Rubik's Cube, snake, tags, a hand trainer in the form of a spring or a ring (expander) ... Choose educational games and activities!