“The Ball That Does it All” | Source: PMI

Spin back the clock a few years to say, 2017, and you might recall a time when fidget toys came out of nowhere to strike a nerve as the hottest craze to sweep the nation. Like the Pogs of the early 1990s, kids everywhere had to have them all, and a particular variation — fidget spinners — led the charge, popping up everywhere that they could possibly be sold, from toy stores and mass retailers to gas stations and the local bodega.

As the story goes, the spinner craze burned brightly, and perhaps, like Icarus, flew too high, to kiss the sun before a spectacular flameout. Of course, that’s being a bit theatrical, because fidget spinners never went away, but now, they’ve finally evolved.

A company called Mejjjet launched the Original Zzzopa Fidget Spinner Ball in Australia a couple of years ago. It was an immediate success, combining the kinetic action and familiar holding pattern of a fidget spinner into a nicely weighted ball. Kids can spin it, bounce it, throw it, stack it, and catch it. It’s been dubbed “the ball that does it all.” 

Destined for a bigger audience around the world, Zzzopa was acquired by PMI last year, and now families everywhere can get in on the fun. Zzzopa isn’t just for kids: Adults will love it, too! Zzzopa Fidget Spinner Balls come in solid colors or in styles that mimic popular sports balls, like a basketball (Slamdunk), a tennis ball (Ace), a soccer ball (Goalll!), or my personal favorite, a baseball (Homerun). I’ve had one on my desk for months, and have been known to give it a spin throughout the day.

The Toy Insider‘s James Zahn gives the Zzzopa Homerun a spin! | Source: The Toy Insider

Beyond simply having fun, it’s been said that there are therapeutic benefits to fidget spinners, and many educators agree. One of my daughters’ teachers has several Zzzopa balls that they picked up at the local Learning Express store for this very reason: They can help kids tune in and gain focus.

And kids will want to collect Zzzopa balls, too! More than 20 unique styles of Zzzopa Fidget Spinner Balls are already available in two sizes: regular and mini. This fall, the first licensed Zzzopa balls will hit the scene as PMI introduces a quartet of balls inspired by the characters of Rovio’s Angry Birds game

Ready for a spin into something new?

About the author

James Zahn

James Zahn

James Zahn, AKA The Rock Father, is Editor-in-Chief of The Toy Book, a Senior Editor at The Toy Insider and The Pop Insider, and Editor of The Toy Report, The Toy Book‘s weekly industry newsletter. As a pop culture and toy industry expert, Zahn has appeared as a panelist and guest at events including Comic-Con International: San Diego (SDCC) Wizard World Chicago, and the ASTRA Marketplace & Academy. Zahn has more than 30 years of experience in the entertainment, retail, and publishing industries, and is frequently called upon to offer expert commentary for publications such as Forbes, Marketwatch, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, USA Today, Reuters, the Washington Post, and more. James has appeared on History Channel’s Modern Marvels, was interviewed by Larry King and Anderson Cooper, and has been seen on Yahoo! Finance, CNN, CNBC, FOX Business, NBC, ABC, CBS, WGN, The CW, and more. Zahn joined the Adventure Media & Events family in 2016, initially serving as a member of the Parent Advisory Board after penning articles for the Netflix Stream Team, Fandango Family, PBS KIDS, Sprout Parents (now Universal Kids), PopSugar, and Chicago Parent. He eventually joined the company full time as a Senior Editor and moved up the ranks to Deputy Editor and Editor-in-Chief.

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