If you haven’t noticed, ‘90s fashion is all the rage: denim everything, Birkenstocks, and fun pops of color galore! More than any other fashion category, however, it’s accessories that are showing the influence of that happy last decade of the millennium. Chunky shoes, teeny tiny sunglasses, and colorful scrunchies can instantly elevate any outfit from blah to dazzling.
This reimagined scrunchie throwback is especially welcome news for children, tweens, and teens who have ADHD or difficulty managing stress, anxiety, or sensory overload. In this post, we share how a ‘90s fashion accessory can be a wellness tool that provides sensory relief—all while looking totally on point!
Something to play with
If your child tends to fiddle with small items, play with their hair, tap their fingers, or bounce their knees when they’re nervous or uncomfortable, you probably already know that these are coping mechanisms that help with self-soothing and regulating emotions. Kids can get overwhelmed in unfamiliar environments, at school, or during long learning sessions via Zoom. Many quickly discover that it helps to have something in their hands to fidget with—because it does!
Fidget toys are specifically designed to give fiddly fingers something to do in times of stress and have been shown to help redirect attention and help your child relax. A perfect mix of fidget toy and ‘90s fashion accessory, a Smush scrunchie is a gift that keeps on giving. Squishy on the inside, tingly on the outside, scrunchies are an inventive way for kids to stay on trend while benefiting from sensory relief with pinchable, squeezable interiors and sensory-friendly fabrics.
Best of all, colorful scrunchies can accompany children anywhere—whether on your child’s wrist or wrapped around their hair, Smush scrunchies are small and discreet. Squishing and squeezing a scrunchie is an effortless way to find soothing and satisfying sensory relief without anybody noticing a thing!
Something to show off
While it would be fun to take a pop quiz while snuggling under a weighted blanket with a flashlight, some self-soothing items and fidget toys aren’t always practical to bring to places like school. This is especially true of cozy but super-obvious sensory relief items, like weighted teddy bears or rocking chairs. Some fidget toys can make buzzing or clicking noises, which might draw unwanted attention or be distracting for others, especially during class. Besides, a lot of kids simply prefer to be subtle about their fidgeting and fiddling, and that’s okay, too!
In cases like these, a cute ‘90s fashion accessory comes to the rescue! After all, just because you’re meeting sensory needs in a discreet way doesn’t mean you have to be a shrinking violet. Who doesn’t want to rock candy-colored, leopard print, or floral print scrunchies inspired by the coolest retro trends? Smush scrunchies securely keeps your hair out of the way, with extra lift and support to boot.
And if you haven’t heard, scrunchies are gentler on hair than regular hair bands. Why? Because unlike ordinary elastics, scrunchies don’t pull, tug, or leave those weird-looking dents in your hair. Win-win!
Something to boost concentration
Children all have core strengths and talents, which is why neurodiversity is something to explore together and celebrate. One of the reasons experts recommend grabbing a fidget toy on the way to class, for example, has to do with helping neurodiverse kids boost concentration and improve focus. Children who have a tough time with reading, writing, and arithmetic and kids with ADHD can struggle with concentrating on tasks, or juggling several tasks simultaneously, like listening to a teacher while taking notes. And if you’ve ever sat down to a big test, been called on in class, or given a presentation in front of a group, you know how nerve-wracking it can be!
The simplest and most effective way to destress while improving focus is with a self-soothing tool that can be grabbed and squeezed and played with. Recent research has demonstrated that fidgeting boosts blood flow to the prefrontal cortex, which is the region of the brain that’s responsible for concentration and decision-making. That’s exactly why children with ADHD tend to fidget more—they’re unconsciously trying to focus.
By combining the concentration-enhancing and sensory relief benefits of fidgeting with a fun item that also just happens to be a popular ‘90s fashion accessory, Smush scrunchies can help children feel more grounded and find focus no matter where they are.
Wellness Meets Fashion
While wellness trends come and go, some products can make a measurable positive impact on our children’s lives. We wanted to empower neurodiverse kids when we created Smush scrunchie, the 2-in-1 ‘90s fashion accessory that provides sensory relief while holding hair like a champ. Whether your child could use a fidget buddy or is a fashionista with places to go and people to see, our scrunchies come in soothing textures and are filled with satisfyingly squishy interiors. Wellness has never been so chic!
