Designed to keep hands busy, fidget quilts are blankets covered with embellishments and trimming. Zippers, string, pockets, snaps, and other accoutrements that invite touching are common, as are fabrics with textures ranging from silky to fuzzy. The blankets can be of great assistance to people with Alzheimer’s, dementia, or memory loss, offering tactile stimulation that helps to maintain fine motor skills. They can also help to alleviate anxiety and boredom and—depending on the design—even reinforce memory. More than aids, fidget quilts are also works of art—not surprising, since many are handmade. The quilts below are one of a kind, but you can find others at the companies’ Amazon storefronts.
1. GeriGuard Solutions Fidget Quilt
This quilt combines the homespun feel of a patchwork quilt with loads of detail designed to exercise the hands and mind. It is decorated not only with lots of textural elements to encourage exploration—think ribbons, beads, tassels, and more—but also interactive objects that create sound, like bells and a whistle. Handmade in the United States, everything is stitched securely to withstand hours of tugging. A polar fleece backing makes it a cozy lap blanket for cold days.
2. Memory Lane Fidget Blanket
These quilts are a bit unsubtle in their design, but we like that they are available in different themes so you can choose one that resonates best with its recipient. Among the offerings are blankets featuring cats, birds, fishing, and sewing. Adornments such as zippers, buttons, chunky ornaments, and even entire stuffed animals add tactile interest, and each quilt has a soft fleece edge.
3. Simple Prime Fidget Pad
The second-smallest option on our list, this fidget pad measures just 12 by 27 inches. This makes it very convenient for carrying around; the user can either engage with it at a table or place it in their lap. Despite its modest size, this sensory item still offers a good range of items to engage with, including straps with buckles, buttons to do and undo, and a rope to weave in and out of a row of holes.
4. Fidgit Photo Blanket
This is a quilt made with care out of quality materials. It’s hand sewn by a mother–daughter team based in Indiana who combine new and upcycled fabrics and objects to create dynamic, eye-catching patterns. Velcro strips, zippers, and ribbon loops are beautifully integrated on a soft fleece backing, and the quilt is finished with a sleeve to display a favorite photograph.
5. Restless Remedy Fidget Quilt
Sold in sets of six blankets, this option is a smart choice for senior homes and other group facilities. It’s also a great deal if you want to give one recipient many options to keep in different places. Each is sewn with three layers to offer warmth, with the surface layer embellished with fabrics in a wide assortment of textures. Buyers can also contact the seller to arrange custom and personalized designs.
