Clean up your stacks of paper and your empty coffee mugs to make room for the executive desk toys that will ease your stress, sharpen your thinking, entertain your visitors, and leave your coworkers envious!
Great desk toys tend to have a few things in common. They are:
- Visually appealing. In most cases, they are shiny, sleek, or otherwise interesting to look at.
- Tactile. They have curves, smooth edges, or other qualities that make you want to pick them up and touch them.
- Interactive. This is what makes a desk toy a toy instead of just a decoration.
- Captivating. The best desk toys capture your attention. They are mesmerizing or have some element of intrigue.
- Stress relieving. A great desk toy doubles as a fidget toy or tension reliever to help you focus on the task at hand.
You may think “desk toy” and automatically have a mental image of Michael’s desk from The Office. It’s time to change that vision, because executive desk toys come on a whole different level.
Here are 10 desk toys that every executive needs to round out an office that is both inviting and conducive to productivity.
1. Precision spinning top
Spinning tops have come a long way since the plastic toys you played with as a kid. Precision metal spinning tops are so perfectly balanced that they can spin for several minutes – or longer – with a single launch.
Spinning tops check all the boxes when it comes to fidget toys, as well. They are meant to be held and spun. Moreover, they are mini works of art. Their curves are pleasant to look at. Paired with a spinning base, an executive desk toy doesn’t get much better than this.
Tops are our forte at Scovie. Our custom spin tops are limited edition productions.
2. Geometrically perfect stress reliever
An oloid is a 3-D curved object with circular arcs at its two ends. Its geometric shape is such that its center of mass meanders while it rolls instead of following a linear path. When it is rolling, there isn’t a single point of its surface that never touches the ground! Learn more about the interesting design of an oloid here.
Small metal oloids can be rolled, held in the palm of your hand, or simply placed on a desk as tiny sculptures.
Two companies that offer great oloid desk top options are Geophics and FlipNetik.
3. Anti-gravity sculpture
Tensegrity is a combination of the words tension and integrity. It is a structural principle in which the parts of a structure appear to defy gravity because the compression elements are perfectly opposed by tensile force. It is also referred to as tensional integrity or floating compression.
This type of structure makes an awesome desk toy because it’s hard for our minds to make sense of it. Any visitor to your office is sure to comment on it or pick it up in an effort to figure out how it works.
This wooden anti-gravity desk toy and this little build-your-own model kit really bring art, mathematics, and science together into a single executive desk toy.
4. Ever-changing art
Our minds want to be continuously amused. Art that looks the same day in and day out is fine when it’s on the wall, but doesn’t do much for us as a desk toy. Enter ever-changing, interactive art.
Moving sand art, such as the products by Exotic Sands, is an infinite number of images in one small frame. Each time you turn it over, a new image is formed in front of your eyes.
“Painting” with water is a desk toy option that allows you to design your own art… and then watch it slowly disappear as the water evaporates. Commonly known as Buddha boards, water painting sets are a no-commitment way to feed your creativity while you work.
5. Mini catapult
Executive desk toys don’t need to be calm and soothing. Desktop warfare allows office workers to get rid of some pent up anxiety and have a bit of fun while at work.
A mini catapult has a lot to offer. You get to build it yourself from a kit. Then you can use it to actually shoot wooden dowels from the comfort of your office chair.
This option is fitting for a medieval enthusiast, a history-lover, or any desk worker who wants to lighten up the mood.
6. Magnetic balls
Magnets are a frequent element in fidget toys, with good reason: overcoming and succumbing to small magnetic forces is tactilely pleasing. And fidgeting with magnets comes with the satisfying snap of two pieces of metal coming in contact with one another.
Sets of small magnetic balls (or other shapes) are probably the most versatile type of magnet desk toy. There is an infinite number of forms that the mass of little magnets can take. Therefore, the number of hours of amusement and visual appeal is limitless, as well.
A lot of different companies make magnet ball desk toys. I recommend looking at the options from speks and from Neoballs.
7. Kinetic energy sculpture
Desktops are a wonderful place for kinetic energy sculptures. This type of desk toy is a small machine that produces interesting patterns of movements over a long period of time with only a small amount of energy delivered. Some don’t even require batteries, motors, or any other power sources. Rather, it’s a gentle nudge from a human hand that sets them into motion – this is what makes them excellent as both desk art and fidget toys.
Kinetic energy sculptures came in all shapes, sizes, and movements. Newton’s cradle pendulum balls are one of the most familiar desk toys of this type.
The swinging sticks kinetic sculpture is one of the more sleek, sophisticated designs that I’ve seen, though it does require batteries.
8. Handheld gyroscope
For office workers who must have something in their hand while they work, a small gyroscope is a fitting and useful desk toy to have. Also, for anyone with a love of science, gyroscopes are a beautiful display of the conservation of angular momentum.
A handheld gyroscope, such as the one by TacticalFreedomUSA, is best suited for carrying around. Other styles, such as the hand-machined brass gyroscope by ButterfieldMachine, need to be spun on a surface. Regardless of the exact style, any executive desk toy that utilizes gyroscopic motion is sure to please.
9. Satisfying 3-D printed hexagon
Simply known as a satisfying hexagon, this 3-D printed series of concentric hexagons creates interesting patterns when its layers are shifted, moved, and tilted with the help of a magnet. Lovely geometric shapes help the user to relax, and the simple design looks elegant in an office.
This is truly a work of art, brain teaser, fidget toy, and cubicle companion all in one.
10. Classy wooden fidgeter
Finally, classy wooden fidget objects can take the place of noisy, and unprofessional fidget spinners. Wood makes for good desk toys because of its interesting design. Some wood varieties, such as those with spalting, can be turned into objects with unique, interesting designs on the surface.
WoodHengeCreations has a large collection of functional art pieces made from a wide assortment of wood types. Another option is the Comfort Egg, which is much like a wooden version of a worry stone.
Executive desk toys as beautiful and functional as they are fun
There you have it – 10 executive desk toys that are as beautiful and functional as they are fun. Each one looks great on the corner of a workspace. And each one can calm nerves, decrease anxiety, and cater to a fidgeter’s needs.
The list above makes it clear that office toys don’t need to be cheap, plastic, or tacky. Not all of them are merely trinkets or souvenirs. They can simultaneously serve the purposes of decoration and stimulation in a professional working environment.
Get your collection of executive desk toys started (or find a gift for the executive in your life) by browsing the Scovie Precision Turning store, specializing in precision metal spinning tops.
