Review by Michael Smith (Veshengro)
This new toy is expected to overtake fidget spinners to become the next big craze – a fidget stick.
Millions of children and adults in Japan and China are already addicted to playing with the Mokuru, but it has only now gone on sale in the UK.
The £9.99 toy allows users to flip and spin on any flat surface - just like the bottle-flipping craze.
This simple hand-held wooden toy was originally designed to test an individual's balance and focus – but now it is testing the dexterity of fast fingered flippers everywhere.
Designer Masakazu Node spent years creating the satisfying beech wood toy, which has rubber stoppers on the end to help it stand up.
The Japanese inventor said: "Beginners can simply tip over the toy, let it flip and catch it with their fingers or flip it to draw a triangle or square.
"Mokuru masters can use five of them at once with one hand.
"Claimed to help focus and concentration, imagination and alleviate stress, Mokuru fits into your pocket."
The UK Distributor for Mokuru is Leicester based company Peterkin, and it will be in sale in Smyths toy stores.
The only thing that worries me is that the rubber pads may come adrift and get lost. It would, therefore, be good to know whether someone has considered spares though, I guess, certain stick-on pads of that size that can be bought elsewhere could be used as replacements should the original ones ever do come off.
This “fidget toy” requires a health warning though not like the so-called fidget spinner because it could cause injury, at least the very cheap ones apparently have to be known to do this, or because it could become stuck on some part of the male anatomy – as apparently has happened to one boy – but because it is seriously addictive.
There are some great plus points to this “toy”, as far as I am concerned, and they are that there are no moving parts, and, aside from the “rubber pads” on either end, no plastic. The Mokuru is entirely, bar for the aforementioned rubber pads, made of beech wood. Being “Made in China” ascertaining as to certification, e.g. FSC, or sustainability of wood is another story. But, then again, the FSC certification is not – generally – worth the paper it is printed on. The Mokuru requires no batteries, but then neither does the fidget spinner thus the no plastic (bar the rubber pads) is the great point.
I started playing with it after receiving the sample and even though I am almost 60 but growing up I did not do – I was told was optional and I don't do optional – and got hooked within minutes. That is why I said it needs a health warning about being addictive, in a positive sense though. Also, having it next to me on the desk I am using it with my left hand which, to all intents and purposes, never had much of a coordination in the hope to change that and I think it is beginning to work.
Website: www.mokuru.com
Buy from Amazon and Smyths Toys
See it in action here : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMPl4XyDBQw
So, what do I think of the Mokuru toy? Short and simple answer: I love it, especially for its simplicity though mastering it will be another story altogether.
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