I first came across the Yo-Spin while updating the Yoyo Archive Instagram page. Intrigued, I reached out to Blue Orange Toys, and they sent me a box with six: an original, a glow-in-the-dark, and four of their metallic colors. The Yo-Spin isn’t really a yo-yo. It’s a plastic disc with a rubber bumper. The center of the disc has a small bearing with an elastic string run through it. One end of the string has a bead to keep the disc on the string, and the other end has a rubber finger ring. The idea is that you throw the disc like a frisbee to get it spinning, then perform tricks by bouncing and manipulating the elastic string.
It’s a simple toy and doesn’t have the flexibility and depth of a yo-yo, but it’s fun and can handle a surprising number of tricks. You can rock the baby, perform arm/leg/neck “stalls”, and even do a variation of the DNA with it. The hardest part is keeping it spinning the entire time, which is doable but requires practice.
Honestly, I didn’t expect to have as much fun with it as I am. Even my four kids (ages 12-21) have snagged their own from the pile to test out.
Take a peek at the Yo-Spin Instagram page for some ideas of what can be done with one.
A Look at the Blue Orange Toys Yo-Spin
