They’re small, brightly-coloured and spinning.

Nobody would blame you for mistaking these items for toys, but Fidget Spinners aren’t meant for playtime.

The devices are marketed as a tool to aid learning, reduce stress and physical tension. Held between one’s fingers, they are activated when flicked.

The idea is this flicking will use up the user’s additional “fidgety” energy, so they can better focus on the task at hand.

It's a great idea in theory, but discussions around the items reveal how they are quickly becoming more of a toy trend than a learning device.

One retailer is even selling spinners in the shape of Batman logos, Captain America logos and other recreational designs.

Parents are sharing their experiences with the devices on news articles published on social media, with many saying their children are asking for them on the basis of their popularity.

Listen: Before it was Fidget Spinners, it was Shopkins. (Post continues after audio.)

"My son wants one because everyone else has one, not because he needs one," one parent wrote on The Today Show's coverage.

"My kids want one I said no and no means no. They said all the kids in school have them. I told them, 'Guess what? You won't'," another parent wrote.

One parent alleged her child had been struck with a spinner after it was tossed by another student.

"I think when used appropriately they are good," they wrote.

"Last week, though, my daughter was hit by one because a student threw it. It gave her a deep bruise on her arm."

A post shared by The Original Spinner Brand ⚙️ (@fidgetly) on Apr 21, 2017 at 11:03am PDT

Other parents have defended the devices and relayed how they have positively helped their child.

"It has been amazing for my daughter with severe anxiety. Kids that use these for therapeutic reasons don't tend to be disruptive with them," one parent wrote on Mamamia's coverage on Facebook.

News of the toys being banned in schools both locally and overseas has also caused parents to jump to the device's defence.

"It's not a toy. It's a tool for people living with ADHD/ADD. It should not be banned for those living with the disorder," one parent also wrote on Mamamia's post.

Another parent, who said their child had ADHD, shared how they thought the devices were inappropriate at school.

A post shared by The Original Spinner Brand ⚙️ (@fidgetly) on Apr 29, 2017 at 1:55pm PDT

"My son has ADHD and I have no plans to buy one, but even if I did he would not be taking it to school," they wrote on The Today Show's coverage.

"It's a toy, beneficial or not. I'm not sending my child to school with something that is going to interrupt class."

Fidget spinners are currently being used in Australian classrooms. The Herald Sun reported schools in Melbourne had already begun to ban them.

Do you agree? Share your thoughts and experiences with Finger Spinners below. 

Feature image via Instagram @fidgetly.