Kidulting is reliving childhood memories by engaging in activities generally associated with children. According to data tracker NPD Group, kidult shoppers have helped U.S. toy sales surge 37% over two years to $28.6 billion in 2021.
An industry survey last year found that 58% of adult respondents bought toys and games for themselves during the lockdown. Toy executives and insiders first attributed the spike to tired parents buying their kids’ toys for distraction.
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Some Popular Kidulting Examples?
- McDonald’s sold out of their limited-edition Happy Meals with collectible toys.
- Influencers on TikTok dressed in Y2K fashions and pretending to go out
- Adult kickball leagues
- Pokémon Go’s huge popularity
- Disney adults
- Fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe
Millennials with disposable incomes are not the only ones kidulting. YouTuber Jaabo, who runs Train Tsar Fun, loves Legos. Now 54, he can fulfill his wildest little-brick dreams.
Allow Yourself To Get Bored
International speaker Jeff Harry believes boredom is the key ingredient for play for teams and organizations. It’s time to get bored, he said, like during a lockdown.
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Involve Your Friends And Family
Organize playtime with people who share the same hobbies. Children enjoy playing with others if they are invited to do so. The obvious choice is to play games. Make homemade Dunkaroos and playdough, or do an adult scavenger hunt.
Grant Yourself Permission To Play
Kidulting has nothing to do with being childish, immature, or wasting time. Practicing healthy escapism as adults and tapping into things we deeply enjoy means embracing the positive aspects of childhood.