Everything You Need to Know About the Kidult Trend

By Samira / 09/05/2025 / 5 minutes of reading

Three coworkers playing arcade in a games room

If you’ve ever seen adults line up for board games, toys, and cute collectibles “meant for children” and wondered, “what’s going on here, aren’t these adults?”, what you’re witnessing is the kidult trend in action...

Table of Contents

  • Does the Kidult market still matter in 2025?
  • Economic influences
  • Cultural differences and shifts
  • Psychological reasons
  • Popular kidult trends in today’s market
  • The future: Where the kidult trend is headed
  • Conclusion

Does the Kidult market still matter in 2025?

With Millennials and Gen Zs being the key drivers of the kidult trend, it isn’t going anywhere soon. In fact, NPD Group and Circana report that kidults now drive around 28% of global toy sales...

Economic influences

People admiring automotive miniatures

In a post-pandemic world, grown-ups with spending power are turning to premium products like augmented reality, automotive miniatures, and high-end games...

Cultural differences and shifts

The stigma around adult play is reducing. Thanks to video games, comic book films, and the rise of adult hobbies...

Psychological reasons

Modern lives are busy. Nostalgic play is a stress reliever that indulges creativity and improves mental health...

Popular kidult trends in today’s market

1. Kidult games

Young adults and elderly people cheerfully playing fun board games

One thing many kidults have in common is their love for game night. And not just video games, but high-quality, wooden board games...

2. Toys and collectibles

a box of old toys

If there’s one part of the toy industry that’s exploded in recent years, it’s the demand for collectible toys and limited editions...

3. Fashion and apparel

The three-bears character on comfortable grey sweat pants

It’s no longer strange to see adults wearing cartoon-print hoodies or rocking bold graphic tees inspired by the shows they loved as children...

The future: Where the kidult trend is headed

Adults queueing and carrying balloons

According to Herald Insight, the global toy market is expected to reach USD 203 billion by 2034, with kidults fueling the surge...

Conclusion

Young woman standing in front of a toy shop

More than just playing on nostalgia, the kidult trend is a thriving market segment uniting play with adult comfort, creativity, and self-expression...

About The Author

Samira author bio image

Samira

Samira is a highly skilled content writer specialized in sales & marketing...

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