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Queueing for a chippy tea is not unusual. What’s a bit more out of the ordinary is waiting patiently for portions that can't actually be eaten.

But that’s exactly what’s been happening at one London department store. In July 2024, the soft toy company Jellycat opened a pop-up ‘fish and chip’ shop in Selfridges on Oxford Street, selling plush versions of chips, cod, mushy peas, a lemon wedge and salt and vinegar dispensers.

These smiley versions of everyday objects - known as Amuseables - are specially wrapped, chip shop-style as part of the experience. Fan of the brand book 10-minute slots to buy the cuddly condiments and co, often sharing the fun on social media as they do. But they’re not necessarily buying the toys for any children in their lives - these purchases are purely for themselves, as the hundreds of tagged Instagram photos featuring grown-ups enjoying their 'chip shop' trip show.

It’s a trend that’s on the rise. Welcome to kidulthood.

What is kidulthood?

If the term kidult already seems familiar, that’s because the phenomenon has grown noticeably in the past few years. Melissa Symonds is an executive director at Circana, a market research company that specialises in toy sales, among other products.

She told ����ý Bitesize how toys purchased for adults “accounted for £634m in the latest 12 months and it’s been growing. That’s about 18% of all the toy spend on the market. This is up from four years ago, where it was only 15% of the spend of toys, so it’s been a pretty consistent growth area.”

According to Melissa, the biggest impact on adults buying toys and games was the Covid 19-related lockdown of 2020. She continued: “Nobody could go out, but they could get things delivered and everyone rediscovered the joys of doing puzzles, or playing games in their home, or collecting products that they particularly liked. It’s actually continued since then.”

Every six months, Circana surveys adults who purchased toys for themselves, asking them why they do it. Melissa said: “47% say that toys are fun and good for their mental health. That’s really the joy part coming back into people’s lives, because you know, it’s not always fun out there as an adult.”

What is the kidult trend?

Although it may seem a 21st Century term, kidult dates back to the late 1950s, when it was originally used to describe the kind of TV show that was popular with both children and grown-ups. In the toy industry, a kidult is - roughly - someone over the age of 12 buying toys and games for themselves, although companies such as Lego have sections of their website geared specifically towards people over the age of 18.

“We've seen seen a big, big uptake in toy companies really targeting these areas in recent years,” said Rebecca Deeming-Mitchell, senior communications manager of the British Toy & Hobby Association. Board games and puzzles are particularly popular, especially - it seems - if they can be incorporated into a social gathering that is cheaper than a night out.”

It’s not just puzzles. Cuddly toys are popular with kidults - a 2018 survey found that 4 in 10 adults in the USA have a stuffed animal they still interact with - as are construction toys. A study carried out by Lego found that 9 in 10 adults said playing with the toy “offered them relief from worries and allowed them to destress.”

Genevieve Capa Cruz, Lego’s global head of products for adults, told us: “We’ve been designing sets for older or more experienced builders for many years. We know that the joy of Lego building can transcend age, with many adults telling us they enjoy building and find it helps them relax, feel creative and explore their love for films, sports, music in a new way.”

The Peter Pan Syndrome

Both Melissa and Rebecca noted the importance of nostalgia in kidulthood. This links up with something psychologists refer to as the Peter Pan Syndrome, as described to Bitesize by Dr Julie Kirkham, a senior lecturer at the University of Chester, as a term for “adults who seem to be trapped in childhood or have never quite reached adulthood.

“Like the fictional character created by JM Barrie, they seem to embody a never-ending childhood with traits like being free spirited and playful, but also perhaps avoiding the responsibilities and commitment that adults usually have.”

Psychoanalyst and paediatrician Donald Winnicott introduced the theory of the transitional object, which could explain why so many adults have a connection with cuddly toys. Dr Kirkham explained: “Winnicott spoke about transitional objects in childhood like a cuddly toy or blanket giving a child emotional comfort and helping them to make the transition towards independence.

“Forming an emotional attachment to the object helps the child to adapt to the uncertainties of change, until the object is no longer needed for support.”

In adulthood, a transitional object - not necessarily a cuddly toy, it could even be a photograph or another item - provides a strong, reassuring connection to the past. Dr Kirkham added: “It’s not really the object itself that matters most but rather what it represents to us.”

What type of toys do kidults enjoy?

Melissa said that building sets have been the biggest growth area for kidults in recent years, with Lego sets recreating bunches and bouquets of flowers proving especially popular.

Memorabilia linked to TV and film have an appeal also. The success of Deadpool and Wolverine in the cinema led to good returns on the toy side. Franchises such as Harry Potter, Doctor Who and Stranger Things also have strong kidult appeal. This is either through nostalgia for a favourite childhood book or TV series, or fond memories of the 1980s, when the latter show is set.

The psychology behind kidults

The Jellycat pop-up at Selfridges was popular with people wanting to share their experience online, while Instagram and TikTok have posts showing adults’ large collections of merchandise from brands such as Garfield, Funko Pop! figures and the ’80s favourite Masters of the Universe.

This aspect of kidulthood throws light on the psychology behind the phenomenon, as Dr Kirkham explained: “Social media perhaps offers a space where kidults may feel that they can safely share and express their interests, whilst also receiving positive reinforcement, for example through likes or comments. That social reinforcement can be very stimulating and rewarding, even at a neurological level of providing a hit of dopamine within the brain.”

And there is also the sense of community that this brings. Dr Kirkham continued: “Associating with a particular group and feeling part of that group gives use a sense of being accepted and belonging which is incredibly powerful. It is often associated with increased wellbeing.”

And another sense of belonging that kidulthood activities can bring is one much closer to home. It can unite different generations of the same family.

Rebecca explained: “It's nice to see people engaging more in social time, whether it's their friends and family, and we always say the great things about ball games and puzzles, is that it’s play for all ages, so it’s nice to see that you can play intergenerational with grandparents. It’s not just for the kids, the adults can get involved as well, so it’s an advantage to all parties really.”

This article was published in November 2024