If your partner still buys Lego sets “for the collection,” or you’ve tripped over an action figure that definitely isn’t your child’s, you might be sharing your home with a kidult.

The term describes adults who unapologetically embrace the toys, games and characters they loved growing up — and they’re fast becoming one of the biggest drivers of toy sales worldwide. According to research from Circana, global toy sales rose 6% in the year to September 2025 — the first growth since the pandemic — as brands actively market to both children and adults. Analysts say nostalgia, comfort, and stress relief are fuelling the trend, with franchises like Lego, Pokémon and Barbie leading the charge.

It makes sense: today’s forty-somethings were the first generation raised on big-brand pop culture — and they now have the disposable income to buy back the joy. As Kadence International notes, “kidults” account for nearly one-third of all toy spending globally, often treating play as a form of self-care or creative expression.

And as we learned on HOT 1027 Breakfast, it’s not just “other people.”

Listen to HOT 1027 Breakfast’s chat about “kidulting” here:

Bunny Majaja recently confessed that she had to blur her background during a Zoom meeting because a giant Patrick Star from SpongeBob was staring over her shoulder.

“I had to tell my client, ‘I’m sorry, that big pink thing is indeed Patrick!’” she laughed.

So maybe it’s time we stop side-eyeing the shelf of collectibles in the lounge. Being a kidult isn’t about refusing to grow up — it’s about keeping a sense of wonder, one Lego brick (or starfish) at a time.