Toy Time

Toys are no longer just for kids:

According to data from analytics firm Circana, In 2024, adults accounted for 28 percent of global toy sales, marking a 2.5 percent increase since 2022. A 2023 Circana report found that in the 12 months ending June 2024, US adults spent over $7 billion on toy purchases. In Europe, toy sales for children dropped by $217 million between 2019 and 2022, while sales for adults grew by about $1.1 billion. Similar trends have been observed in Mexico, Brazil, and South Africa, while market research firm IMARC projects that China’s “kidult” market will grow by 9.3 percent annually through 2032. A New York Post report highlighted Bob Friedland, a toy collector from Little Falls, New Jersey. Friedland’s house is filled with Legos, including a reproduction of Van Gogh’s Starry Night hung on the wall and 10 Lego city skyline sets representing places he has visited. “I had to move out of my condo and into a house to find a place to put them all,” the 50-year-old told the New York Post. Friedland, who has worked as a toy marketer, began collecting Legos seriously in 2020, a trend many adults embraced during the COVID-19 pandemic. “They’re a stress reliever,” Friedland said. “They don’t fall apart, you can put them on a shelf and look at them and they give you fun, good memories.” Michelle Steinberg, owner of public relations firm The deFIANT, which represents toymakers, said model kits, clay sculpting, trading cards, miniatures, and Legos are among the most popular choices for adult toy owners. “It’s about nostalgia, it’s about self-expression and it’s about social connection,” Steinberg explained, per the Post.

Some people really don't want to grow up...