American adults buy more toys than preschoolers as sales of ‘kidult’ items skyrocket

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.

Adults have long collected children’s toys to some extent, such as train sets and dolls. Some purchases have also been treated as investments, as seen by the trends behind Beanie Babies or trading cards. However, toy manufacturers are now explicitly marketing their products to older consumers.

Lego senior marketing director for adults, Genevieve Capa Cruz, noted that the company’s first products “overtly identified as made for adults” were released in 2020, featuring sophisticated black packaging and an 18+ label. In 2024, Lego launched about 563 sets, 13 percent of which were specifically designed for adults.

Among the most popular is Lego’s Botanicals line, introduced in 2023. The floral bouquet sets are intended to be built for special occasions and have become a top seller for the company for those gifting them to a significant other.

“It mixes a natural predisposition to nature and flowers with a hands-on, creative twist, where you are building and arranging these beautiful flowers,” said Capa Cruz. “They are always in bloom, and they offer a lasting memory."