Toy Story

The rise of the 'Kidult' is transforming the toy industry. Is it merely a hobby, or does it reflect something deeper?

- KONKANA RAY

Zara had never really thought of herself as a collector. Not in the formal, label-wearing sense of the word. But over the years, between late nights at her branding job and quiet Sundays in her Bandra apartment, she found herself building something—small, deliberate, and deeply personal. It started with a single Labubu figure, spotted on an Instagram account based in Hong Kong. The character was strange—mischievous eyes, exaggerated ears, and a smile that felt more curious than cute.

It felt like a secret little world where things didn’t have to make sense. Welcome to the era of the Kidult, a delightful mashup of ‘kid’ and ‘adult’ that celebrates the child within. This trend is transforming the global toy industry, one nostalgia-soaked, serotonin-spiking purchase at a time. Whether it’s a Harry Potter Funko Pop, a Hot Wheels wall grid, or an entire cabinet dedicated to Kawaii collectibles, grownups are spending hundreds of thousands on toys that offer far more than just play. They’re collecting for comfort, curating for aesthetics, and clinging—tightly and tenderly—to slivers of a simpler, sweeter past. In a research article published in the SHS Web of Conferences, a 2023 report by The Toy Association found that globally, adults account for over 25 per cent of toy sales, and India is catching up fast.