Kids Aren't the Only Ones Spending Their Cash on Toys

Those 12 and older, aka 'kidults,' make up a quarter of toy sales these days
By Jenn Gidman,  Newser Staff
Posted Dec 21, 2022 10:15 AM CST
Kids Aren't the Only Ones Spending Their Cash on Toys
This man-child is enjoying his toy motorcycle.   (Getty Images/RomarioIen)

Inflation has dampened retail sales across the board. But as moms and dads finish up their curtailed shopping for the holiday season, there's a chance they're not just buying toys for their kids—they might also be putting some in the cart for themselves. The latest data from market research firm NPD Group finds that "kidults" are behind at least 25% of toy sales annually, for themselves specifically, accounting for $9 billion spent in that market, reports Today. This demographic also represented 60% of the toy industry's dollar growth in the 12 months ending in September, per NPD.

To be fair, NPD defines "kidult" as anyone age 12 or older, meaning there are actual kids included in this group. But they're on the older end, and there are still plenty of grownups included who have a penchant for puzzles, board games, and other playthings. Nostalgia for the toys and movies of their childhood is a big driver for these kids at heart, especially for those who came of age in the '70s and '80s, when licensing tied to big film franchises like Star Wars took off. "[They] were really the first generation that had this much licensing and this much product that was available for them to demonstrably [attach] to," Jeremy Padawer of the Jazwares toy company tells CNBC. "It's not a big surprise, then, that those kids [in] their 30s and 40s ... continue to demonstrate that."

The pandemic also helped bring many grownups back into the toy fold, as they spent lockdown finding new (and old) ways to entertain themselves and their families. Toy manufacturers have taken notice: Companies like Mattel, Hasbro, and Lego are creating new product associated with such brands as Star Wars, Hot Wheels, Barbie, and the Marvel comics franchise to spur that warm, fuzzy feeling in its oversize fans. Some companies, like Funko, have even emerged to cater pretty much exclusively to this demographic. "We know that this generation does take their jobs very seriously, but at the end of the day, they also want to have fun," marketing exec Josh Shave of the Razor scooter maker tells CNBC. (More here on who kidults are, and what they're into.)

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