Why Adults Are Playing with Toys

Half of the toys sold in the United States today do not end up in the hands of children, but in those of adults without children. It sounds like a joke, but it's the fact that has shaken up the industry: the majority of the market for stuffed animals, building blocks, trading cards, and action figures has become a business for adults, often single or in a relationship but without children. And we're not just talking about hardcore collectors: the trend can be seen everywhere, from people who treat themselves to a custom teddy bear from Build-A-Bear to those who show up with their group at the mall to celebrate a birthday by making stuffed animals. The common perception is that adults who play with toys are somewhat immature, victims of Peter Pan syndrome. But here’s where the twist comes in: in reality, behind this explosion of “kidulting”—that is, adults who embrace children’s play—there is more than just nostalgia or an escape from reality. It is a complex response to a world where traditional adults seem to be an endangered species, and play becomes a form of identity, economic investment, and even social resistance. Sharon Price John, who led Build-A-Bear until a few months ago, recounts how everything changed when they launched the plush toy of Toothless, the dragon from “How to Train Your Dragon”: hundreds of photos of adults hugging their stuffed animals flooded social media. From there, it was a domino effect: the share of adult and teenage customers rose to 40%, and Build-A-Bear's stock price increased by over 2,000% between 2020 and 2025. John, now 62 and with a Southern accent, is someone who still gets excited about picking out an outfit for her stuffed bunny. And she doesn't just sell teddy bears: she now also heads Carter's, the children's clothing giant. But the most powerful scene comes from Kay, a 58-year-old woman who celebrates her birthday with her friends—all wearing bear-shaped crowns—by making their own stuffed animals. “We're all here for ourselves,” she says. The figures are impressive: the toy market in the United States is worth almost $50 billion, and the turning point came during the pandemic, when adults confined to their homes rediscovered the calming power of play. In 2020, the industry saw a 16% increase in sales after three years of decline, and Lego began using the slogan “Adults welcome.” Even McDonald's has launched the Happy Meal for adults. Then there are YouTube sensations like Tristan Wigglesworth, aka Top Pops: 25 years old, with a boyish face, and more than 3 million subscribers who watch his videos about Funko Pops—those pop figurines representing everything in the nerd universe. “Most of my followers are between 25 and 44 years old,” he says. Tristan owns over 5,000 of them, including extremely rare models that qualify as mini-financial investments: so-called “passion assets.” Russian research has calculated that some Lego sets, if left unopened, yield an average of 11% per year, outperforming Beanie Babies and many mutual funds. But it's not just about value: today, play for adults is a way to signal membership in a tribe, to show passion for a universe—whether it's Harry Potter, Minions, Marvel, or K-pop—and to assert an identity in which the boundary between childhood and adulthood has become fluid. Maddie Michalik, a trend expert at The Toy Association, puts it plainly: “It's not something to be ashamed of anymore. No one looks at you strangely if you buy a set of building blocks at forty.” There are also those who see it as a pathology: Keith Hayward, author of “Infantilized: How Our Culture Killed Adulthood,” argues that society is full of “childish concerns and escapes into fantasy.” But even he admits that the market has capitalized on this trend, using nostalgia as a lever to sell everything from young adult novels to Disney+ subscriptions. Another surprising detail: today, the “adult toy” is also a way of saying “I exist,” literally. Funko has launched the “Pop! Yourself” machine, which lets you create your own personalized figurine: you can be yourself, in cartoon form, displayed on the shelf next to Batman and Hello Kitty. And the phrase I've heard most often among collectors is: “Everyone is a fan of something.” The alternative perspective? Perhaps we are not simply regressing, but rather reacting to a world where the traditional milestones of adulthood—marriage, children, a home—are increasingly out of reach. If you can't buy a house, you might as well add a lightsaber to your collection. And maybe it's not just escapism: it's a way to build a community, invest in yourself, and find meaning where reality denies it. After all, playing as an adult today is the easiest way to feel part of something, even when everything is changing. If you thought toys were just for kids, it's time to think again: today, they're emotional business cards, investments, and symbols of belonging. On Lara Notes, you can say I'm In if this perspective resonates with you: it's not a like; it's a signal that you, too, see play as a part of your identity. And the next time you see a line of adults outside a stuffed animal store and tell this story to someone, you can tag that conversation with Shared Offline—it's a reminder that even talking about teddy bears can change the way we see ourselves. This story comes from The New Yorker and saves you 6 minutes.