Jeremy Hart played with Hot Wheels as a kid, but eventually grew out of it, storing the toy cars in a toolbox.
Then nostalgia hit him when he attended the Hot Wheels convention in California with his son three years ago.
“I get these little glimmers and glimpses of memories and feelings when I look and see these Hot Wheels from my childhood,” Hart said.
Today, the 48-year-old has fully embraced his inner child. He’s spent hundreds of dollars on Hot Wheels and is always looking for new models that replicate vehicles he owned or were featured in TV shows he watched when he was younger, like “The Fall Guy » and “The Dukes of Hazzard”. .” Hart proudly displays his collection at Dent Express, the auto body shop he founded in Torrance, California.
Hart is one of a growing number of adults who are buying toys for themselves, collecting memorabilia from their childhood and displaying their fandom on their desks and bookshelves. Some have managed to profit from their obsessions, creating a lucrative following of toy fans online.
Toy companies, including Mattel, the Lego Group, Hasbro and MGA Entertainment, have taken note of the increase in these customers known in the industry as “kidults” and are increasingly making toys with them.
Mattel President and Chief Commercial Officer Steve Totzke said that although the El Segundo-based company has long counted adults as fans of its major brands such as Hot Wheels and Barbie, sales to adults have increased over the past few years. recent years. Depending on the brand, he says, adult collectors can represent up to 25% of sales.
“I’m just excited that the rest of the industry and society is catching up, because I believe play is essential and you should enjoy toys and joy at any age,” said Totzke, who works at Mattel for over a year. 20 years old.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. toy companies saw sales surge as people stuck at home looked for activities to do. Although overall growth has since slowed, sales to people who are at least 18 years old and buy toys for themselves remain strong, according to data from market research firm Circana.
In the 12 months ending in June 2024, American adults purchased more than $7 billion worth of toys, according to figures from Circana. Some of the best-selling adult toys include Pokémon, Star Wars, Lego Star Wars sets, Funko Pop! and Squishmallows. From January to April, adults purchased more toys than any other age group, surpassing preschoolers for the first time, according to Circana.
In the second quarter, from April to June, sales for adults aged 18 to 34 increased 10%, while sales for those 35 and older increased 9% compared to the same period. last year.
Azusa Sakamoto, a 42-year-old nail artist and Barbie superfan, started collecting Barbie dolls and all doll-related accessories and decorations when she was a teenager. Known as Azusa Barbie, Sakamoto considers Barbie more of a “fashion icon” than a toy. Some people like Chanel. She loves Barbie.
“I just buy what I want, you know, whatever makes me happy,” she said. “I don’t think… age matters.”
In her West Hollywood apartment, Sakamoto lives in a Barbie world. Rows of Barbies line the pink walls. There is a Barbie refrigerator, Barbie blinds and a Barbie nightstand.
The pink-haired Sakamoto said she related to Barbie’s optimism and independence. She estimates she owns more than 600 Barbies and 300 Barbie shirts, sharing her fandom and recent purchases on social media.
In the United States, about 43% of adults bought a toy for themselves in the past year, Circana found in a 2024 survey. Some of the top reasons adults reported buying toys were socialization, fun and collection. Others responded that they buy toys to escape reality, display them in their home, or as an investment.
Harrison Woodward said receiving a Lego Technic set of a model car reignited his childhood interest in plastic building parts that can be connected to create complex creations.
“After that, I was hooked,” he said. “I loved the feeling of peace it gave me. …They are like 3D puzzles.
He has now spent almost $20,000 on Lego sets, with the majority of his purchases made in the last year. After his videos of him buying, building and showcasing Lego sets went viral on TikTok, the 26-year-old started earning payouts on the social media platform; he also has sponsorship deals with retailers and other companies.
The Arizona resident said he made enough money from his Lego business that he was able to quit his insurance job several months ago to create online content full time. On TikTok and Instagram, some of his videos have millions of views featuring replicas of the Titanic, the Eiffel Tower or the Great Pyramid of Giza.
Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, a psychology professor at Temple University, said playing with toys as an adult can be beneficial, helping people develop curiosity, creativity and communication. Adults should be wary, however, if they buy dolls to replace their real-life friendships.
As people experience increased feelings of loneliness, depression and anxiety when they spend more time scrolling through their smartphones, the social connections adults make are weakened, she said.
“They can’t replace humans,” she said. “But if these toys become a way to get humans to play with other humans again, I’m all for it.”
Juli Lennett, vice president and industry advisor for toys at Circana, said social media has made it easy for people to find others with similar interests, making it more socially acceptable to buy toys at home. adulthood. Some adults who wonder whether buying a dollhouse they never had is a healthy behavior are being reassured by online toy enthusiasts.
Social media star Charli D’Amelio showed off her Squishmallows collection on Instagram. Olympic rugby player Sammy Sullivan is a big fan of Lego sets. SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher brought a heart-shaped stuffed animal to union bargaining sessions. When Fisher Price unveiled a Little People Collector Britney Spears set in September, blogger Perez Hilton posted “NEED this!” on X, formerly Twitter.
“There’s this opportunity to really think about the audience and create more toys than we’ve ever seen before for that more adult audience,” Lennett said.
On Mattel Creations, a website aimed at collectors, adults can find limited-edition collectibles that are higher quality than toys designed for children.
Several of the items on the site have recently been listed as sold out, including a $300 Shogun Warriors Skeletor figure measuring over 2 feet tall, a $200 miniature Porsche 930 in a display case inspired by a white sculpture of the artist Daniel Arsham and $30 in bright colors. Colorful Magic 8 balls decorated like a Barbie astronaut or Hot Wheels race car driver.
In 2020, Mattel released a $400 remote-controlled Tesla Cybertruck with a “cracked” vinyl window sticker — a nod to when Tesla CEO Elon Musk smashed the “bulletproof” window of the car.
“There’s a design aspect focused on rarity, but there’s also a modern gaming aspect,” said Chris Down, director of design at Mattel. When designing toys, Down said he and his team at Mattel asked themselves, “How can adult consumers not only play with something like you would when you were a kid, but also play until ‘exposure ?
Mattel has partnered with artists, an Italian design company, a streetwear brand and others on toys and products. She tapped into cultural and entertainment themes such as “Harry Potter,” Pokémon, “Wicked,” and the hit TV series “Breaking Bad,” creating new figurines based on their characters. The company partnered with Formula 1 to build new F1-themed Hot Wheels and released Little People NFL collector’s sets. The popularity of the 2023 Barbie movie, which grossed more than $1 billion at the box office, has boosted sales of the dolls.
Mattel reported second-quarter net revenue of $1.08 billion, down 1% from the same period last year. Net profit jumped to $57 million, more than double the previous year’s total.
The Lego Group also welcomes adult buyers, some of whom call themselves AFOL (Adult Fan of Lego). On the Lego brand website, replicas of the Mona Lisa, cars, plants and more are presented online with the notice “Adults Welcome”.
Genevieve Capa Cruz, Lego Group’s senior director of adult marketing, said the company expects sales growth for both adults and children.
“Consumer research shows that when adults build with Lego bricks, they also tend to give more to the children in their lives and encourage them to build together, making it an even more enjoyable activity for everyone family members,” she said in a statement.
Other toy makers also attract adult buyers by offering ways to personalize their toys.
MGA Entertainment, the Los Angeles-based company that makes Bratz dolls, sells collectible, DIY mini-sets, including one in which fans can make their own witching potions from “Harry Potter” or weapons from “ Lord of the Rings.” » The company’s Miniverse collection also offers the opportunity for adults (21 and over, please) to mix mini cocktails.
“People love the details of the toy. It’s like collecting a piece of art,” said Isaac Larian, founder and CEO of MGA Entertainment.
Adults make up about 15 to 20 percent of the company’s sales, he said. People aged 18 to 35 are the company’s “sweet spot,” but its consumers may also be older. MGA is currently promoting a Kylie Jenner Bratz doll and this month began releasing dolls based on characters from the “Mean Girls” films. Both are aimed at young adults.
Hot Wheel collectors like Hart plan to buy more toys in the future.
“It will probably be endless for me,” he said. “Once I upgrade to the larger display case, I will have plenty of space to fill.”
