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New Delhi: Adulting isn’t easy and comforting the way we thought as a kid. Remember when we thought grown-ups had everything, from big homes and big salaries to big dreams? Now, as adults ourselves, we know the truth: responsibility often comes with burnout, anxiety, and endless bills. To cope, a new cultural trend has emerged which is termed as kidulting. Kidulting is the joyful act of embracing childlike hobbies and cute, whimsical things but with the power of an adult wallet.
As an adult belonging to millennials and Gen Z, you could be drawn to buying plushies, collecting Labubu figurines, sipping matcha lattes, or planning that long-awaited Disneyland trip. These aren’t meaningless splurges, they’re tiny acts of self-care, finding comfort in micro, nostalgic pleasures and rebellion against a world that feels increasingly unpredictable. For many, kidulting is less about escaping reality and more about reclaiming joy, creativity, and the pure delight of being carefree, even if only for a little while. Let’s explore this trend in details.
Owning a house or achieving conventional “success” feels impossible for most millennials and Gen Zers. So instead of chasing big milestones, they’re finding happiness in micro-luxuries such as aesthetic croissants, quirky mugs, and limited-edition sneakers. These little indulgences aren’t wasteful; they’re survival tools. They offer small doses of serotonin when the weight of adult life feels too heavy.
Kidulting celebrates the micro joys that bring big comfort. Each plushie or skincare product becomes a form of emotional self-soothing. It’s a tangible reminder that happiness can be found in simplicity. In uncertain times marked by economic instability and climate anxiety, these tiny joys serve as soft shields against chaos.
Research firm Circana reports that 18 plus adults are the fastest-growing demographic, with toy sales in this segment rising by 5.5 per cent over the past two years. In comparison, sales among adolescents grew by 3.3 per cent, while children’s toy spending has seen a noticeable drop since 2021.
Experts link this shift to the power of pop culture and entertainment in shaping consumer choices. A License Global forecast highlights that toys are set to remain central to brand strategies, helping companies engage audiences through nostalgia and storytelling.
Kidulting is more than a passing trend. It’s a cultural movement built on healing. For a generation weighed down by uncertainty, these “childish” joys are actually acts of self-love and remind that sometimes, the most grown-up thing we can do is to play.
