New York: Since the pandemic, Elizabeth Hulanik has relied on childhood playthings to decompress. To play with the Legos on his desk, he and his co-workers pool their money to buy them from Target. She resumed playing with Silly Putty, saying the color-changing bouncy, rubbery substance brought her comfort.

When she was a child, she waited a year for her mother to buy her an American Girl doll named Samantha, and now, she says, it serves as a reminder to always be patient. She keeps the doll in her china cabinet.

I will probably always remember (it). "I've always needed something to do, and it's probably the safest bet for me to stick with a toy rather than learn how to fix cars or something like that," said the 37-year-old Piscataway, New Jersey resident.

Also Read: S.Korea: Yoon's approval rating rises to 41.1 pc

Long before the pandemic, many adults turned to toys, from Legos to collectibles, to console their inner child. However, according to Jim Silver, editor-in-chief of toy review website TTPM, the stress created by the health crisis accelerated and strengthened the trend.

In addition, toy makers such as Mattel's American Girl and Build-a-Bear Workshop Inc. see adults' interest in toys last longer and are developing new products, services and websites that appeal to older groups despite the threat of the pandemic. are targeting. move back.

This "child-adult" market is huge. People 18 and older were to account for 14%, or $5.7 billion, of toy industry sales in the United States in the year ending September 2022. Market research company NPD Group Inc. As per, it grew by 19% during the last 12 months ending in September 2021. Additionally, this group saw the second fastest growth after customers between the ages of 12 and 17.

Earlier this year after seeing adults without kids, Mattel's American Girl Cafe began serving more adult fare like beetroot and goat cheese salads and cocktails like Bloody Marys and Aperol Spritz. For those 18 and older, Build-a-Bear last year launched Bear Cave, a website that features products like plush rabbits holding wine bottles. And just in time for the holidays, Basic Fun rereleased the classic 1960s Light Bright toy with a high-tech twist as wall art with thousands of pegs and 45 LED lights for a $99 price tag.

Since 2020, LEGO A/S has been continuously expanding its range of products for adults; It currently offers 100 sets including adventure space travel and high-end automobiles.

Also Read:  Italian economy minister: Rome's concerns about ECB rate increases

Lego senior director Genevieve Cruz, who has noticed that adults of all ages are embracing the colorful building blocks, said the pandemic "definitely acted as a catalyst for this trend as adults find themselves at home." But got stuck and did nothing. They have a lot of time on their hands." However, we think the trend is wider than the pandemic.

What is different this time, according to executives, is how deeply consumers are involved in playing the role. According to Build-A-Bear, people actually take their stuffed animals to bed with them. 

According to Jaime Cygielman, general manager and president of American Girl, women dress in outfits inspired by their favorite dolls and bring dolls from their youth to the cafe to sit with them. She also noticed that they were taking them to the store's hair salons or doll hospitals to have their hair styled or fixed.

Recently, Marisa Dragos, 23, and her childhood friend Lisa Costantino, 24, were dining with two other women at the American Girl Cafe in Manhattan.

Lego sets with Harry Potter and Star Wars themes, plush toys like JazzWare's Squishmollows, and Marvel-branded action figures are the most popular items for adults, according to NPD.

To appeal to this demographic, McDonald's released adult Happy Meals in October that included vintage figurines made by clothing line Cactus Plant Flea Market.

 In the first four days of the promotion, the company sold half of its collection's inventory, according to McDonald's President and CEO Chris Kempczynski.

The $38 billion in annual sales generated by the toy industry last year could use some help from adults.

Toy sales fell 3% in the first nine months of this year, but spending increased by the same percentage due to price hikes. This represents a significant change from the first two years of the pandemic, when sales soared as parents spent on dolls, board games and other toys to keep their young children occupied who were staying home.

Price, Sharon Build-A-Bear CEO John, claimed that since they first noticed adults buying stuffed animals for themselves five years ago, the trend has only gotten bigger. As a result, the business is focusing its online business with adults in mind.

There are a lot more teenagers and adults in our stores enjoying themselves, not just with their families but also with one another, according to John.

Adults and teenagers now account for 40% of all sales at Build-a-Bear, up from 20% in 2012. Consumers of all ages are embracing toys as a way to tap into their inner youth.

Also Read:  Americans Review a Difficult Economic Year

Recent American Girl store visitors included 61-year-old Loren Brereton and her 7-year-old granddaughter Alana. She claimed that she found solace in her own daughter's dolls during the pandemic. She also played with some of her son's toys, including some Legos. She is now considering getting a few toys for herself.