As anyone can tell you after a quick visit to the Lego store, it’s not just kids who are driving holiday toy sales these days. “Kidults” — the industry’s term for grownups who buy toys, games and collectibles for themselves — are expected to spend about $9 billion this year, accounting for most of the sector’s sales growth. What’s behind this trend? Nostalgia. Stress relief. Generations of adults raised on Star Wars and Marvel. Also: Several years of pandemic-fueled time at home. Movie tie-ins are one of the biggest draws for “kidults,” resulting in high-end “toys” like the $849 Lego Millennium Falcon shown here. So what’s next in the world of “kidult” toys? Based on the 2023 movie lineup, Dungeons & Dragons and Barbie are going to be huge.
