The Play-Doh Is Still in the Box
Adults are why the toy market is growing. I shopped and stopped there.
On July 10 I ordered the new Play-Doh Blooms flower kit aimed at adults. I paid $24.97. My money. Hasbro didn’t send me this for free. It was my birthday weekend. I wanted the familiar scent, a nostalgic hit even though I refuse to get older.
Hell, the entire weekend fell apart. I didn’t get the flight of ice cream flavors I planned on. I didn’t even get my Thai dinner. The restaurant boxed my food as a to-go order instead of serving it to me. I had a massage appointment, so I had to decide to skip eating or relax. I picked the massage. Play was never going to happen.
Later I made a date with myself to try it out. Another time I invited my neighbor to join me. I planned to film a before-and-after video. I was going to write a post about it, assuming it would be fun even if it turned out ugly.
A month later, the kit still sits in the box. Unopened. I’ve only touched it to move it. It keeps getting in the way.
I’m repeating my worn pattern. Where I buy the thing in hopes of being the person who does that thing. But instead that thing just sits in the box. Until I return it or donate it. Clothes for an activity I never start. Supplies for a hobby I never get around to.
At what age will I stop trying to be someone I’m not? It’s exhausting.
And clearly profitable. Hasbro, Lego and Mattel all sell items for the “kidult” audience. Yes, that’s supposed to be us.
More toys are sold for adults than for preschoolers, Circana found in a 2024 report. Sharing be damned.
I have a friend with a December birthday. I got her the Lego Christmas tree and poinsettia kits. She told me she now assembles them to mark the start of the holiday season, and takes them apart when she’s over it. Storing them away until next year. I love that for her.
Me? Clearly they would stay in the box.
Those 15 and older account for almost 20% of total toy sales, according to Circana’s 2026 Global Toy Report. We’ve doubled our spending since 2020 on collectibles and nostalgia-led purchases. I’m just thrilled to be in the same cohort as a teen.
I understand the appeal. And I want to fit in and be a part of the group that goes giddy over toys. But I don’t. The Play-Doh is supposed to look pretty when it’s done. Mine won’t. The coffee mug I painted looked like a kindergartner did it. The canvas I painted went straight to the trash. And even if it did turn out, then what?
I’m realizing my toys need to serve a purpose, not just take up space. Like my NeeDoh, which I use on work calls to cut into my anxiety and prevent me from speaking up too quickly.
The Play-Doh is still in the box and I haven’t gotten rid of it. Yet. It’s only a matter of time before I pass it on to someone, likely unopened. It cost me $24.97 to pretend to be someone I’m not.
When life stops making sense, we shop. More soon.
