Indian 'kidults' drive toy boom as adults seek screen-free unwind

From miniature cars to ship-building models, adults are redefining play

From miniature cars to complicated ship-building models, adults are driving sales globally. Brands in India are also joining the game as a new generation of 'kidults' rewrites the toy story.

Screen fatigue meets hands-on hobby

After a long day at work spent coding, responding to messages, and attending meetings, Divyanshu Rai does what many tired urban professionals do: he tries to get away from a screen.

But the 28-year-old IT professional’s idea of unwinding is not hitting a badminton court or going to a coffee shop. Instead, he turns to his ever-growing collection of toys and collectibles.

On some evenings, it is a Lego McLaren model, mirroring the actual mechanism of the sports car. On others, it is a buildable 1,000-piece ship model from ‘One Piece’, the anime series he obsessively follows.

The trend reflects a wider shift where adults seek tactile, nostalgic and skill-based hobbies as an antidote to digital overload. In India, toy and collectible brands are noticing the change and expanding adult-oriented ranges, from precision-engineered models to pop-culture build kits.