Proud to Be a Kidult

Whenever an adult likes things from their childhood, such as toys and trading cards, most people would call them "childish" or that they need to "grow up". I've heard those things many times from others and I never cared about if they found my interests weird or unusual. As an autistic adult, I've always liked action figures or any toys I grew up playing. Adults in general who enjoy those things don't mean that something is wrong with them mentally. It gives them comfort and a sense of ease. We all have our vices, and no one should be shamed for them. The term kidult and the trend of kidulting isn't a new trend. The former term dates back to the 1950s when adults enjoyed shows that were geared towards children.

Over a couple of years ago, I ran into a video on YouTube, where someone discussed something called kidulting. It became a viral trend amongst adults. So, what is a kidult and how kidulting became a part of every adult's daily life. Kidult is a combination of the word kid and adult. It's when adults enjoy hobbies and activities traditionally associated with their childhoods. Kidulting is the act of reliving your childhood. Now that we're adults, we also have the income to purchase the things we loved collecting and playing with as children. You know. Adult money. For example, back in 2023, I found a Game Boy that I really wanted and ended up purchasing it for a reasonable price from a random site. Then, I went on eBay to purchase a game to go along with the Game Boy I just bought. That game was Tetris and it's one of my favorites. Getting my first Game Boy was a dream come true. When the Game Boy was released back in America in June 1989, I was nearly two years old at the time. A little over nine years later, the Game Boy Color was released in the United States. I wanted one so bad as a kid, but instead, my parents gifted my youngest brother one and it was Atomic Purple. Real ones know what I'm talking about. The first game he got was Pokémon Yellow. He eventually let me play that game on there, which was my first Pokémon game. I also played the Gold, Silver, and Crystal versions of the game. As the years went by, I played the Red and Blue versions. I know video game consoles (handheld or not) aren't considered as toys, but they might as well be. I've been playing video games for nearly 40 years and have no plans of stopping this hobby anytime soon. People who say that video games are strictly for children probably didn't have an enjoyable childhood.

Another thing I liked as a young boy was Mighty Morphin Power Rangers action figures, which I had a couple of them. Decades later when I moved to Northwest Arkansas, I found out that there was a Toys R Us in the next town over. I hadn't been to one since I was a kid and the first thing I bought was a Red Ranger action figure. I would end up collecting different ones and other Power Rangers toys for the next three and a half years until it officially closed in 2018. Part of my childhood was gone, but at least there were Toys R Us ads on YouTube to keep me company. Finally, the last thing I liked growing up was Hot Wheels. I owned at least one and wish I had more. Still love them to this day.

So, the next time someone calls you childish for playing with action figures or dolls, take it as compliment rather than an insult. Fun and imagination don't have an expiration date. I'm proud to be a kidult and unapologetic about it.

What are some toys that you've had as a kid, but still like and/or play with today? Let's get the discussion started in the comments below. In the meantime, please give this story a like if you enjoyed it. Subscribe to my page and follow me on social media. Finally, to show me some love and support me even further, please leave a generous one-off tip, which is located at the end of this story. No matter how big or small of an amount you give, it encourages creators like me to keep writing new stories.