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Are you ever too old for toys?

12th December 2025 - 02nd January 2026

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37586

Total votes

5222

5-11 votes

32264

11-16+ votes

With the news that toy sales have increased for the first time since the pandemic, we were interested to hear that companies have been appealing to both young people and adults to increase their sales. It turns out, adults who like doing or buying things that are intended for children, known as “kidults” , are partly responsible for the growing interest. We asked our voters to consider whether there should be an age limit to playing with toys, or if there’s always a place for them in a person’s life.

Primary 7-11, Secondary, College and 16+ students discussed, "Are you ever too old for toys?", while Primary 5-7 voters considered, "Are screens better than toys?"

37,586 young people responded to this VoteTopic.

child

Age 5-11 voter

Adults should be able to use toys because it might teach them new skills.

teenager

Age 11-16 voter

It depends on the toys. As an adult, you should have bigger priorities.

student

Age 11-16 voter

Most of us agree you can never be too old for toys. However, this does depend on the type of toy [...] but we believe everyone is entitled to play with toys and collect toys if it brings them joy!

83% of those aged 7-16+ said you aren't ever too old for toys.

  • Primary 7-11-year olds, Secondary, College and 16+ students were discussing the question, "Are you ever too old for toys?"
  • The majority, at 83%, voted No.
  • The breakdown across age groups was similar, however College & 16+ students had the greatest No vote, at 84%.
60% of 5-7-year olds said they prefer toys to screens.

  • Primary 5-7-year olds discussed the question, "Are screens better than toys?"
  • The result was less decisive, however the majority said No.
Many said it is dependent on the toy. They said adults using Lego and collecting Labubus is ok but that some toys are only appropriate for young children.

  • Many young people wanted to build more nuance into their arguments, believing that some toys are ok to play with or collect as adults but others are less socially acceptable.
  • No voters said toys can help adults feel nostalgic joy, develop new skills and unwind after work.