Adults swapping screen time for Lego and childhood toys, fuelling sales surge

A growing number of adults are turning away from scrolling on their phones and back toward childhood toys, games and pastimes, in a trend that is helping to drive a sales surge for at least one major toymaker.

Lego has seen a marked increase in adult enthusiasts rediscovering their love for its building sets, a shift that has contributed to a rise in revenues of 21% for the Danish company, according to figures cited in reports on the trend.

The renewed interest in toys among adults extends beyond Lego, with people also returning to activities such as building remote control cars and sewing as ways to unwind from the stresses of daily adult life. Enthusiasts describe these pastimes as a source of relaxation and creative satisfaction that offers a break from the demands of work and digital devices.

Toy companies have increasingly recognised adults as a distinct and growing customer base in recent years, with product ranges and marketing that speak directly to grown-up hobbyists rather than only to children. The trend reflects wider conversations about screen time, wellbeing and the appeal of tactile, hands-on hobbies as an alternative to time spent online.

The scale of the shift toward adult toy collecting and hobby pastimes suggests it is becoming an increasingly significant part of the toy industry's customer base, rather than a niche interest.