A decade ago, the toy industry was claiming that kids are getting older, younger meaning digital amusements were grabbing their attention while they mastered basic reading and writing. How times have changed! The recent pandemic heightened the growing trend of the ‘kidult’, a beyond-childhood consumer of toys and nostalgia that comforts and entertains the big kids in the house. So, it wasn’t surprising that toymaker CreateOn was a finalist in the prestigious Toy Foundation’s Toy Of The Year 2022 for its Sixties themed The Beatles Collection Magna-Tiles Structures.
Parents and grandparents have been humming in a town where I was born… when viewing CreateOn’s YouTube short of how to build a Yellow Submarine with magnetic tiles that click together. Kidults can now share the magic of the Beatles with a whole new generation. A smaller version of the themed structure set, The Beatles Yellow Submarine Magna-Tiles Structures is also available.
The print and broadcast media have taken notice of the kidult trend. During a recent segment on Fox & Friends Weekend, Toy Association toy trend specialist Jennifer Lynch shared the news that classic toys are helping those ages 18 and up Zen out in stressful times and appeal to their inner child. “This is really perfect for Beatles fans,” she said, showing off an Abbey Road album cover display made completely of Magna-Tiles. “It’s a really great option for adult collectors to kind of share in their fandom with their own kids,” said Lynch.
Another fandom that continues to expand is the adoration of guitarist Jerry Garcia and his band. Urban Dictionary defines a Deadhead as “a person who greatly enjoys the music of the Grateful Dead and particularly the genius of Jerry Garcia.” CreateOn offers all Deadheads to come together building The Grateful Dead Magna-Tiles Structures.”There is no greater honor than launching sets that not only bring joy to children, but to consumers of all ages with a shared love for a band that’s been connecting generations for decades,” stated Steve Rosen, vice president, CreateOn when announcing the collectible license acquisition. In addition to the many structures that can be configured with the traditional square Magna-Tiles, this set includes one bonus hexagonal tile to make a bass drum and a chassis to build a groovy ‘60s-style van.
For families who prefer to spotlight their own adorable band, CreateOn has a whole album of Magna-Tiles for displaying, building and playing with everyone in the house. Through their website, https://www.createon.com/custom-photo-tiles/, grownups upload favorite pics and await a package of double-sided tiles that are compatible with all Magna-Tiles. The more tiles, the more creative fun!
With back-to-school and the holidays around the corner, shop online for these kidult best-sellers at https://www.createon.com/, Maisonette, Signals catalog and Amazon.