“Kidult” Toys Are the Millennial Shopping Trend We Should’ve Seen Coming

Wait, wasn’t this just rebooted in 2016? Yes, that was the Furby Connect, one of a few relaunched Furbies to hit the market since the 1998 original, but the 2023 version takes things to the next level. Its mechanics are much quieter than earlier models, it comes with accessories (including a pizza necklace that kids can wear—and use to feed the Furby), it’s easier to understand (more English, less Furbish). But, best of all, it can be turned off at any time with three taps of the gem in its forehead.

The Doodle Pad you know and love is back, only with an LCD screen. You can save your designs, then press a button to swipe the screen “clean” and start over, making it a more travel-friendly, mess-free toy.

Parents may be delighted to learn the Cozy Coupe hasn’t gone anywhere, and as of last fall, it can even be a desktop (or dollhouse) accessory. MGA’s Miniverse launched Little Tikes Minis, a series of surprise balls featuring micro takes on toddler favorites, like the aforementioned coupe, Turtle Sandbox and Jump n’ Slide Bouncer.

It looks and sounds just like the late ‘90s original. Just imagine telling your kids how cutting edge those pixelated pets were back in your day.

Polly’s gone through a metamorphosis over the years (including becoming less pocket-sized at one point), but the concept remains the same: compact cases hosting entire playlands for Polly and her pals.

Prepare to feel your age: If the Bratz dolls were human, they could legally drink by now. The brand celebrated its 20^th anniversary in 2021 by bringing back the original dolls, complete with a very on-brand holographic poster.

Now prepare to feel ancient: The latest historic American Girls are from the 1900s…specifically 1999. Isabel and Nikki Hoffman are twins living at the turn of the millennium, struggling with dial-up, completing their reading logs to score Pizza Hut personal pan pizzas and crafting the perfect AIM away message.

The old school peg art kit got a glow-up, repositioned as wall art with more kidult-friendly designs. You’re not playing with kids’ toys; you’re designing your own decor!

You can still buy the classic Chatter Phone for kids, though we imagine it comes with a lot of explaining to do (namely, what a landline is and how a rotary phone works). This version is for parents, featuring Bluetooth capabilities so you can send and receive real calls. The dream.

Proving you’re never too old for Play-Doh, the brand sells a cheeky set of scents aimed at adults (which they market as an alternative to adult coloring books). There’s the coffee-fragranced Overpriced Latte, Mom Jeans (featuring a fresh denim aroma), the smoked meat scent of Grill King, just to name a few.

Her hair isn’t quite as long, but her mini dress is just as psychedelic, and she’s got rainbow pastel highlights. (And if the throwback doesn’t resonate with you, your inner kidult may delight in the full set of Barbie the Movie dolls, which are also in stores now.)

The classic water gun staged a comeback in 2020, though reviews have been mixed on its release (overall, it’s fun, but many say it leaks more than the original). If you’ve been itching to school your kids in a water fight, consider this your excuse to finally make it happen this summer.

Care Bears have gotten a more cartoonish appearance in recent years, and this year, they’ve been shrunken into the perfect backpack accessory. Playing on the mystery box trend, you don’t know which character you’ll get, but rest assured that it will be tiny, adorable and come with its own keychain-connected cubby to hang out in.