Kidulting is the new adulting, or is it?
Moving away from the hustle culture, a new generation of millennials is returning to mindless, soothing, ‘kids-only’ activities. Here's decoding kidulting.
With a better part of the population looking to redefine personal wellness, the internet is flooding with documentation of shared experiences and short-form content trying to hack adulting. While we can all relate to the adulting-is-hard era (sorry Taylor Swift) and the algorithmic spiral can become a cosy scroll of comfort, the #kidulting community on the internet proposes a unique solution to cope.
Kidulting—a cultural, pandemic-born trend prompting people to engage in the version of ‘fun’ that is defined for kids—has unlocked both nostalgia and escapement among the people of the internet. Bloomberg reported that #kidult consumers boosted U.S. toy sales by 37% over two years to $28.6 billion in 2021. According to a U.S. industry’s Toy Association survey, 58% of adult respondents bought toys and games for themselves. Retail businesses like McDonald’s jumped in with their limited-edition adult Happy Meals that came with a collectable toy while TikTok brought back the early ’00s with Y2K fashion. Trickling down to India, today, many adults are going back to rediscover their childhood hobbies, some in hopes of finding a better way to move forward.
KIDULTING AS A DISPOSITION FOR STRESS
Meghna Sharma, a freelancer and professor in Noida, 34, started colouring mandala books last year. “During lockdown, I felt extremely anxious and looking for ways to deal with it. I tried meditation but I wasn’t able to focus, so my expert suggested colouring a mandala book. I am too engrossed while colouring that I forget other things, my mind becomes blank, which is equivalent to a state of meditation, a state of thoughtlessness. I have filled approximately 5-6 books so far and I love this activity. It has helped me immensely,” says Sharma.
Kidulting can make your brain release a happy hormone called dopamine. Experts say such pursuits can actually benefit mental health. “To overcome the sadness during the pandemic, I started riding a bicycle, and soon it turned into a passion. I started it with a group of cyclists but due to my job, I couldn’t continue with them. But I continued and every weekend, I go to nearby areas riding my bicycle and it makes me extremely happy. It brings back the happy memories of my childhood when I used to sit at the back of my grandfather’s cycle,” says Piyush Sachdeva, a practising lawyer.
HELP OR WELP?
Psychologists believe that triggering nostalgia and connecting with your “inner child” can help boost mental health. Alongside reassurance, mood enhancement and stress reduction, kidulting can bring about a creative release of carefree play. “By participating in the activities, you enjoyed as a kid, one may unwind and escape, which significantly lowers stress and anxiety levels. It brings about the production of endorphins, commonly referred to as the “feel-good” hormones, which can lead to an improvement in mood. Besides, many children’s pastimes, like colouring or constructing with blocks, promote problem-solving abilities and foster creative thinking, which improves cognitive flexibility can be tried,” says Dr Sneha Sharma, consultant psychiatrist, Aakash Healthcare.
SHORT ACTIVITIES SUGGESTED BY EXPERTS
To take kidulting a step further, here’s a moodboard of activities you can try to jog up some nostalgic memories.
1. Plan a long hiking adventure.
2. Join your friends and go to a fun fair. Ride as many rides as you can and snack on your favourite food.
3. Visit a dog park with your canines
4. Make frozen treats like popsicles at home.
5. Spend time gardening that will attract butterflies and bumblebees.
6. Plan a pyjama party with your close buddies
7. Pick a bouquet of flowers for yourself.
8. Read story and comic books
9. Order Colouring books
10. Buy games such as lego
Inputs by Dr Niharika Saini, clinical psychologist, Accord Superspeciality Hospital, Faridabad
