LEGO Brick Day: Why is it a serious hobby for adults?

January 28th is International Lego Day, and it is interesting that the bricks created in 1932 have become not only a favorite toy for children, but also a hobby for adults. According to market research company Circana, as much as 28 percent of all toy market sales are made up of toys bought by adults not for children, but for themselves. Last year, adults bought more toys for themselves than for any other age group, even surpassing preschoolers. This trend has even been called “kidults” (a combination of the English words “kid” + “adult”). Members of the Lithuanian adult Lego fan community (“AFOL Lithuania”) shared more about how they chose such a hobby, how it helps to expand their circle of friends and even foster emotional health.

Kid's fashion

Research company IntoTheMinds says that “kidults” are the most attractive target group for toy manufacturers. Lego, Pokémon and Star Wars toys are especially popular among adults, as are collectible cards and figurines and trendy Labubu accessories. According to Circana, the Lego Botanicals series, which makes flowers from building blocks, is the most popular toy in the adult toy category. It has become not only a decoration for the interior, but also an activity that promotes relaxation, mindfulness and emotional health.

The surge in popularity is due to the pleasures adults have discovered in playing, collecting, and decorating their homes during the pandemic. Older toy buyers are motivated by a sense of childhood nostalgia, the opportunity to finally own a toy they once dreamed of, and the fear of missing out (FOMO) that collectible toys will soon be sold out and gone.

Joining fan clubs

Lego fans around the world also form fan clubs called Lego Users Groups. Members of the Lithuanian Lego enthusiasts club AFOL Lithuania talked about their activities, how they share their hobby virtually or in live meetings, and also participate in events and festivals by creating exhibitions of structures or organizing Lego conventions. For example, last year, the Lego enthusiasts' festival Brick Lab'25 was held next to Lituanica X Robot games at the Technin training center in Vilnius, bringing together participants of all ages. Enthusiasts exhibited their sets and their own creations, competed in competitions for the tallest, most colorful and most complex structure, robot competitions, and shared their discoveries.

Jonas Juodka, a Vilnius resident, has been building a real Lego city with modular houses at home for several years now – in which you can lift and inspect each floor and the detailed rooms from the inside, from residential apartments to cafes, art galleries or office buildings. J. Juodka has also figured out how to construct a realistic street surface, with all the details – hydrants, road signs, lighting poles and even storm drains.

"I had to dedicate an entire room to this city at home. I filled the city spaces in it one by one - the old town, buildings of newer architecture, empty "plots" are initially filled with outdoor cafes or playgrounds, but then I figure out where to insert new buildings. This requires a lot of creativity, design and ordering the sets themselves. When I started building Lego, I noticed that I began to look at things in real life differently - I plan more carefully, look for various solutions and that's how life itself falls into place, like building blocks. It's especially fun when friends come to visit - all conversations start with the Lego city, which also reflects our lives. While creating the city, I discovered that everything we do is a creative activity that depends on us," says J. Juodka, who has gathered a considerable circle of fans on the social network Instagram, where he shares photos and videos of his city.

Juozas and Laura Bitkevičiai participate in Lego enthusiast events with their children. The couple is happy that a common hobby unites the whole family, and no one has any questions about what to give as a gift for various holidays. After unwrapping the gifts, everyone starts putting together the new sets - it has become a nice tradition of spending family time together.

Techin student Džiugas loves to build and dreams of creating computer games in the future. Construction sets help him imagine the characters and situations of future games.

Construction tournaments

Collectors also pay attention to toys that are no longer produced, including Lego Bionicle robots, whose fans compete not only for the largest collection, but even meet in international construction tournaments. The largest Bionicle collection in Lithuania is amassed by a teenager named Neilas. He engages in this hobby together with his friends, with whom he always has something to do. His friend Benediktas even participated in unofficial international Bionicle competitions organized by Lego fans, where participants have to compete for the most complex and creative creation on a declared theme.

Another popular category of adult toys is board games and role-playing games. Eugenijus Ambroz has found a way to combine several games into one - he leads a Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) game for his friends and associates, where each hero figure and the game environment are built from Lego bricks. D&D is a fantasy board game in which one player leads the story, while the others control individual characters. Players verbally describe the actions of their characters in an imaginary world, and dice rolls determine the outcome of events. At the same time, it is a cooperative game in which the most important thing is adventure, problem-solving and character development, rather than winning or losing.

It also has a deeper meaning

Scientists have an answer to why so many adults find pleasure in playing. Family and child psychologist Dr. Julie Kirkham told the BBC that this adult behavior can be explained by Donald Winnicott's theory, according to which emotional attachment to an object (a toy, blanket or other object) helps a child adapt to the uncertainty of change. For adults, such a transitional object also provides a strong, reassuring connection to the past. The psychologist emphasizes that the most important thing is not the object itself, but what it means to us, which is why the social connections and good emotions created with the help of toys are very valuable.

More information: https://www.afol.lt/

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