🎈 Kidulting: The Playful Secret to a Calmer, Happier Mind
Ever catch yourself craving the comfort of your childhood again?
Maybe it’s building a LEGO set, collecting Pokémon cards, watching cartoons after a stressful day, or cuddling a soft toy you refuse to throw away.
If yes… congratulations.
You’re officially kidulting – and science says that might be saving your mental health.
In a world that pushes you to “grow up” constantly, returning to play isn’t immaturity…
It’s self-care.
Let’s break down why this trend is exploding and how it quietly heals your mind. 👇
🎮 What Is Kidulting, Really?
Kidulting means adults choosing activities or hobbies typically associated with kids – toys, games, cartoons, coloring books, plushies, etc.
It’s not running away from adulthood.
It’s recovering the joy adulthood often steals.
Kidulting gives your brain something adulthood rarely does anymore:
Play without consequences.
And that matters more than you think.
💛How Kidulting Builds Better Mental Health
1️⃣ It shuts down stress by activating the “play state”
When you play, your brain enters a relaxed, creative mode.
Your amygdala (fear center) chills out.
Your nervous system softens.
That means less anxiety, less tension, and fewer spiraling thoughts.
2️⃣ It reconnects you with a part of yourself you abandoned
Your inner child never dies – it just gets ignored.
When you kidult, you’re telling that inner child:
“I still see you.”
This repairs emotional wounds you didn’t even know you were carrying.
3️⃣ It boosts dopamine – the healthy kind
Not the toxic dopamine you get from scrolling reels…
but the slow, meaningful dopamine that comes from making, building, imagining.
That dopamine stabilizes mood and builds motivation.
4️⃣ It protects you from burnout
Adulthood is all deadlines, tasks, responsibilities.
Play breaks the cycle of being in “serious mode” 24/7.
Think of kidulting as a mental reset button that prevents emotional exhaustion.
🌈 “Adults don’t stop playing because they grow old; they grow old because they stop playing.”
🧠 Why Kidulting Isn’t Escaping Reality – It’s Coping With It
People say:
“Grow up, stop playing with toys.”
But here’s the truth:
Adults who allow themselves pockets of joy handle life better, not worse.
Kidulting helps you:
✔ regulate emotions
✔ cope with stressful days
✔ feel safer and more grounded
✔ reconnect with creativity
✔ remember that life isn’t only about survival
It’s not childish.
It’s human.
🔮 How to Add Kidulting Into Your Routine (Without Feeling Weird)
Try any of these:
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Build LEGO or a model kit
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Play with mini collectibles
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Watch a nostalgic cartoon before bed
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Try adult coloring books
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Hug a plushie to calm anxiety
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Spend 10 minutes drawing or doodling
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Revisit a childhood game
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Create a tiny “play corner” in your room
None of this makes you less of an adult – it makes you a healthier one.
🌟 Final Thoughts: Your Inner Child Isn’t a Weakness – It’s a Superpower
Kidulting reminds you of something adulthood forces you to forget:
You’re allowed to feel safe.
You’re allowed to enjoy things.
You’re allowed to play.
Because play ≠ immaturity.
Play = healing.
Let that be the beginning of your mental reset.
💡 Find tools to protect your peace
You can find these and more tools to help you reduce digital anxiety and create a calmer daily rhythm in our Resources page below 👇
