more than US$7 billion in the 12 months ending June 2024. Adult shoppers now account for roughly one in every five toy purchases in the US. This June, Crayola debuted its largest adult-focused product line to date, aptly dubbed “All Grown Up”, featuring professional alcohol-based markers, acrylic paint markers and artist-illustrated colouring books. Speaking with Inside Retail, Crayola executive vice president of marketing and CCO Ben Thomas said the launch marked a natural progression as the company followed its consumers’ interests into adulthood. We’ve always been helping parents and educators raise creatively alive kids, and at the heart of that strategy is this belief that creativity is a life skill that helps you realise your full potential,” said Thomas. “And like with any other skill, it needs to be nurtured and developed, and that doesn’t stop when you become an adult. There’s clearly a desire from adults through colouring and other forms of creativity to reconnect and calm down, to drive that emotional nourishment.” Tapping into a growingly evident market Thomas said Crayola began analysing its sales data to better understand who was buying its products. One statistic stood out. “We discovered that at one point, over 50 per cent of our sales came from adults and homes without children. These shoppers were really reconnecting with their creativity, or already had integrated creativity into their rituals, and were using tools from Crayola to do so. “We took a pause and stopped to say that we would design a range for grown-ups from the ground up. Which is to say we provide products of professional quality and performance and to really meet grown-ups where they were in tone, language and content.” The resulting All Grown Up range includes alcohol-based markers developed for a more mature, less accident-prone consumer, alongside colouring books and other creative products. Creating products like these enables Crayola to become a lifelong creativity partner, Thomas said. “Whether you’re just beginning your creativity journey, or you’ve always nurtured this interest, Crayola now has a solution suitable for all ages.” Crayola isn’t the only brand shifting its product development strategy to target more mature customers. Earlier this year, Hasbro expanded Play-Doh beyond children’s play with the launch of Blooms by Play-Doh, the brand’s first range aimed at the adult crafting and home décor market. Priced between US$24.99 and US$39.99, the kits allow users to create floral arrangements using Play-Doh compound, moulds, tools and finishing spray. Brian Baker, Play-Doh’s senior vice president, said the range allows adults to “get lost in the process” and “create something beautiful you can enjoy long after you’ve made it”. Lego, meanwhile, has also been targeting adult consumers’ appetite for creative play, having launched its adult-focused category in 2020. The group’s adult-oriented products, which range from US$700 Titanic replicas to intricate floral bouquet kits, have helped drive the company’s sales revival in recent years. The strategy has helped fuel the company’s recent growth, with revenue rising 12 per cent to DKK83.5 billion (roughly US$13 billion) in 2025. How Crayola is speaking to grown-ups Adult-focused products also come with adult-oriented pricing. Crayola’s All Grown Up collection ranges from themed colouring books, including Plant Lady and Stay Hydrated, which features an espresso martini on the cover, priced at US$7.99, to a 120-count marker box costing US$104.99. Thomas said the pricing structure gives customers an accessible entry point before encouraging them to explore more advanced artistic pursuits through the broader range. The company has also moved well beyond traditional toy marketing. Rather than promoting the range alongside children’s products, Crayola launched All Grown Up with Camp Crayola, a one-day, adults-only pop-up experience at Domino Park in Brooklyn, New York, on June 29. More than 2,000 people attended, taking part in activities ranging from colouring sessions to decorating tote bags with the company’s acrylic markers. Thomas said more Camp Crayola experiences would follow, alongside “Crayola After Dark” events featuring DJs and themed workshops during the holiday season. In addition to the brand’s main social media accounts, Thomas said Crayola has launched dedicated marketing channels for its adult product line. “We don’t want to talk to adults on a kid- or educator-focused channel. So we’ve set up new channels and are talking in creative and authentic, tongue-in-cheek ways to have some fun with the adult audience,” said Thomas. For Thomas, the growth of the kidult market reflects broader changes in how adults are looking to spend their leisure time. While nostalgia undoubtedly plays a role, he believes creativity has become increasingly valuable as people seek respite from screen-heavy lives. “Creativity doesn’t just expire after childhood. It is a life skill, one that you can nurture and develop. As a brand, we’re a trusted partner to engage with for a lifetime of creativity. It’s all about reconnecting to that joy of creation and emotional nourishment, which, let’s be honest, we could all do with a little more of.” Further reading: Smart play: Lego bridges traditional bricks and tech at CES