The toy industry is growing as 'you're never too old' shoppers drive sales
The toy business has shaken off a slump. You can thank the grownups.
After a period of declining sales exacerbated by tariffs turbulence and softer household spending on discretionary purchases, the toy industry appears to have rebounded from a two-year decline with a pickup in sales in 2025, according to a report from market research firm Circana.
Shoppers not only bought more toys and games last year, but they also spent more, according to Circana, which said U.S. dollar sales came to more than $45 billion.
“The U.S. toy industry regained its footing in 2025, fueled by renewed consumer demand and a clear shift toward higher‑value purchases,” wrote Juli Lennett, toys industry advisor at Circana.
Games and puzzles saw double-digit dollar sales growth last year, driven primarily by Pokémon, building sets and trading cards, Circana said. Those three “supercategories,” along with toy purchases associated with pop culture, contributed to 92% of all toy industry growth in 2025.
Adults are increasingly buying toys for themselves. Circana said the toy market is being propelled by older consumers: People aged 18 and older in 2025 represented about a fifth of all toy sales, or about $9.1 billion, up nearly 20% year-over-year.
Older kids, young adults, Millennials and GenX are reaching for board games and toys, including nostalgic properties, according to Ali Mierzejewski, editor-in-chief of The Toy Insider.
“Games and puzzles really took off during the pandemic,” she said. “From there, we’ve seen a cultural shift in the way people view toys—and that you’re never too old to reap the benefits that play gives you.”
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