Play-Doh’s first set for adults is peak ‘kidulting’

FastCompany: It’s a Tuesday night, and outside my apartment, my neighbors are still gathering to set off the last Fourth of July fireworks, sip a cold drink, and enjoy some final celebratory barbecues. Inside, my fiancée and I are playing with Play-Doh. Before you judge us too much, this Play-Doh isn’t the same stuff that we all grew up swirling into snakes and accidentally leaving out on the counter. This is Blooms by Play-Doh, the brand’s first set purpose-made for adults in the 70-year history of Hasbro, the toy maker.

[Photo: Hasbro] Blooms, which starts at $24.99 for a set, is one of Hasbro’s biggest swings into the “ kidult ” segment (the growing consumer base of adults investing in toys of their own) yet, and it follows a slew of similar moves by competitors like Lego and Mattel. Over the past several years, adults have become a key target audience for most of the world’s biggest toy companies—and they’re getting increasingly creative with how to draw that new base in.

With Blooms, Hasbro’s team demonstrates how clever product design and branding can elevate a toy that feels like it’s strictly for kids into something that even the least crafty of adults can enjoy. [Photo: Hasbro] How Hasbro is targeting kidults Over the past few years, the stigma around adults pursuing hobbies previously reserved for children has markedly lessened—perhaps as a lasting ripple effect from the pandemic—and it’s transforming the wider toy economy.

According to a June report from the market research company Circana, the global toy industry grew 8% in 2026 to $123 billion in sales, marking what Circana calls an inflection point “as play evolves into a cross-generational, cross-category behavior.” While kids under 10 remain the market share majority, accounting for more than 65% of global toy sales, their share is gradually declining as older consumers grab a larger chunk of the pie. The fastest growth is coming from those 15 and older, who now represent almost 20% of total toy sales and whose spending has more than doubled since 2020.

One doesn’t have to look hard to find examples of how toy companies are playing to this shift. In the past few years, Mattel has doubled down on adult-centric releases like Lebron Barbies and Cybertruck replicas ; while Lego has consistently churned out nostalgia-bait like a Gremlins -inspired set alongside artsy, display-ready renditions of works by artists like Keith Haring and Vincent Van Gogh . [Photo: Hasbro] Hasbro, which saw its revenue rise by 14% in 2025 after several consecutive years of decline, is similarly seeing returns from what it calls the “adults who play” segment.

According to the brand, over 60% of its audience is 13 or older. In the first quarter of 2026, its largest revenue came from the card game Magic: The Gathering, which has a significant adult fan base. In addition to that existing property, Hasbro has invented several new ventures aimed specifically at adults, including drinking games like Monopoly Board Crawl , a collectors-edition animatronic of Grogu from Star Wars , and a series of board games made in collaboration with the popular romantasy series Fourth Wing . With Blooms, Hasbro is taking that strategy and applying it to one of its most beloved products.

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This article discusses a significant shift in Play-Doh's branding strategy targeting adults, which is impactful for the brand industry, presents a novel approach to a classic product, and offers relevant insights for brand strategy professionals looking to engage new demographics.