From penning stories to playing dress-up, paddling in ball pits to making mini-worlds, adults are rekindling childhood whimsy as they look to play up their creative side. ‘Kidulting’ is becoming de rigueur among those who are feeling pressure to be productive rather than creative.

Pattern designer Camille Walala collaborated with LEGO on an installation in London to launch Dots, LEGO’s 2D-tile play concept. With adults as well as children interested in immersive experiences and personalisation in play, the pop-up aimed to provide multi-generational appeal.

Gaming is becoming a popular career path, but where’s the line between fun and work in this space? Canvas8 spoke to Maria Törhönen, a scholar with the Gamification Group, to understand how people’s perceptions of their obligation towards content creation can influence their online success.

LEGO is collaborating with book publisher Chronicle to release a collection of titles catering to the toy brand’s growing adult fanbase. As people realize the brain-boosting and stress-relieving benefits of play, they’re adopting childlike pastimes and embracing the joy of creation.