玩具不再专属儿童 "童心未泯的一代"崛起
Rise of the 'kidults': why toys are no longer just for children
For Rob Willner, when work finishes, playtime begins. He likes nothing more when he gets home of an evening, than to kick off his shoes and upturn a crate of sleek Scandinavian Lego.
对于罗布•维尔纳来说,工作结束以后,游戏时间就开始了.傍晚下班回到家,踢掉鞋子,搬出酷炫的丹麦乐高积木箱,这就是他最幸福的时刻.
"It's not like I'm obsessed with it, but there's a simplicity to Lego models that's quite nice – to clear your mind and help it focus a bit," he says, only a touch sheepishly.
"我并没有沉迷于此,不过,乐高玩具的确有一种简单质朴的美好,它可以让我保持头脑清醒,帮我集中注意力,"他有点害羞地说.
Willner is 25 years old, and combines studying for a PhD in anthropology and religion at the University of Kent with youth work in north London, where he lives with his wife, Adele, a teacher. And he is not alone in his childish after-work habits.
维尔纳今年25岁,他在肯特大学攻读人类学与宗教的博士学位,同时还在北伦敦从事青少年工作,他的妻子阿黛尔是一名老师,两人一起住在北伦敦.说到他下班后孩子气的兴趣爱好,其实很多人都和他一样.
According to new research conducted by NPD Group, a retail analyst, sales of toys to adults have increased by almost two thirds over the past five years, and by more than 20 percent in just the last year. As a result, the 'toys for adults' market (which, by the way, is a careful Google search, best done at home) is now worth £300m – and said to be growing three times faster than the children's toy market itself.
As with most things, millennials are largely to blame. More than half of the 'kidult' spend comes from 18 to 34-year-olds, snapping up everything from £500 Scalextric sets to drones, Nerf guns and £2,00 Star Wars Lego models.
与很多其他事情一样,千禧一代是主要的责任人.超过半数的"购买儿童玩具的成年人"年龄在18到34岁之间,从500英镑的Scalextric赛车系列到无人机,从Nerf手枪到200英镑的星球大战乐高模型,无一不是他们抢购的对象.
For some it's a chance to recapture the careless raptures of childhood, while for others it's a chance to escape the hassle and hardships of adult life – akin to other 'mindfulness aids' like adult colouring books and dot-to-dot. For Willner, it's both.
对一些人来说,这些玩具可以重温童年时代无忧无虑的幸福,而对于另一些人来说,它们可以使人逃离成人世界的困扰和艰辛——就像其他帮助"正念"的成人填色本和点对点智力游戏一样.对于维尔纳来说,这两种原因都有.
"It reminds me of the playful side of life, but also helps me to keep perspective. Lego isn't transcendent, but it's fun, and gives you a chance to think about what's really important."
"它总能让我想到生活有意思的一面,但同时也引导我客观地看世界.乐高并不是什么超然的东西,但是它十分有趣,它可以让你思考什么是真正重要的事物."
At home in Enfield, he has two technicolour crates of loose childhood Lego tucked away under a bed, but also various large "sentimental" models ornamenting the house. For instance, there's a Lego VW campervan (worth £85) he and Adele received as a wedding present last summer, reminding them of the full-size version they drove across New Zealand. Or the Star Wars' 'X-Wing Fighter' his youth group recently clubbed together to get him as a thank-you present. Privately, he adds to his collection with a new model every two months or so, normally from the infrastructure-for-fun Lego City range – which isn't as babyish as some.
