Claims extracted
22
sentences that state something as happening or true
Uncertain
14%
3 of 22 hedged
("reportedly", "may", "according to")
Leaning
not political
takes no side on a contested political question
Publisher signals
66/100
New York Post's corrections and
hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.
Outlets on this story
1
Entertainment
Same framing elsewhere
1
articles that frame the event the way this one does
Childless adults are beating out parents with kids as the top toy-buying demographic this year, according to data from Circana.
uncertain
adults → beat → Circana
Pokémon, Barbie, LEGO and Marvel super heroes are the top-selling brands, raking in billions from parents with kids — but even more from child-free consumers, who bought more than half of all toys sold in the first half of 2026.
asserted
who → sell → 2026
“Today, the adult collector dominates the market.
asserted
collector → dominate → market
Thats going to be a thread that we follow further in the future,” said Jeremy Padawer, president of toymaker Jazwares, whose portfolio includes Pokémon and Squishmallows.
asserted
portfolio → go → Pokémon
Padawer has spent his career looking for ways to design and market kids’ toys that also appeal to adults — and the effort has paid off.
asserted
effort → spend → adults
For example, Squishmallows were originally meant for young girls, but Jazwares found they tested well in the 16+ demo, started marketing to young women, and has now sold more than half a billion of the stuffed plushes — which were the single best selling toy in 2024, per Circana.
asserted
which → mean → Circana
So why are adults buying toys?
asserted
adults → buy → toys
Are they coddled Peter Pan types who refuse to grow up?
asserted
who → coddle → ?
No, toy have just gotten cooler, said Padawer — and a lot more valuable.
“
asserted
Padawer → get → ?
In the 1970s licensing was really introduced to consumer products, and toys specifically.
asserted
licensing → introduce → products
You used to buy a frisbee or a hula-hoop, then in the 1970s, you started buying your favorite super hero or Star Wars figures,” Padawer explained.
asserted
Padawer → use → figures
Those kids never stopped loving Star Wars and Barbie, and now they can enjoy them with their own children — or not, as the case may be.
uncertain
case → stop → children
“At the beginning of COVID, in people’s backgrounds [at virtual meetings] you would see a blank wall.
asserted
you → see → wall
By the end, you would see all this stuff, whether they had a cat, their favorite Pokémon or Star Wars product,” said Padawer.
asserted
Padawer → see → cat
“Games and puzzles” is currently the top selling toy category, which includes adult games like Dungeons & Dragons and Magic the Gathering — which hauled in $1.72 billion last year, according to Hasbro.
uncertain
which → sell → Hasbro
Pokémon cards also continue to be a white-hot product for both kids and adult collectors — the latter of which have taken to brawling in store aisles and robbing card shops.
asserted
latter → continue → shops
“If you go back 20, 25 years ago, an adult collecting toys was like the 40 Year Old Virgin.
asserted
adult → go → Virgin
Now it’s cool to be a collector,” explained Padawer, who said he keeps around 25% of his own net worth in collectables and lost a $4.5 million Pokémon card collection in the Palisades Fire.
asserted
he → ’ → Fire
The grown-up toy renaissance is part of what has inspired foundering retailer Toys R Us to launch 120 new brick-and-mortar stores by the holiday season, the company announced this month.
asserted
company → grow → season
The chain should do well, Padawer predicts, as long as adults keep nurturing their inner child.
asserted
adults → do → child
“We have people who live their entire lives around content that has truly shaped their lives. …
asserted
that → have → lives
I think it’s beautiful,” Padawer said.
asserted
Padawer → think → ?
The Aporia
