Kindle childlike joy with Kidult
For most of us, reflecting on childhood memories brings a sense of joy that’s always welcome, especially in our busy lives. And lately, we’re looking to escape our reality more than ever — one way to do it is by leaning heavily into nostalgia. That’s why Kidult is one of this year’s Adobe design trends.
Kidult is buoyed by our collective desire to indulge in sentimentality and emotional connection through designs that evoke childlike hobbies, designs, and activities.
Overview
Kidult, explained
As its name implies, the Kidult trend is about adults reliving their childhood memories through design. It gives people of all ages permission to play — and be playful. Kidult designs lean on a free-spirited exploration of youthful experiences that we can all relate to and remember.
This design trend encourages creators to play with tactile elements like stickers, craft supplies, toys, confetti, sprinkles, and beads. It’s a creation of childhood favorites that target adult audiences who are kids at heart.
Other design trends like All the Feels, Press Start, and Plastic Fantastic also tap into nostalgia. But there are some differences that distinguish Kidult — for example, the imperfections in handwritten elements and the colorful cutouts that make it a safe place to be messy and embrace your inner child.
Why childlike design matters right now
These days, we’re glued to our phones and seemingly live 99% of our lives staring at screens. So it makes sense that we’d long for the days when we spent hours playing outside with friends. Nostalgia reminds us that joy exists where we choose to create it.
We may crave the days of flip phones or even corded landlines, and art makes it possible to reproduce those things with a modern twist. You can use a simple template and edit a modern photo with friends to look like it’s popping up on that old flip phone.
Kidult design goes beyond aesthetics. Familiar shapes, colors, and characters tap into powerful childhood memories, creating an emotional shortcut that instantly captures attention.
Remember folding paper into just about anything in class? You can transform that paper hat into a boat setting sail to promote booking a vacation with your travel company.
Are you baking something sweet? Wholesome, colorful, cutout letters encourage audiences to feast their eyes on your latest cupcake creation.
Kidult taps into the shared feeling that we’re all human and crave comfort. This type of design brings us a sense of whimsy in social feeds often filled with sterile, professional posts.
Dance is supposed to be freeing and fun, so why not add bright colors and stickers to set the tone for your dance studio? Move to the beat and let your imagination run wild.
How to add a spark of imagination to your art
Lighthearted content feels approachable and invites people to keep an open mind. The best way to experiment with this trend is to use playful, handwritten scripts, 3D bubble effects, stickers, or micro-animations for the ultimate nostalgic vibes.
Look through images of childhood packaging, such as cereal boxes and favorite toys, or even old doodles in school notebooks, to help you get in the right headspace.
Remember to embrace imperfection — over-refining can take away from the warm, welcoming nature of this style. Mixing sentimental colors and textures with modern design principles helps you capture your inner child while gaining the trust of the outward adult.
Keep in mind that what feels nostalgic to you may not always resonate with your audience. Do your research and look for elements that can transcend individuals and generations.
A local boutique aiming to connect with young people could use cutouts of friendship bracelets to draw in besties from all walks of life for a fun workshop. The fun of promoting your entertainment podcast doesn’t have to end when you publish your latest episode. Animated stickers can give your promotional post the showstopping final act it deserves. Pass the popcorn, please.
Childlike design invites curiosity and reminds us that imperfections are what make us human.
Kidult in action
Kidult makes playtime essential and celebrates unpolished charm as a route to deeper human connection. This design trend shines the most when it promotes youthful products or casual events. Entertainment, lifestyle, and retail brands can use it to brighten someone’s day.
A makeup brand marketing an eyeshadow palette with bold, bright colors could benefit from some crayon drawings surrounding the latest product. A gaming store could use pixelated character stickers to celebrate a new game launch.
Whether young or young at heart, Kidult dares you to let your curiosity soar.