Table of contents
What is Kidulting?
Adults participating in activities reserved for kids to obtain a sense of nostalgic tranquility from memory flashbacks is referred to as kidulting. In simple terms, kidulting is when an adult experiences a childhood memory flashback from an activity that drives them to re-live the moment.
It happens particularly in activities where they have spent most of their time on, or have a deeper attachment that gives them unbridled joy. Some oversee it as a brief suspension of the challenges associated with the present version but re-connecting with the innocence is today delivering joy to many.
So, if you see an adult playing a swing in a park, that's kidulting as the adult is experiencing a sense of strong emotion associated with that activity from the past that makes them overjoyed with the nostalgic flashbacks and memories.
It is currently trending globally among adults and psychologists explain this helps adults in several ways, mentally, emotionally, and physically and is also considered a must-have therapy for long-term positive health.
The term kidulting has been popularly wide spreading post-pandemic like a reunion for adults who were house arrested due to the outbreak and are seeking freedom from activities of their bygone days to temporarily neglect current complicated situations of the present.
It was founded on the theories in the psychology of nostalgia and the therapeutic practice of inner-child therapy. It allows adults to obtain a sense of relief from reliving the carefree days of their youth and helps them boost their productivity and attitude back to reality.
Even McDonald's has been engaging to promote and spread awareness of the essence of kidulting by introducing adult-specific Happy Meals that come with collectibles inside to help them relive a childhood memory of having a happy meal with their parents (1).
Moreover, TikTok and Instagram also featured several trends of widespread awareness of kidulting with adults reliving their 90s or childhood fashion outfits and redoing them in the present.
Kidulting is all about embracing childhood's joy, innocence, playfulness, and curiosity to explore which many adults feel completely disconnected from due to several burdens of responsibilities in their grown-up lives.
Impact of Kidulting on Adults
Adults engaging in kidulting activities have experienced positive outcomes in terms of mental health and physical well-being. The sense of nostalgic flashback and reliving the experience has helped many in several ways such as:
- Reducing Stress
It is scientifically proven that participating in activities of the past that brings back memories of joy helps reduce stress and anxiety on severe levels and is practiced by several therapists as a way to help their clients obtain a sense of escapism.
- Refreshment
Kidulting is simply not mentally feeling joy from an activity that refreshes the mind from visibly sensing a picture but it refers to physically engaging in the activity that refreshes the mental and physical components of the brain.
- Creative Enhancement
When you're mental and physical health is refreshed and street free it helps you release the buried creative from the burden of responsibilities and sadness of achieving aims in the present realm.
- Refine Mood
Engagement in kidulting activities releases endorphins that develop feel-good hormones that help you to uplift your mood and acquire a happy and refined mood.
- Improving Socializing
Kidulting can also be a social activity that also promotes and speak with a voice of freedom, tranquility, and happiness to relive the moment you once cherished and could never imagine attaining back in reality.
- Provides Balance
Kidulting in your routine would be a wise choice of therapy that allows you to balance your stressful activities with a moment of joy from reliving experiences that make you happy, stress-free and refresh your mind and mood.
Kid Note
Kidulting is a mental therapy that encourages adults to reconnect their childhood memories and experience a moment of joy from reliving the experience. It is engaging, playful, and an emotional ride that helps you to mentally stay balanced.
Don't take it as a task, but simply ask yourself if a certain activity would bring a smile to your deemed face and allow yourself to express the energy within the bottom of your mind, heart, and brain, sure it will be helpful.
