Last year, adults who like to buy toys for themselves, called "kidults," spent more money on toys even though fewer toys were sold overall in the UK. These grown-ups make up a big part of the toy market, spending over Β£1 billion. They buy toys because they think it's fun and it makes them feel better. At a big toy event in London, it was clear that companies are making toys for people of all ages, not just kids.
Not only board games, but also action figures, things to collect, Lego sets, and soft toys are popular with adults. People see these toys on social media and think they help them relax. With fewer babies being born and things getting more expensive, adults are buying toys for themselves instead of spending money on going out.
Even though it was a tough year for selling toys, the interest from adults is good news for toy companies. They are now making toys that both kids and adults can enjoy. This helps adults find happiness and relaxation through playing with toys.
Original news source: Cuddly toy sellers chase an unlikely audience: 'Kidults' (BBC)
π§ Listen:
π Vocabulary:
Group or Classroom Activities
Warm-up Activities:
– News Summary
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs or small groups. Give each group a few minutes to read the article. Then, have them work together to summarize the main points of the article in their own words. Afterward, have a few groups share their summaries with the class.
– Opinion Poll
Instructions: Have the students form pairs or small groups. Ask them to discuss and share their opinions about the topic of adults buying toys for themselves. Provide them with a list of questions to guide their discussion, such as "Do you think it's acceptable for adults to buy toys for themselves?" or "What are the benefits of adults playing with toys?" Afterward, have a few groups share their opinions with the class.
– Word Association
Instructions: Write the word "toys" on the board. Have the students take turns saying a word that they associate with toys. Encourage them to think of both positive and negative associations. Write down all the words on the board. Once everyone has had a turn, discuss the words as a class. Ask the students to explain why they made those associations.
– Sketch It
Instructions: Divide the class into pairs. Give each pair a few minutes to discuss and come up with an idea for a toy that adults would enjoy. They should think about the design, features, and target audience of their toy. Afterward, have each pair take turns sketching their toy on a piece of paper. Once everyone has finished, ask a few pairs to present their toy to the class and explain their design choices.
– Vocabulary Pictionary
Instructions: Prepare a list of vocabulary words related to the article, such as "kidults," "collect," "Lego," "relaxation," etc. Divide the class into teams. Give each team a vocabulary word and have them take turns sending one person up to the board to draw a quick sketch that represents the word. The rest of the team must guess the word within a time limit. Award points for each correct guess. Repeat with different vocabulary words.
π€ Comprehension Questions:
Adults spent more money on toys last year.
Adults buy toys for themselves because they think it's fun and it makes them feel better.
Board games, action figures, things to collect, Lego sets, and soft toys are popular with adults.
Adults think toys help them relax because they see them on social media and it helps them feel calm and happy.
Adults are buying toys for themselves instead of going out because there are fewer babies being born and things are getting more expensive.
The good news for toy companies is that adults are interested in buying toys, so they are making toys that both kids and adults can enjoy.
Adults find happiness and relaxation through toys by playing with them and having fun. It helps them feel happy and relaxed.
π§βοΈ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:
Last year, adults who like to buy toys for themselves, "kidults," spent money on toys even though toys were sold overall in the UK. These grown-ups make up a big part of the toy market, spending over Β£1 billion. They buy toys because they it's fun and it makes them better. At a big toy event in London, it was clear that companies are making toys for people of all ages, not just kids. Not only board games, but also action figures, things to , Lego sets, and toys are popular with adults. People see these toys on media and think they help them relax. With fewer babies being born and things getting more expensive, adults are buying toys for themselves instead of money on going out. Even though it was a tough year for selling toys, the interest from is news for toy companies. They are now making toys that both kids and adults can enjoy. This adults find happiness and relaxation through playing with toys.
π¬ Discussion Questions:
1. What is a "kidult"?
2. How would you feel if you saw adults playing with toys?
3. Do you like buying toys for yourself? Why or why not?
4. What are some types of toys that adults like to buy?
5. How do toys make people feel better?
6. Do you think it's important for adults to play with toys? Why or why not?
7. Why do you think adults are buying toys instead of going out?
8. What are some ways that adults can relax with toys?
9. How do you think toy companies feel about adults buying toys?
10. Do you think it's a good idea for toy companies to make toys for both kids and adults? Why or why not?
11. How do toys help adults find happiness and relaxation?
12. Why do you think fewer babies being born is affecting toy sales?
Individual Activities
ππ Vocabulary Meanings:
Click a dot next to a word, then click the dot next to its meaning to draw a line connecting them.
Words
Meanings
π‘ Multiple Choice Questions:
π΅οΈ True or False Questions:
π Write a Summary:
Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.
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