A recent study by Argos for the brand’s 50th birthday, found that Millennial Brits are a nation of ‘kidults’, with 81 percent admitting they still enjoy the hobbies they loved as a child.
In fact, almost a quarter (21 percent) admit they can often be found playing with LEGO, while over a third (32 percent) still play video games.
Doing jigsaws (23 percent), painting (14 per cent) collecting soft toys (eight percent) and playing with Scalextric (seven percent) are other pastimes Brits over the age of thirty refuse to leave behind.
One in twenty (four percent) even insist on riding a scooter for fun, while three percent think they are cool enough to still be seen cruising along on a skateboard.
More than half (60 percent) of thirty and forty somethings believe they are still children at heart, according to the poll, which was commissioned to commemorate 50 years of Argos.
One in four (26 percent) admit they still love the hobbies they had as a child, with a third (32 percent) agreeing that there has been a resurgence in traditional hobbies such as reading comics, skateboarding and building model kits in recent years.
Fay Williams, Head of Toy Buying for Argos said: “Hobbies are so much more than just a way to unwind after a long day or a busy week - they spark the imagination, nurture creativity and can often have a long-lasting impact on a person’s life, something that is very clear from the results of our research.
“We’ve been passionate about play since we opened our first store in 1973 and during that time, we’ve been lucky enough to accompany thousands of customers of all ages on the journey from finding a fun hobby or passion in childhood to enjoying it into adulthood, so much so that we now sell a toy every two seconds through our stores and website.”
According to the poll, three quarters (74 percent) believe that keeping your ‘inner child’ alive is a good thing, with 60 percent agreeing that having hobbies keeps you young.
78 percent believe that hobbies are good for their wellbeing, with half (51 percent) admitting that their hobbies help them relax and destress (90 percent). Four in ten (37 percent) say their hobbies give them some time and peace (32 percent).
Demonstrating the long-lasting impact that play and hobbies can have in early childhood, more than half (69 percent) of the over 30’s polled say that one of their childhood hobbies ended up sparking a lifelong interest.
It is no surprise then that almost three in ten (26 percent) of those polled with children say they are actively encouraging their kids to take up a hobby, with 38 percent saying that traditional hobbies are as important as modern ones like gaming or coding.
Half of those polled do their favourite activity with someone else, while more than half (66 percent) agree that doing a hobby with a friend or family member makes it more enjoyable.
THE TOP TWENTY CHILDISH PASTIMES THAT MILLENNIAL BRITS STILL ENJOY
- Playing video games - 32 percent
- Swimming – 30 per cent
- Colouring in - 24 percent
- Doing jigsaws - 23 percent
- Playing football – 23 per cent
- Playing with LEGO - 21 percent
- Drawing – 20 per cent
- Dancing – 15 per cent
- Painting – 14 per cent
- Chess – 13 per cent
- Knitting – 11 per cent
- Scrapbooking - 9 percent
- Reading comics - 9 percent
- Collecting soft toys - 8 percent
- Building model kits – 8 per cent
- Scalextrics - 7 percent
- Playing the guitar – 7 per cent
- Playing the piano – 6 per cent
- Scooting - 4 percent
- Skateboarding - 3 percent