I share my house with a Terminator, Kung Fu Panda and 30 other life-sized props
Martin James, 61, lives in a one-bedroom flat in Caerphilly county with 32 life-sized film and character props, including the Terminator, Kung Fu Panda and Pennywise. He says he collects and modifies unusual items for enjoyment rather than profit, arguing that “life is too short to be boring”; his collection reflects a wider growth in adult collecting, often described as the “kidult” market.
James traded his motorbike for a Terminator figure nearly a decade ago and says he has turned down an offer of £10,000 for his Kung Fu Panda model. Collection-management entrepreneur Elliot Riley-Walsh said kidults accounted for a third of UK toy sales in 2025, with interest growing since the pandemic as adults revisit childhood hobbies; he also cited social media and celebrities as helping reduce stigma around collecting.
- Welsh collector shares his flat with 32 life-sized props.
- He values the hobby more than potential profit.
- Adult collecting made up a third of UK toy sales in 2025.
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Adult collecting brings together people who buy or modify toys, figures and other objects for personal enjoyment, rather than to resell them. Some collectors focus on a particular film or character, while others build varied collections over many years.
The trend is sometimes called “kidult” collecting, a term for adults who take an interest in toys and hobbies often associated with children. Collectors, retailers and people who study the market have pointed to renewed interest in childhood pastimes, online communities and changing attitudes towards adult hobbies.
The subject matters because adult collectors are an increasingly visible part of the toy market, and their interests can shape what shops sell and what manufacturers produce. Individual collections can also carry personal meaning beyond their monetary value.
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