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Is it childish to revisit your childhood as an adult? Not at all. Learn why reconnecting with your past is healthy, healing, and far from immature.

By Sergio Toledo
Editor-in-Chief, Heed to Heal

Introduction

Is It Immature to Revisit Your Childhood as an Adult?

Short Answer? Absolutely Not!

Oh, you mean you wanted to listen to the same songs you danced to in your room at age nine, ride a bike around your old neighborhood, or rewatch the cartoons you used to wake up early for on Saturdays? That’s not immature. That’s memory. That’s emotion. That’s a very human way of saying, “Hey, I want to feel like me again.”

It doesn’t mean you’re refusing adulthood. It means you’re reconnecting with the parts of yourself that still feel alive, curious, and soft. And that’s not just okay—it’s kind of wonderful.

Why You Crave the Past

Nostalgia has a purpose. It’s not just some emotional indulgence. Revisiting your childhood routines, toys, songs, or hangout spots can bring back a sense of safety and connection. These are the things that shaped you. They remind you of who you were before responsibilities and life pressure started stacking up.

When you return to those childhood comforts, it’s usually not because you want to escape being an adult. It’s because those moments held a kind of joy or peace you want to feel again. It’s your nervous system remembering what ease felt like. And honestly, how could that possibly be a bad thing?

But What if I Still Play with My Old Toys?

Then you still play with your old toys. Or your video games. Or your Legos. Or your Hot Wheels. Or you bring out your sticker collection and quietly reorganize it on a Sunday afternoon. There is nothing wrong with doing something that brings you happiness, even if someone else calls it childish.

Adults are allowed to find comfort in simplicity. Some people knit, some bake, some build birdhouses. You are allowed to revisit your childhood not because you’re stuck in the past, but because you’re smart enough to know what makes you feel good in the present.

What You’re Actually Doing

When you revisit something from your younger years, you’re often doing one of the following:

  • Regulating your emotions through familiar experiences
  • Soothing anxiety by tapping into a time when life felt less overwhelming
  • Healing inner wounds by giving your younger self what they didn’t get
  • Creating joy with less pressure or performance
  • Remembering who you were before the world told you to be someone else

None of that sounds immature. It sounds like growth.

You’re Not “Stuck”—You’re Reclaiming

This is where people get it wrong. They assume revisiting childhood equals refusing to move forward. But often, it’s the opposite. It’s a form of reclaiming. You’re not running from adulthood—you’re giving your adult self permission to carry something meaningful forward.

We all long for something that feels like home. If that means watching your favorite cartoon with a bowl of cereal or walking through a bookstore that smells like your elementary library, so be it. It’s not regression. It’s remembrance.

A Better Question to Ask

Instead of “Is it immature to do this?” maybe the better question is, “Does it make me feel more whole?” If the answer is yes, then that’s all the permission you need. You’re not reliving the past. You’re reconnecting with a version of you that still deserves love, joy, and lightness.

Being an adult doesn’t mean cutting yourself off from who you used to be. Sometimes, healing looks like laughing at the same silly movie. Sometimes, growth looks like jumping in a puddle. The world already expects a lot from you. Let this one thing be yours.

References

  • Batcho, K. I. (2013). Nostalgia: Retreat or support in difficult times? American Psychological Association.
  • Wildschut, T., Sedikides, C., Arndt, J., & Routledge, C. (2006). Nostalgia: Content, triggers, functions. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 91(5), 975–993.
  • Routledge, C. (2016). Nostalgia: A psychological resource. Routledge Press.
  • American Psychological Association. (2021). Why nostalgia is good for your mental health.

Originally published by Heed to Heal, 09.02.2025, under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International license.