When you finally go back to your old hometown, you find it wasn't the old home you missed but your childhood - Sam Ewing
Have you ever met a grownup who obstinately avoids getting adult? Why, sure you did. It’s a life paradox, but kids always dream to become older as soon as possible to get rid of the bugging parents’ care.
Yea, sometimes our parents really drive us up the wall, but we always know how to kick back. However, when we obtain the long-expected freedom it becomes obvious how stupid our yearning was. This happens due to multiple responsibilities which are inescapable companions of any mature life. They fall down on us 'like bolts from the blue'. We want to scream out: Mama, please, let me back inside! (this prayer is from the last Freddie Mercury's song Mother Love).
Have You Ever Heard the Term Kidult?
Here is one of the definitions for you. Kidult is a so-called grown-up who doesn't want to grow up (or at least act like an adult) and would instead prefer so-called 'children's stuff' for entertainment, like cartoons, toys, comic books, Disney movies, and the like.
These guys enjoy colorful kiddie snacks like breakfast cereal and Spaghetti-O's and dresses like a teenager. May or may not be able to take on adult responsibilities. Not necessarily too immature, at least in the public. They are also known as "Peter Pan" (the literary prototype of kidults), "young at heart", and "kid at heart". (Not to be confused with geeks or nerds either, of course!)
Kidults are not necessarily perverts or people with deviant behavior. They can be even better parents and make more successful career than their 'normal' peers. Kidults get along with their children much easier as they share their interests, enjoy the same things, know their secrets. Actually, kidults experience the feelings and emotions they lack through their kids and together with them. This experience makes them very close.
By this token, every fifth man is a kidult. Nevertheless, it doesn’t prevent them from making money, running after pretty girls, and taking care of the family. (Please, don’t mix up kidults with infantiles. The latter will be considered herein under.)
Infantilism - Few Words About
The next term we would like to discuss with you is infantilism. It is not as advanced and contemporary as kidult and has rather negative interpretation. We won’t state all the definitions here in order not to upset the readers who recognized themselves in the previous paragraph and try to explain the matter in our own words.
Infantilism is considered a physiological and psychological disorder that can reveal in fantasies of return to infancy, the desire to act like a baby, in some developmental disorders and disabilities, in childish prattle.
It’s our strong belief that infantilism in this medical paraphrase has nothing to do with the theme of our today’s entry.
The Notion of Primitivism
From our viewpoint, infantilism in web design has much more in common with primitivism in art.
Primitivism is a Western art movement that borrows visual forms from prehistoric peoples. Paul Gauguin's inclusion of Tahitian motifs in paintings and ceramics are illustrative examples of primitivism. The term primitivism is often applied to other professional painters creating in naïve or folk art style. For instance: Henri Rousseau, Mikhail Larionov, Paul Klee, and others.
The philosophical background of primitivism lies in the idea that we should get back to our basics, simple ingenuous life, to find the pure, virgin beauty, not branded and labeled by the aesthetic cannons dictated by trend-setters and celebrities.
Of course, the theory is very contradictory. It has its ardent upholder as well as not less frantic antagonists. We are not going to force you to take one or another side. We just offer you to get the experience yourself and only then make conclusions whether you like it or not.
Back to Infantilism in Web Design
Now we are talking about infantilism, primitivism or kidult (call it as you wish) in web design. The technique is characterized by the simplicity of forms, primary colors, playful, humorous elements, funny fonts, and many other tricks you might notice in the collection that will follow this text.
Psychologists assert that a small child lives in each of us - solid, serious people. And we entirely agree with them. It is really great if you preserved the ability to take certain things as a child. If you saved the genuine interest to life and studying its objects, if you still believe in miracles, rejoice ordinary events, get up in the morning with a radiant smile on your face, make friends easily, laugh sincerely, anticipate holiday presents, forget the abuses quickly...if you are happy with what you have and don’t regret because something is impossible at the moment.
If you carry your childhood with you, you never become older - Tom Stoppard
Open your eyes and heart wide, and watch our uncommon collection of infantile web designs. We hope it will give you some warmth and positive emotions.
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Infantile Websites
Comical animated sportsmen on this website are simply matchless.
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The Expressive Web
Did you like to play bricks in childhood? Maybe you still enjoy building castles, cars or airplanes of colored blocks?
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Yes, the world of a child is really varied as well as the sphere of his/her interests.
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Isn’t he a pretty boy? Judging by his costume, he should have some super powers as well…
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Watch the guy’s photo! It will make you smile, we bet our boots on it!
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Nice cartoon boy which is grinning like a Cheshire cat at you.
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Duplos
Don’t you think that these rainbow bubbles look childish?
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This illustrated mask looks very creative; we’d dare say it inherits a hippy-style.
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Some playful tricks can look rather sexy if you are a good-looking girl.
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These fearless warriors are simply ridiculous!
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Website Templates with Infantile Motifs
Alternative Clothing PrestaShop Theme
Skull pattern in the background as well as the combination of pink and black colors are something!
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M-m-m! How yummy these illustrated cakes look!
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The Sky Website Template
Did you ever dream to travel round the Earth on a balloon like brave explorers from your children’s books?
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All kids like bright colors and sweet fruits.
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Design Studio Website Template
Look at these dogs! Aren’t they cute?
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Even serious themes can be bright and cheerful.
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Aqua park is one of the most favorite places of kidults.
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Heart shaped tree? Is it from some fairy tale?
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Sheep Farm Moto CMS HTML Template
What are these sheep staring at?
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Were you afraid of clowns in childhood? They can do you nothing bad if you laugh at their jokes.
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You would probably agree that there should be always space for playing and fooling around in our life. Humor and friendly kidding relax the tense atmosphere either at the office or at home. It is great if you are an oddball making other people smile.
Do you rank yourself among the kidults? What funny habits make you think so? Have you ever designed in an infantile style? Please, share your queer thoughts and works with us. We are all creative weirdoes!