National Toy Hall of Fame Announces 2016 Finalists; Inductees to be Revealed Nov. 10

The following article contains excerpts from a press release issued by The Strong on September 13, 2016 entitled National Toy Hall of Fame Reveals 12 Toy Finalists.

September 16, 2016 | The National Toy Hall of Fame at The Strong recently announced 12 finalists for induction into the prestigious Hall of Fame: bubble wrap, Care Bears, Clue, coloring books, Dungeons & Dragons, Fisher-Price Little People, Nerf, pinball, Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots, swing, Transformers, and Uno.

Only two or three of these finalists will join other iconic toys in the hall and sit alongside past inductees such as Barbie, Monopoly, Star Wars action figures, and Mr. Potato Head. The chosen inductees will be announced on Thursday, November 10, followed by a weekend-long celebration for families at The Strong museum in Rochester, New York (November 12-13).

Each year, the National Toy Hall of Fame receives thousands of nominations. The final 2016 toy inductees were chosen on the advice of a national selection advisory committee, which considers how the nominated toys have engaged and delighted generations, inspiring them to learn, create and discover through play. Criteria for induction include: Icon-status (the toy is widely recognized, respected, and remembered); Longevity (the toy is more than a passing fad and has enjoyed popularity over multiple generations); Discovery (the toy fosters learning, creativity, or discovery through play); and Innovation (the toy profoundly changed play or toy design).

To date, the following 59 toys have been inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame: alphabet blocks, Atari 2600 Game System, baby doll, ball, Barbie, bicycle, Big Wheel, blanket, bubbles, Candy Land, cardboard box, checkers, chess, Crayola Crayons, dollhouse, dominoes, Duncan Yo-Yo, Easy-Bake Oven, Erector Set, Etch A Sketch, Frisbee, G.I. Joe, The Game of Life, Hot Wheels, hula hoop, jack-in-the-box, jacks, jigsaw puzzle, jump rope, kite, LEGO, Lincoln Logs, Lionel Trains, little green army men, marbles, Monopoly, Mr. Potato Head, Nintendo Game Boy, Play-Doh, playing cards, puppet, Radio Flyer Wagon, Raggedy Ann and Andy, rocking horse, roller skates, rubber duck, Rubik’s Cube, Scrabble, Silly Putty, skateboard, Slinky, Star Wars action figures, stick, Super Soaker, teddy bear, Tinkertoy, Tonka Trucks, Twister, and View-Master.

Visit www.toyhalloffame.org to learn more.

The Strong and the Toy Industry Association (TIA) enjoy a partnership housing TIA’s Toy Industry Hall of Fame, which honors individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the toy industry, alongside the National Toy Hall of Fame in a cutting-edge museum installation at The Strong.