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National Toy Hall of Fame facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

The National Toy Hall of Fame is an American hall of fame that recognizes the contributions of toys and games that have sustained their popularity for many years. Criteria for induction include: icon status (the toy is widely recognized, respected, and remembered); longevity (more than a passing fad); discovery (fosters learning, creativity, or discovery); and innovation (profoundly changed play or toy design). Established in 1998 under the direction of Ed Sobey, it was originally housed at A. C. Gilbert's Discovery Village in Salem, Oregon, United States, but was moved to the Strong National Museum of Play (now The Strong) in Rochester, New York, in 2002 after it outgrew its original home.

Seventy-two toys have been enshrined in the National Toy Hall of Fame:

Original inductees (1998-99)

The original inductees to the National Toy Hall of Fame were announced in November 1999. Students from nearby Willamette University protested (good-naturedly) when they learned that Mr. Potato Head and Barbie's friend Ken were not included.
  1. Barbie
  2. Crayola Crayon
  3. Erector Set
  4. Etch A Sketch
  5. Frisbee
  6. Hula hoop
  7. Lego
  8. Lincoln Logs
  9. Marbles
  10. Monopoly
  11. Play-Doh
  12. Radio Flyer wagon
  13. Roller Skates
  14. Teddy Bear
  15. Tinkertoy
  16. View-Master
  17. Duncan Yo-Yo
EtchASketch10-23-2004
The classic red-and-white Etch A Sketch model
WestAfricanMarbles
Hand-made marbles from West Africa

Class of 2000

This year's selections were chosen from a field of 34 nominations by a panel of educators and civic leaders that included Sharon Kitzhaber, wife of Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber. Nominees rejected for the honor this year included G.I. Joe, the Nintendo Entertainment System, the soccer ball, Beanie Babies, the baseball glove and the cap gun.
  1. Bicycle
  2. Jacks
  3. Jump rope
  4. Mr. Potato Head
  5. Slinky
Triumph Bicycle
A Triumph bicycle with a step-through frame
Jacks
A set of jacks
2006-02-04 Metal spiral
Metal Slinky
Girl playing jump rope
A girl playing with a jump rope

Class of 2001

Both children and adults created a list of 82 nominees over the past year. A national panel of distinguished educators and civic leaders choose two toys for induction this year.
  1. Silly Putty
  2. Tonka Trucks
Tonka Bottom dump truck
An old-style steel toy bottom-dump truck by Tonka
Sputty
Silly Putty molded into a cube

Class of 2002

There were more than ninety nominees this year.
  1. Jigsaw puzzle
  2. Raggedy Ann: her induction this year came after a full year of campaigning from fans.
Raggedy Ann & Andy - Project Gutenberg eText 17371
Raggedy Ann meets Raggedy Andy for the first time; illustrated by Johnny Gruelle
Puzzle-historical-map-1639
A completed Jigsaw puzzle

Class of 2003

  1. Alphabet Blocks
  2. Checkers
Dof blocks f22
Blocks with letters and numbers
Checkersboard
English draughts board (aka checkers)

Class of 2004

  1. G.I. Joe: the G.I. JOE brand overwhelmed the competition in a Playthings Magazine poll asking which nominated toy most deserved to be honored.
  2. Rocking horse
  3. Scrabble
The Childrens Museum of Indianapolis - Rocking Horse
A rocking horse
Scrabble game in progress
A game of Scrabble in progress

Class of 2005

  1. Candy Land
  2. Cardboard box
  3. Jack-in-the-box
Jack-in-the-box
A jack-in-the box
Box.agr
Staple corrugated box

Class of 2006

This year’s nominees were: Atari Game System, Big Wheel, Easy-Bake Oven, Lite-Brite, Fisher-Price Little People, Hot Wheels, Lionel Trains, Operation Skill Game, Pez candy dispenser, rubber duck, skateboard, and Twister. Only two of the twelve nominees took their place in the hall that year.

  1. Easy-Bake Oven
  2. Lionel Trains
The first three versions of the famous Easy-Bake oven
The first three versions of the Easy-Bake oven
Lionel Corporation Products
Lionel Corporation products

Class of 2007

  1. Atari 2600
  2. Kite
  3. Raggedy Andy
Atari2600a
Atari 2600 four-switch "wood veneer" version, while the original 2600 had six switches.
Raggedy Ann & Andy - Project Gutenberg eText 17371
Raggedy Ann meets Raggedy Andy for the first time; illustrated by Johnny Gruelle
GeometricKiteWithTail
A simple geometric kite with a tail. The kite is Veggie Tales themed.

Class of 2008

The following toys were added in 2008:

  1. The Stick: Curators praised the stick for its all-purpose, no-cost, recreational qualities, noting its ability to serve either as raw material or an appendage transformed in myriad ways by a child's creativity.
  2. The Baby Doll
  3. The Skateboard
Spaniel Fetching
A dog with a stick
Child and Doll
A girl and her doll in the 1900s.
Skateboarder in the air
Skateboarder doing a flip

Class of 2009

The following toys were added in 2009:

  1. The ball
  2. Game Boy
  3. Big Wheel
Szymon 002
A boy playing with a ball
Game-Boy-Original
Nintendo Game Boy
BIG Wheel (3327257572)
Big Wheel

Class of 2010

The following toys were added in 2010:

  1. The Game of Life
  2. Playing cards
The Game of Life 人生ゲーム DSCF2280
A board from The Game of Life
Playing cards-Edit1
Playing cards

Class of 2011

The following toys were added in 2011:

  1. Hot Wheels
  2. Dollhouse
  3. Blanket
Hot Wheels Modellauto
A Hot Wheels car
Züricher Spielzeugmuseum 1000765
A three story dollhouse
Blankt fort
A blanket fort

Class of 2012

The following toys were added in 2012:

  1. Star Wars action figures
  2. Dominoes
Dominoes
Domino tiles

Class of 2013

The following toys were added in 2013:

  1. Chess
  2. Rubber duck
Children Playing Chess on the Street - Santiago de Cuba - Cuba
Two boys playing chess
Rubber duckies So many ducks
Rubber ducks

Class of 2014

The following toys were added in 2014:

  1. Little green army men
  2. Bubbles
  3. Rubik's Cube
Bucketosoldiers
Bucket of army men
Soapbubbles-SteveEF
A child blowing soap bubbles
Rubik's cube
Rendering of a Rubik's Cube

Class of 2015

The following toys were added in 2015:

  1. Puppet
  2. Twister
  3. Super Soaker
Hand Puppet
A German hand puppet
US3454279
A patent illustration for Twister

Class of 2016

The following toys were added in 2016:

  1. Dungeons and Dragons
  2. Little People
  3. Swing
Danddha
A game of Dungeons & Dragons
Little girl on swing
A girl on a swing

Class of 2017

The following toys were added in 2017:

  1. Clue
  2. Wiffle Ball
  3. Paper airplane
Wiffle ball
A Wiffle Ball

Class of 2018

The following toys were added in 2018:

  1. Magic 8-Ball
  2. Pinball
  3. Uno
Magic8ball
A Magic 8-Ball
20080405-Vegas004-PinballHOF02
The Pinball Hall of Fame
Uno cards
A deck of Uno cards

Class of 2019

  1. Coloring book
  2. Magic: The Gathering
  3. Matchbox cars
Child with colouring book
A child coloring in a coloring book
Magic the Gathering - Commander
Playing Magic: The Gathering
Matchbox collage
Matchbox cars

Class of 2020

The following toys were added in 2020:

  1. Baby Nancy
  2. Sidewalk chalk
  3. Jenga
Chalk
Sidewalk chalk
Jenga distorted
A Jenga tower
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