ROCHESTER, New York—Which toys will make it into the National Toy Hall of Fame this November? Can Mouse Trap capture the final prize? Will Sorry! apologize for beating the competition? Can bingo call its shot? Will Tickle Me Elmo get the last laugh?
The Strong’s National Toy Hall of Fame in Rochester, New York, today announced the 12 finalists for induction into the hall: bingo, Bop It!, Care Bears, Mahjong, Monster High dolls, Mouse Trap, Pokémon Trading Card Game, Polly Pocket, slide, Sorry!, Tickle Me Elmo, and Yahtzee.
“It’s debating season, and this year’s finalists give everyone plenty to talk about—from classic games to plush icons and other toys that have shaped generations of play. The debate is part of the fun because every toy sparks different memories and makes its own case for why it matters,” says Michelle Parnett-Dwyer, senior curator at The Strong National Museum of Play.
Fans can join the debate by voting for their favorite finalists from September 16 to 23 as part of a “Player’s Choice” ballot at toyhalloffame.org. The National Toy Hall of Fame receives thousands of nominations annually, and the three toys that receive the most public votes will join the other top-three submissions by members of the National Selection Advisory Committee. (The public will collectively act as one member of the 23-member committee.) The final 2026 toy inductees, chosen based on the ballots, will be announced by The Strong National Museum of Play in early November.
The Strong’s National Toy Hall of Fame recognizes toys that have engaged and delighted multiple generations. 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 90 toys have been inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame: alphabet blocks, American Girl Doll, Atari 2600 Game System, baby doll, Baby Nancy, ball, Barbie, baseball cards, Battleship, bicycle, Big Wheel, blanket, bubbles, Cabbage Patch Kids, Candy Land, cardboard box, checkers, chess, Clue, coloring book, Crayola Crayons, dollhouse, dominoes, Duncan Yo-Yo, Dungeons & Dragons, Easy-Bake Oven, Erector Set, Etch A Sketch, Fisher-Price Corn Popper, Fisher-Price Little People, Frisbee, G.I. Joe, The Game of Life, Hot Wheels, Hula Hoop, jack-in-the-box, jacks, Jenga, jigsaw puzzle, jump rope, kite, LEGO, Lincoln Logs, Lionel Trains, Lite-Brite, little green army men, Magic 8 Ball, Magic: The Gathering, marbles, Masters of the Universe, Matchbox Cars, Monopoly, Mr. Potato Head, My Little Pony, Nerf, Nintendo Game Boy, paper airplane, Phase 10, pinball, Play-Doh, playing cards, puppet, Radio Flyer Wagon, Raggedy Ann and Andy, Risk, rocking horse, roller skates, rubber duck, Rubik’s Cube, sand, Scrabble, sidewalk chalk, Silly Putty, skateboard, slime, Slinky, Star Wars action figures, stick, Super Soaker, swing, teddy bear, Tinkertoy, Tonka Trucks, top, Transformers, Trivial Pursuit, Twister, Uno, View-Master, and Wiffle Ball.
For more information, visit National Toy Hall of Fame – The Strong National Museum of Play
About the National Toy Hall of Fame
The Strong’s National Toy Hall of Fame, established in 1998, recognizes toys that have inspired creative play and enjoyed popularity over a sustained period. Each year, the prestigious hall inducts new honorees and showcases both new and historic versions of classic toys beloved by generations. Anyone can nominate a toy to the National Toy Hall of Fame. Final selections are made on the advice of historians, educators, and other individuals who exemplify learning, creativity, and discovery through their lives and careers.
The classic toys of the National Toy Hall of Fame sit alongside and complement The Strong National Museum of Play collection, the world’s largest and most comprehensive assemblage of toys, dolls, tabletop games, video games, other electronic games, books, photographs, documents, and other historical materials related to play.
