ROCHESTER, New York—Which toys will make it into the National Toy Hall of Fame this November? Can Battleship sink Connect Four? Will Tickle Me Elmo laugh past Furby? Can snow leave slime out in the cold? Will the Star War Light Saber outduel Catan?
The Strong’s National Toy Hall of Fame in Rochester, New York, today announced the 12 finalists for induction into the hall: Battleship, Catan, Connect Four, cornhole, Furby, scooter, slime, snow, Spirograph, Star Wars Light Saber, Tickle Me Elmo, and Trivial Pursuit.
“This year’s contenders present some playful matchups. There’s a great group of classic tabletop games in Battleship, Catan, Connect Four, and Trivial Pursuit. Then you have some nontraditional toys like snow and slime, that are wonderful vehicles for play. There’s also Tickle Me Elmo and Furby—two technological icons of the 90s toy world—battling it out,” says Christopher Bensch, vice president for collections and chief curator. “I’m always excited to see where the judges and public come out in their votes. At the end of the day, the playful debates just go to show how much personal and cultural relevance these toys have for us all.”
The National Toy Hall of Fame receives thousands of nominations annually, and fans may vote for their favorite finalists from September 17 to 24 as part of a “Player’s Choice” ballot at toyhalloffame.org. The three toys that receive the most public votes will be submitted and 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 2025 toy inductees, chosen based on the ballots, will be announced by The Strong National Museum of Play in 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 87 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, 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, Slinky, Star Wars action figures, stick, Super Soaker, swing, teddy bear, Tinkertoy, Tonka Trucks, top, Transformers, Twister, Uno, View-Master, and Wiffle Ball.
For more information, visit www.toyhalloffame.org.
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.