National Toy Hall of Fame

The National Toy Hall of Fame is a U.S. 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).<ref name="Hall of Famers: Easy-Bake, Lionel">Template:Cite magazine</ref> 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,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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.

As of 2025, ninety-one (91) 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.<ref name=via>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Template:Multiple image Template:Clear Template:Div col

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

2000s

Class of 2000

Template:Multiple image The following toys were added in 2000:

1. Bicycle
2. Knucklebones
3. Jump rope
4. Mr. Potato Head
5. Slinky

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.<ref name="inductees">Template:Cite news</ref> 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.<ref name="inductees" />Template:Clear

Class of 2001

Template:Multiple image The following toys were added in 2001:

1. Silly Putty
2. Tonka trucks<ref name="tonka">Template:Cite news</ref>

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.<ref name="tonka" /> Template:Clear

Class of 2002

Template:Multiple image The following toys were added in 2002:

1. Jigsaw puzzle
2. Raggedy Ann: her induction this year came after a full year of campaigning from fans.<ref name="Raving Toy Maniac">Template:Cite web</ref>

There were more than ninety nominees this year.<ref name="Raving Toy Maniac" />Template:Clear

Class of 2003

Template:Multiple image The following toys were added in 2003:

1. Alphabet blocks
2. Checkers<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Template:ClearFinalists included: Big Wheel tricycle, Candy Land, Clue, Easy-Bake Oven, jack-in-the-box, Lionel trains, Little People, Magic 8 Ball, Matchbox model cars, and Scrabble.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Class of 2004

Template:Multiple image The following toys were added in 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.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
2. Rocking horse
3. Scrabble

Template:ClearFinalists included: Big Wheel tricycle, Cabbage Patch Kids, Candy Land, Easy-Bake Oven, Hot Wheels, Lionel Trains, Little People, Rubik's Cube, and Wiffle ball.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Class of 2005

The following toys were added in 2005:

1. Cardboard box, inducted without nomination, described as "a great play experience" that "you don't have to spend a lot" to offer.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Cbignore</ref><ref name=":1" />
2. Candy Land<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
3. Jack-in-the-box

"It’s that empty box full of possibilities that kids can sense and the adults don’t always see", said Christopher Bensch, chief curator at the Strong Museum.<ref name=":0" />

Finalists included: Atari 2600, Big Wheel tricycle, Cabbage Patch Kids, Clue, Easy-Bake Oven, Hot Wheels, Lionel trains, Little People, Magic 8 Ball, and Wiffle ball.<ref name=":1">Template:Cite web</ref>Template:Clear

Class of 2006

Template:Multiple image The following toys were added in 2006:

1. Easy-Bake Oven<ref name="Hall of Famers: Easy-Bake, Lionel"/>
2. Lionel Trains<ref name="Hall of Famers: Easy-Bake, Lionel"/>

Finalists included: Atari Game System, Big Wheel tricycle, Lite-Brite, Little People, Hot Wheels, Operation skill game, Pez candy dispenser, the rubber duck, the skateboard, and Twister.<ref>Template:Cite press release</ref>Template:Clear

Class of 2007

Template:Multiple image The following toys were added in 2007:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

1. Atari 2600<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
2. Kite<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
3. Raggedy Andy: he was inducted as an extension of Raggedy Ann.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Finalists included: The baby doll, Big Wheel tricycle, The Game of Life, Hot Wheels, My Little Pony dolls, the pogo stick, the skateboard, Spirograph, and Yahtzee.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>Template:Clear

Class of 2008

Template:Multiple image The following toys were added in 2008:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

1. The stick, praised by curators for its all-purpose, no-cost, recreational qualities: possibly the world's oldest toy and "possibly the best!"<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2. The baby doll
3. The skateboard

Finalists included: Clue, the dollhouse, Flexible flyer sleds, The Game of Life, Hot Wheels, Magic 8 Ball, Rubik's Cube, Thomas the Tank Engine, Wiffle ball, and Yahtzee. The stick was inducted without nomination.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>Template:Clear

Class of 2009

The following toys were added in 2009:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

1. Ball
2. Game Boy
3. Big Wheel tricycle

Finalists included: Cabbage Patch Kids, The Game of Life, Hot Wheels, the paper airplane, playing cards, Rubik's Cube, sidewalk chalk, the toy tea set, and Transformers action figures.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>Template:Clear

2010s

Class of 2010

Template:Multiple image The following toys were added in 2010:<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

1. The Game of Life
2. Playing cards

Finalists included: Cabbage Patch Kids, chess, the dollhouse, dominoes, Dungeons & Dragons, Hot Wheels, Lite-Brite, Magic 8 Ball, the pogo stick, and Rubik's Cube.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>Template:Clear

Class of 2011

Template:Multiple image The following toys were added in 2011:<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

1. Hot Wheels
2. Dollhouse
3. Blanket

Finalists included: Dungeons & Dragons, Jenga, pogo sticks, puppets, radio-controlled cars, Rubik's Cube, Simon, Star Wars action figures, Transformers action figures, and Twister. The blanket was inducted without nomination.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Template:Clear

Class of 2012

The following toys were added in 2012:<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

1. Star Wars action figures
2. Dominoes

Finalists included: Corn Popper, Clue, Lite-Brite, little green army men, Magic 8 Ball, the pogo stick, sidewalk chalk, Simon, the toy tea set, and Twister.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>Template:Clear

Class of 2013

The following toys were added in 2013:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

1. Chess
2. Rubber duck

Finalists included: bubbles, Clue, little green army men, Little People, Magic 8 Ball, My Little Pony dolls, Nerf, Pac-Man, scooters, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles action figures.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>Template:Clear

Class of 2014

The following toys were added in 2014:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Template:Multiple image

1. Little green army men
2. Bubbles
3. Rubik's Cube

Finalists included: American Girl dolls, Hess toy trucks, Little People, My Little Pony dolls, Operation skill game, the paper airplane, pots and pans, Slip 'n' Slide, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles action figures.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>Template:Clear

Class of 2015

The following toys were added in 2015:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Template:Multiple image

1. Puppet
2. Twister
3. Super Soaker

Finalists included: American girl dolls, Battleship, coloring books, Jenga, Playmobil, scooters, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles action figures, tops, and Wiffle ball.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>Template:Clear

Class of 2016

The following toys were added in 2016:<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Template:Multiple image

1. Dungeons & Dragons
2. Little People
3. Swing

Finalists included: bubble wrap, Care Bears, coloring books, Clue, Nerf, pinball, Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots, Transformers action figures, and Uno.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>Template:Clear

Class of 2017

Template:Multiple image The following toys were added in 2017:<ref>Template:Cite webTemplate:Dead link</ref>

1. Clue
2. Wiffle ball
3. Paper airplane

Finalists included: Magic 8 Ball, Matchbox model cars, My Little Pony dolls, PEZ candy dispensers, play food, Risk, sand, Transformers action figures, and Uno.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>Template:Clear

Class of 2018

Template:Multiple image The following toys were added in 2018:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

1. Magic 8 Ball
2. Pinball
3. Uno

Finalists included: American Girl dolls, chalk, Chutes and Ladders, Corn Popper, Flexible Flyer sleds, Masters of the Universe, tic-tac-toe, Tickle Me Elmo, and Tudor Electric Football.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>Template:Clear

Class of 2019

The following toys were added in 2019:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Template:Multiple image

1. Coloring book
2. Magic: The Gathering
3. Matchbox model cars

Finalists included: Care Bears, Corn Popper, Jenga, Masters of the Universe, My Little Pony dolls, Nerf Blaster, Risk, smartphones, and tops.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>Template:Clear

2020s

Class of 2020

Template:Multiple image The following toys were added in 2020:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

1. Baby Nancy
2. Sidewalk chalk
3. Jenga

Finalists included: Bingo, Breyer horses, Lite-Brite, Masters of the Universe, My Little Pony dolls, Risk, Sorry!, Tamagotchi, and Yahtzee.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>Template:Clear

Class of 2021

The following toys were added on November 4, 2021:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

1. American Girl dolls
2. Risk
3. Sand

Finalists included: Battleship, billiards, Cabbage Patch Kids, Corn Popper, mahjong, Masters of the Universe, piñata, The Settlers of Catan, and the toy fire engine.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>Template:Clear

Class of 2022

Template:Multiple image The following toys were added on November 10, 2022:<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

1. Lite-Brite
2. Masters of the Universe
3. Top

Finalists included: Bingo, Breyer horses, Catan, Nerf, Phase 10, piñata, Pound Puppies, Rack-O, and Spirograph.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>Template:Clear

Class of 2023

Template:Multiple image The following toys were added on November 10, 2023:<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

1. Baseball cards
2. Cabbage Patch Kids
3. Corn Popper
4. Nerf

Finalists included: Battleship, Bingo, Bop-It, Choose Your Own Adventure books, Connect Four, Ken, Little Tikes Cozy Coupe, slime, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles action figures.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The Fisher-Price Corn Popper was not on the original list of nominees. For the 2023 induction, the Strong highlighted several frequent past finalists as part of a public-driven "Forgotten Five" vote to induct a fourth toy. In addition to the Corn Popper, the other "Forgotten Five" were My Little Pony dolls, PEZ candy dispensers, pogo sticks, and Transformers action figures.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Transformers and My Little Pony became finalists in 2024 and were both inducted.

Class of 2024

The following were added on November 12, 2024:<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

• My Little Pony dolls
• Transformers action figures
• Phase 10 card game

Other finalists, announced on September 18, 2024, included Apples to Apples, balloons, Choose Your Own Adventure books, Hess toy trucks, the Pokémon Trading Card Game, remote control vehicles, Sequence, the stick horse, and trampolines.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>Template:Clear

Class of 2025

Homemade green slime

The following were added on November 6, 2025:<ref>Template:Cite press release</ref>

• Battleship board game
• Trivial Pursuit board game
• Slime (both manufactured and homemade)

The other finalists were Catan, Connect 4, cornhole, Furby, scooter, snow, Spirograph, Star Wars lightsaber, and Tickle Me Elmo.<ref>Template:Cite press release</ref>Template:Clear

See also

• Toy Industry Hall of Fame, recognizing the contributions of toy-makers.
• World Video Game Hall of Fame, also operated by and located at The Strong.
• List of toys and children's media awards

External links

• Template:Official website
• Raggedy Ann Inducted in the National Toy Hall of Fame in 2002