Toys are as much a part of childhood and eating and sleeping. And toys that stand the test of time are worthy of a spot in the National Toy Hall of Fame at the Strong Museum of Play in Rochester, New York.
The list of nominees for 2026 range from a simple piece of playground equipment to ancient games of chance to cuddle buddies and board games.
While the final decision is left to a panel of experts, the public can also cast their votes that will count as a single vote from September 16-23 in the “Player’s Choice” at toyhalloffame.org.
Winners will be announced in November.
Senior curator at the Strong Museum Michelle Parnett-Dwyer spoke via statement on the event saying “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.”
Toys that become a part of the National Toy Hall of Fame are iconic, have been engaging children not for years but for generations, foster creativity, and have profoundly changed play or toy design.
This year’s finalists are:
bingo
Bop It!
Care Bears
Mahjong
Monster High dolls
Mouse Trap
Pokémon Trading Card Game
Polly Pocket
the slide
Sorry!
Tickle Me Elmo
Yahtzee
To date, 90 toys have been inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame including the cardboard box, Linus’ blanket, blocks, dolls, baseball cards, games – board and electronic, colours and colouring books, LEGO, Mr. Potato Head, cars, trains, the paper airplane, sidewalk chalk, skates, bicycle, and skateboard.
Meet the 2026 National Toy Hall of Fame finalists:
Not just a kid’ game, Bingo has been a part of the world’s gaming since 1530. It has been used as a teaching tool, fundraising game, and a pastime for older adults in group settings.
The electronic game Bop It! Has been around since 1996. The handheld game is interactive with voice recorded commands that can enhance hand-eye coordination and sensory perception.
The Teddy Bear has been around for generations, but in the 1980’s a very special brand of Teddy Bear came on the scene – Care Bears – that helped to teach and promote positive emotions including compassion, kindness, and consideration for others. The loveable bears branched out into movies, tv, games, and even home decorations.
Spawning from a gambling card game, Mahjong arrived in eastern Asia during the 18th and 19th-century. It has been a gaming staple in the United States since the 1920’s.
Hitting the high fashion doll market in 2010, Monster High Dolls are not the typical “Barbie” style dolls featured vampires, mummies, werewolves, and sea creations with complicated backstories and defied traditional beauty standards.
Blurring the lines between toy and board game, Mouse Trap made its debut in 1963. Players constructed a contraption designed to try and capture each other’s mice.
Japan introduced Pokémon to the world and it wass immediately a smash hit. In 1996, Pokémon Trading Card Game made its debut. Billions of cards have been created since that debut.
Sometimes big things come is small packages…like Polly Pocket. Introduced to the world in 1989, the small clamshell cases opened to reveal a whole world! The small packages allowed children to take that world with them anywhere.
A staple of swing sets and playgrounds everywhere, the slide has been around for centuries. Scholars have to real date for when the iconic toy began. It has been the source of ingenuity for thrill seekers, a source of exercise, and aid in developing motor skills.
An ancient Indian game, the modern version of Sorry is a game where players draw cards to move their pawns from start toward home.
The loveable red monster of “Sesame Street”, the giggling Elmo has been the rage of young fans since his debut in 1996. Tickle Me Elmo’s laughter quickly spread around the world and later spawned another when fellow “Sesame Street” resident Cookie Monster joined in on the fun.
The dice game Yahtzee can be a fast paced game where players try to complete the list of combinations first.
feature photo courtesy of The Strong Museum of Play