The National Toy Hall of Fame has just dropped its list of 2023 finalists!
Now, let’s check out this year’s contenders:
- Baseball cards: Because who doesn’t love trading pieces of cardboard with pictures of athletes on them, am I right?
- Battleship: Sink my ships, and I’ll sink your dreams of victory!
- Bingo: Grandma’s favorite pastime or a shot at yelling “Bingo!” and looking cool? You decide.
- Bop-It: The ultimate test of your reflexes and patience.
- Cabbage Patch Kids: Dolls that looked like they were plucked straight from the garden. What’s next, Brussel Sprout Babies?
- Choose Your Own Adventure game-books: The original “You Are the Hero” experience.
- Connect 4: Because real bonding happens when you’re stacking discs to win.
- Mattel’s Ken: The man who’s been dating Barbie for decades and still looks flawless.
- The Little Tykes Cozy Coupe: The snazziest ride on the block, complete with a yellow roof to blind your neighbors with style.
- Nerf toys: The only way to have an indoor war without breaking everything.
- Slime: The ooey-gooey stuff that’s equally fun and messy. Sorry, parents!
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Heroes in a half-shell, turtle power!
These lucky finalists will face the scrutiny of toy industry experts and the general public’s judgment over at MuseumOfPlay.org in the coming week. Only three will make the cut, and we’ll find out who’s inducted on November 9th.
Oh, and let’s not forget Bingo and Nerf – they were nominated last year too but missed the boat. The three that did make it in last year? Lite-Brite, Masters of the Universe, and the humble spinning Top. Who knew a piece of plastic that just goes round and round could be so legendary? 🌀
May the best toy win!