Tickle Me Elmo dolls, the bingo game of chance, and the humble playground slide are among the finalists competing to get into the National Toy Hall of Fame this year, a lineup that also includes cuddly Care Bears, the dice game Yahtzee, the ancient game mahjong, and the Pokemon Trading Card Game, reports the AP. The institution announced its 12 finalists for the class of 2026 on Wednesday, opening voting to the public and a panel of judges who will choose which will be honored in November. The public can weigh in up till Wednesday.
Joining the nominees are the handheld electronic game Bop It!, Monster High dolls, the portable miniature worlds of Polly Pocket, and the board games Mouse Trap and Sorry! "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," said Michelle Parnett-Dwyer, senior curator at the Strong National Museum of Play, which houses the Hall of Fame. "The debate is part of the fun because every toy sparks different memories and makes its own case for why it matters."
While anyone can nominate a toy, the ones that make it into the Hall of Fame must be considered icons, have engaged multiple generations, fostered creativity, or profoundly changed play or toy design. The three winners will join the 90 toys already enshrined there, a list that includes Cabbage Patch Kids, Dungeons & Dragons, Hot Wheels, Frisbee, GI Joe, and Mr. Potato Head. Some of the entries this year have been knocking on the Hall of Fame's door for years, including Tickle Me Elmo, the Pokemon game, and mahjong.
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