About the National Toy Hall of Fame® at The Strong
Established in 1998, the National Toy Hall of Fame 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.
The National Toy Hall of Fame is situated at The Strong, a highly interactive, collections-based educational institution devoted to the study and exploration of play. Through the National Toy Hall of Fame and its other programmatic arms—the National Museum of Play, the International Center for the History of Electronic Games, the Brian Sutton-Smith Library and Archives of Play, and the American Journal of Play—The Strong explores play and the ways in which it encourages learning, creativity, and discovery and illuminates cultural history.
Anyone can nominate a toy to the National Toy Hall of Fame. Final selections are made on the advice of a national selection committee comprised 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 collections of The Strong's National Museum of Play, which holds the world’s largest and most comprehensive collection of dolls, toys, games, and other materials related to play. To date, the 51 toys listed below have been inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame. Examples of these and other inductees can be seen at www.toyhalloffame.org.
Alphabet Blocks (2003) Frisbee (1998) Radio Flyer Wagon (1999) Atari 2600 Game System G. I. Joe (2004) Raggedy Ann and Andy (2007) The Game of Life (2010) (2002) Baby Doll (2008) Hot Wheels (2011) Rocking Horse (2004) Ball (2009) Hula Hoop (1999) Roller Skates (1999) Barbie (1998) Jack-in-the-Box (2005) Scrabble (2004) Bicycle (2000) Jacks (2000) Silly Putty (2001) Big Wheel (2009) Jigsaw Puzzle (2002) Skateboard (2008) Blanket (2011) Jump Rope (2000) Slinky (2000) Candy Land (2005) Kite (2007) Star Wars Action Figures Cardboard Box (2005) LEGO (1998) (2012) Checkers (2003) Lincoln Logs (1999) Stick (2008) Crayola Crayons (1998) Lionel Trains (2006) Teddy Bear (1998) Dollhouse (2011) Marbles (1998) Tinker Toy (1998) Dominoes (2012) Monopoly (1998) Tonka Trucks (2001) Duncan Yo-Yo (1999) Mr. Potato Head (2000) View Master (1999) Easy-Bake Oven (2006) Nintendo Game Boy (2009) Erector Set (1998) Play-Doh (1998) Etch A Sketch (1998) Playing Cards (2010)