National Toy Hall of Fame Finalists 2023

Meet the 2023 finalists for the National Toy Hall of Fame and vote for your favorite!

The Strong National Museum of Play is located in Rochester, New York. The Hall is dedicated to acknowledging the toys and games that have remained popular for many many years. But it doesn't stop there. There are specific requirements each toy or game has to meet in order to be considered for the National Toy Hall of Fame. The toy must be widely recognized, respected and remembered. It has to be more than just a passing fad. Each toy must nurture and encourage learning, creativity, and/or discovery. And, each toy considered must have, in some way, changed the way kids play.

Seventy-eight toys have been enshrined in the National Toy Hall of Fame including Barbie, Crayola Crayon, Erector Set, Etch a Sketch, Frisbee, Roller Skates, Bicycle, Alphabet Blocks, Checkers, Jack in the Box, Candy Land, and so many more!

Let's take a look at the games and toys that are considered for 2023. And, they run the gamut, let me tell you! If you saw the Barbie movie, then you might be happy to see that the Ken doll is in the running for the first time ever! Also included in this year's nominations are Connect 4, Battleship, Nerf and so many more that you can see below. You can vote online for their favorites until September 20th. The seven winning toys will be made public in November.

And ...

Believe it or not, baseball cards have been around since before the 1900s! Both baseball and photography started to gain traction around the same time, so someone had the brilliant idea to put them together.

Talk about standing the test of time. Battleship is one of those games you loved to play as a kid and continue to play with your own kids.

Bingo has had a couple iterations through the years. In  England it's a game of probability, but in the US it's a game of chance. You are given a card with numbers and hope your numbers will be called.

How could Cabbage Patch Kids not be in the Hall of Fame yet?! I will never forget the craze in the 1980s. I'll never forget how much I wanted one but knew enough not to ask. And I'll never forget how surprised I was when I got Carlyn Fanni (I didn't name her) for my birthday that year.

Did you know Ken has a last name? And a middle name?! Kenneth Sean "Ken" Carson was introduced by  Mattel in 1961 as the counterpart of Barbie. Well done, Mattel. 

Nerf was developed by Parker Brothers all the way back in 1969. The idea was to create a ball that would be safe to play with indoors. Clearly a man developed this. Since then, Nerf has been using that soft foam to make everything from balls to bullets.

While there have been many iterations of slime, from homemade to Nickelodeon, the original was a bunch of goop sold in a trash can from Mattel. Move over Oscar.

It started as a comic book, and moved on to an entire franchise. Whether your favorite is Michelangelo, Donatella, Raphael, or Leonardo, you cannot argue with the impact Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Don't let this opportunity pass you by. This is your chance to make sure your favorite childhood toy is enshrined forever! VOTE HERE