Will Your Favorite Toy Make It Into the National Toy Hall of Fame
Remember playing with toys like the View-Master, Little Green Army Men, Mr. Potato Head, Candyland, Easy Bake Oven, Hot Wheels, Raggedy Ann and Andy, Slinky and more when you were growing up? You might even still play with some of these toys with your kids or grandkids. I know I do and it's fun; I'm still buying Hot Wheels for my grandson and myself.
Did you know there's a National Toy Hall of Fame and all the toys I mentioned and more are inductees to this celebrated shrine to toys. This year two to three more toys will added to the list of inductees during a ceremony, on November 10, at The Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, New York. Check out this year's list of inductees.
- 1
Bubble Wrap
I guess I never thought of this as a toy but, hey, it's fun to pop. It was accidentally created when two engineers were trying to create a new type of wallpaper.
Bubble Wrap Bubble Wrap - 2
Care Bears
We had these all over the house when my kids were growing up. They initially got their start as a line of greeting cards in the early '80s.
Care Bear Care Bear - 3
Clue
Was it Colonel Mustard with the candlestick in the Billiard Room, or maybe it was Miss Scarlett with the revolver in the Study, or maybe ... I don't have a clue at all in this game where the object is to try figure out who the murderer is, where they did it and what they used as a weapon. It was invented by a retired solicitor's clerk during World War II.
Clue Clue - 4
Coloring Books
We had fun coloring these as kids and know they've been found to be very therapeutic as a relaxing distraction for adults. Now if I could just stay between the lines.
Coloring Book Coloring Book - 5
Dungeons and Dragons
I played this with my buddies in my late teens and early 20s. It was best to play with a group of friends that had vivid imaginations as you embarked on a quest filled with magic and monsters.
Dungeons and Dragons Dungeons and Dragons - 6
Fisher-Price Little People
These little wooden round-headed people were first found riding a school bus and later evolved to be living and working in different settings. My family had the airport and the barn when I was growing up. I always wanted the parking ramp with the working elevator.
Fisher-Price Little People Fisher-Price Little People - 7
Nerf
Everybody had to have a Nerf ball when they first came out. My favorite was the Nerf football. I could always get nice tight spiral on the ball when we goofing around in the backyard.
Nerf Ball Nerf Ball - 8
Pinball
I lost a lot of quarters to this toy growing up and living only a block away from the arcade, Magicland, at the Faribo West Mall. Pinball had its beginnings in the 18th century as a French parlor game.
Pinball Machine- TSM Library Pinball Machine- TSM Library - 9
Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots
Battling robots, controlled by two opponents in a boxing ring setting, what's not to love about this game? I asked for this toy for a couple of different Christmases when I was a kid but never got one. That's okay, I recently bought a retro set, brought it home and promptly got my butt kicked by my 4-year-old granddaughter. I don't want to play anymore.
Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots - 10
Swing
Once meant for only the wealthy in Europe, this toy is now a basic part of any playground. I prefer the wooden seat swings, but they're becoming very hard to find, especially on public playgrounds.
Swing Swing - 11
Transformers
This was one of my favorite toys that my kids played with while they were growing up. That is, until you have to transform a bunch of them into robots and then have to change them back to their vehicle incarnation five minutes later. I also enjoyed watching the cartoon with my children.
Transformer Transformer - 12
Uno
This is a card game I never really got into. The object of this game was to discard all your cards before the other players in order to rack up points, the first person to reach 500 was the winner.
Uno Uno
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