Battleship, Cabbage Patch Kids, Ken, Nerf, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are among the 2023 finalists for induction to the National Toy Hall of Fame at The Strong Museum in Rochester, New York.
This year’s inductees will join classic toys and games like the Easy-Bake Oven, Lite-Brite, Clue, Big Wheel, The Game of Life, G.I. Joe, Etch A Sketch, and many others. Will Ken join Barbie as an inductee? You can vote through the online Player’s Choice Ballot, open until September 20th.
The Strong — which celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2022 — is one of the largest history museums in the United States. The institution recently completed a massive 65-million-dollar expansion project, which further supports its mandate to preserve and showcase the history of play and its impact on culture.
Established in 1998, the National Toy Hall of Fame recognizes innovative objects of play that foster creativity and have taken up residence in the hearts and minds of the public. Each year, nominated toys undergo a rigorous review process to select the final inductees.
In a previous interview with Toy Tales, Steve Dubnik, The Strong CEO and President explained, “We think play is a cradle-to-grave activity. Life improves with play and multiple studies demonstrate how learning happens with play throughout life, not just in the childhood years. Academic evidence shows how important it is to the human mission. We want to preserve, study, and make opportunities for play available to everyone.”
The 2023 inductees will be announced at a ceremony on Thursday, November 9th. Read more about each of the 12 finalists on The Strong’s website.
