The Strong National Museum of Play, which is based in Rochester New York, recently announced twelve toys and games to be finalists for this year’s induction of toys into the National Toy Hall of Fame. 

While there are only twelve different finalist toys, the set is diverse, with toys fitting into many different categories. First off, there are a few different games on the list, including classics, Bingo, Phase-10, and Rack-O, along with the newer game, Settlers of Catan. Animals and action figures are also popular, with Masters of the Universe action figures, related to the series He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, from the 1980s, along with Pound Puppies and Breyer Horses making the list. Art-related items, Lite-Brite, and the spirograph are childhood classics, along with a few extraneous toys, such as the top, Piñata, and Nerf toys rounding out the twelve finalists. 

Voting will occur on November 10, 2022, at which point three of the twelve finalists will be selected to enter the Hall of Fame by the National Selection Advisory Committee, which consists of twelve members. However, one of these members is not a single person and is instead an online Player’s Choice forum, allowing the public to have a say in this induction process. 

The current Toy Hall of Fame consists of a range of different items, similar to current nominees, which have been added consistently since 1998. This includes simple toys such as blankets, sand, and American Girl Dolls, as well as more complex and specific ones, such as the Atari 2600 game system, Star Wars action figures, and Easy Bake Oven.