Holiday shopping season is here, meaning your bandwagon-jumping kids are probably dropping hints already about the latest, greatest, most impossible-to-find toys everyone must have this year. Meanwhile, a bunch of adults in upstate New York with far more life experience refuse to forget the classics. In Rochester, The Strong Museum houses the National Toy Hall of Fame — and last week it inducted 3 more toys into its annals.
Twister, Super Soakers, and the puppet were the 3 inductees chosen from 12 finalist nominees to join the 56 others that have previous landed a place in the Hall of Fame, originally launched in 1998. Anyone can nominate a toy for inclusion in the Hall, but the finalists are chosen by The Strong’s team of historians and curators, who then leave the the final decisions up to a national panel of judges consisting of psychologists, inventors, teachers, and more. 
The 9 toys that didn’t make the cut this year were the spinning top, the coloring book, Wiffle Ball, American Girl dolls, Battleship, Jenga, PLAYMOBIL, the scooter, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. It begs the questions: Was the coloring book caught in a gambling scandal? Was Battleship accused of using PEDs? How are some of these guys not getting votes? There are 59 toys in the collection so far, and all but 2 are available through the Amazon or Ebay links below. As for the exceptions, you can probably find your kid a stick (2008) and cardboard box (2005) without too much trouble.
2015: Super Soaker, Twister, Puppet
2014: Rubik’s Cube, Bubbles, Little Green Army Men
2013: Rubber Duck, Chess
2012: Dominoes, Star Wars Action Figures
2011: Blanket, Dollhouse, Hot Wheels
2010: Playing Cards, The Game of Life
2009: Ball, Big Wheel, Nintendo Game Boy
2008: Baby Doll, Skateboard, Stick
2007: Atari 2600, Kite, Raggedy Andy
2006: Easy-Bake Oven, Lionel Trains
2005: Candy Land, Cardboard box, Jack-In-The-Box
2004: G.I. Joe, Rocking Horse, Scrabble
2003: Alphabet Blocks, Checkers
2002: Jigsaw Puzzle, Raggedy Ann
2001: Silly Putty, Tonka trucks
2000: Bicycle, Jacks, Jump Rope, Mr. Potato Head, Slinky
1999: Duncan Yo-Yo, Hula Hoop, Lincoln Logs, Radio Flyer Wagon, Roller Skates, View-Master
1998: Barbie, Crayola Crayons, Erector Set, Etch-A-Sketch, Frisbee, LEGO, Marbles, Monopoly, Play-Doh, Teddy Bear, Tinkertoy
