SERIOUS ABOUT PLAY
Tic-tac-toe, Tickle Me Elmo among Toy Hall of Fame finalists
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — This may be the year that chalk makes its mark on the National Toy Hall of Fame, or American Girl outmuscles He-Man for a place of honour.
But don’t count out Uno or Magic 8 Ball, which are also in the running, along with Chutes and Ladders, the Fisher-Price Corn Popper, pinball, the sled, tic-tac-toe, Tickle Me Elmo and Tudor Electric Football.
The finalists for the hall of fame’s class of 2018 were announced Wednesday, chosen by staff from thousands of online nominations.
A committee of experts will choose which should take their place alongside other toy box mainstays like Barbie and Play-Doh in the western New York hall. The annual induction ceremony is Nov. 8.
“These 12 toys represent different play styles, from outdoor to imaginative, and different eras, from ancient to more modern,” Christopher Bensch, vice-president for collections, said. “But they all share an undeniable ability to inspire people of all ages to learn, create and discover through play.”
Since the National Toy Hall of Fame was established at The Strong museum in 1998, 65 toys have been recognized for their longevity, innovation and ability to foster learning or discovery through play.
This year, fans are invited to vote for their favourites through Sept. 19 as part of a “Player’s Choice” ballot. The top three vote-getters will be factored in with ballots cast by a selection committee made up of industry, education and community experts.