Pots, Pans, Dolls, Games Up For Toy Hall of Fame

Pots and pans and paper airplanes are among the 12 finalists for induction this year into the National Toy Hall of Fame.

The humble contenders are up against American Girl dolls, the game Operation and several return nominees including little green Army men and bubbles. The hall of fame at the Strong Museum in Rochester announced the finalists on Monday.

Anyone can nominate a toy. An internal committee narrows down the list and a national committee of history, toy and education experts then votes in the winners on Nov. 6. Inductees have to be widely recognized, proven to be more than a passing fad and foster learning through play.

The other 2014 nominees are: Little People, My Little Pony, Rubik’s Cube, Slip ’N Slide, and the toy trucks sold at gas stations, among others.

The two winners will join last year’s honorees, the rubber duck and chess, along with the 51 other toys that have been inducted since 1998. They include Etch-A-Sketch, Play-Doh, Barbie, Mr. Potato Head, Frisbee, the cardboard box and the stick.

This article appeared in print on page 24 of the September 23rd, 2014 edition of Hamodia.