Ten Toys that Should Be Added to the National Toy Hall of Fame

A while back I wrote an article about the National Toy Hall of Fame. It was announced last week that this year's inductees into the National Hall of Fame would be the Atari, the Kite and Raggedy Andy. I think it is a major oversight that Raggedy Andy, who totally road Ann's coattails, got in over the Big Wheel, Hot Wheels, the Pogo Stick, Skateboard, Yahtzee, Life and Baby Doll. That brought up the question, "Which toys that aren't in the National Toy Hall of Fame should be in?"

Army Men
In fifth grade I had to buy some army men for a school project and it brought back great memories of my childhood in the 80's. My brother, who was born in the 60's, was just excited to see them as me so clearly army men have been popular for generations and belong in the National Toy Hall of Fame.

Baby Doll
This one is easy. G. I. Joe is in the National Toy Hall of Fame even though it's mostly for boys. Barbie is in the National Toy Hall of Fame even though it's mostly for girls. The Baby Doll might generally be for girls more than boys, but it's closer to being for both than G. I. Joe or Barbie so it's probably more common than either.

Deck of Cards
Not only do kids love to play cards when they're young but adults like to play cards too. Some of them do it as a professions.

Dominoes
I've never had the patience to set up a complicated dominoes design but if somebody else put one up I'd watch them get knocked over in a heart beat.

Firecrackers
Maybe some of the other toys on this list and in the National Toy Hall of Fame are more "classic" than the firecracker, but I can say with less doubt than any other toy that the firecracker will never go out of style. It seems unlikely but one day baby dolls or cards will go out of style but every New Year and Fourth of July for the rest of time kids will be buying firecrackers.

Hot Wheels
Maybe at one point in time Tonka, which is in the National Toy Hall of Fame already, was more popular but for my generation Hot Wheels was definitely the #1 brand for anything vehicle related.

Nerf
If you're going to put Tonka and Hot Wheels in as a company then why not Nerf? Nerf has been the leading company in making both toy balls and toy guns for a long time. At the very least put some kind of Nerf football in the National Toy Hall of Fame.

Nintendo
It's great to see the Atari get some love since it was the beginning of the video game era. But now it's time to put the best system in the video game era into the National Toy Hall of Fame.

Rubik's Cube
No toy has ever caused people to cheat like the Rubik's Cube. Kids are so determined to defeat it that they are willing to take the Rubik's Cube apart or at the very least switch the stickers.

Skateboard
The skateboard has to be added soon. At one point in time it was just a fad but due to the popularity of extreme sports the skateboard is definitely here to stay now.