Mahjong, The Slide, and Tickle Me Elmo, are a few of the finalists for the Toy Hall of Fame

The National Toy Hall of Fame has narrowed down the finalists for its 2026 induction.

Each year, they choose a few classic toys to honour, but first they narrow the list to finalists.

The list includes toys and games that have been around for generations, including Yahtzee, Mahjong, Mouse Trap, Sorry!, Bop It!, and Pokémon trading cards.

Others include Care Bears, Tickle Me Elmo, Monster High Dolls, Polly Pocket, and the slide.

The list has people debating which toys shaped their generation.

Senior curator Michelle Parnett-Dwyer told the Associated Press that “The debate is part of the fun because every toy sparks different memories and makes its own case for why it matters.”

Toys that eventually make it in have to be considered iconic, engage multiple generations, foster creativity, or profoundly change play or toy design.

The public can weigh in between Sept. 16-23, and judges will choose the winners in November.

Feature image from Teresa Wang via pexels