Image of a variety of older toys like Nerf ball, Cabbage patch doll, & baseball cards

Shutterstock.com (shelf, Nerf); Transcendental Graphics/Getty Images (baseball cards); Spencer Platt/Getty Images (Cabbage Patch Kid); Courtesy of Fisher-Price (Corn Popper)

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Top Toys

Last month, Cabbage Patch Kids, Nerf toys, and baseball cards became part of a special club. They were all inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame. 

The Hall of Fame is part of the Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, New York. Since opening in 1998, the Hall has honored more than 80 toys, including Lego bricks, the Super Soaker, and dollhouses.

How were the winners chosen? Throughout the year, anyone can nominate a toy. This year, members of the public suggested hundreds of toys. A group of historians, educators, and other experts reviewed the list and narrowed it down to 12 finalists. 

The experts choose the three winners based on how popular they are and how long they’ve been around. Toys are also judged on how much they encourage kids to use their imaginations. 

Forgotten Five

To mark the 25th anniversary of the Hall, this year’s voting came with a special twist. For the first time, the Hall let the public choose an additional winner. People picked from a group known as the Forgotten Five. These toys had often made it to the final round, only to lose out. One of those toys was finally inducted. And the winner is . . . the Fisher-Price Corn Popper! 

The forgotten are now down to four. Better luck next year, Transformers, My Little Pony, Pez dispensers, and pogo sticks!

Nerf Toys

The first Nerf ball hit shelves in 1969. The slogan was “Throw it indoors. You can’t damage lamps or break windows.”

Cabbage Patch Kids

In 1983, these dolls sparked a huge holiday toy craze. People stormed stores, often fighting with each other, to get their hands on one.

Baseball Cards

Last year, a 1952 Mickey Mantle baseball card sold for a record $12.6 million.

Fisher-Price Corn Popper

Invented in 1957, this popular toy was designed to help babies learn to walk.

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