HALLIE EPHRON: Reporting this week’s big news, on beyond the floods and hurricanes and fires and wars and impeachments and 100+ degree oceans and heatwaves and… (cue Kingston Trio singing The Merry Little Minuet.)
... is that the National Toy Hall of Fame has nominated the Mattel doll Ken to the National Toy Hall of Fame. Barbie was inducted twenty-five years ago. (I'm waiting to see if Ryan Gosling gets nominated for an Oscar for best supporting.)
Here’s who Ken is up against:
Baseball cards
Battle Ship
Bingo
Bop It
Cabbage Patch Kids
Choose Your Own Adventure Game Books
Connect4
Little Tykes Cozy Coupe
Nerf
Slime
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Before you ask, Little Tykes Cozy Coupe? Bop It? Choose Your Own Adventure…? I have no idea, either.
And how is it possible that Slime hasn’t already made the cut?
In case you're curious, last year’s inductees were Masters of the Universe, Lite-Brite, and the spinning top. In 2021 the honors went to American Girl Dolls, Risk, and sand.
I do love that plain old “sand” and "spinning top" can make the list. But where’s water? And bubble bath? (And refrigerator box?)
Most years, only two or three make the cut. I’m happy to report that my favorite toy from when I was a kid, Jacks, was inducted in the year 2000.
What toy would you nominate, and which of this year’s nominees would be your top choice?
Here’s the criteria
• Icon-status: the toy is widely recognized, respected, and remembered.
• Longevity: the toy is more than a passing fad and has enjoyed popularity over multiple generations.
• Discovery: the toy fosters learning, creativity, or discovery through play.
• Innovation: the toy profoundly changed play or toy design.
