National Toy Hall of Fame Archive

Get out your library cards and alert your book club! With three new inductees to the National Toy Hall of Fame in November, it’s time for another edition of Toy Stories: Tales of the Games and Toys We Love. Last year, I recommended books about five Toy Hall of Fame Inductees and their inventors. This year, dive into four more “old-timers” and one new inductee with this fresh reading list!
Jump Rope, Class of 2000

For generations, American girls have spent their […]

Continue Reading about Even More Stories from the Toy Hall of Fame Published on:
May 17, 2019

Born in racially segregated South Carolina in 1948, Louvenia (Kitty) Black Perkins grew up playing with white dolls gifted by her mother’s employers. In the 1960s, Black Perkins attended an all-black school, Carver High School, where she excelled in art. Upon graduation, she received the gift of a trip to visit her aunt and uncle in California. There Black Perkins put her name on a wait list for commercial art classes at Los Angeles Trade Technical College and, in the […]

Continue Reading about Kitty Black Perkins: The African American Designer behind the First Black Barbie Published on:
April 26, 2019

Everybody recognizes a jigsaw puzzle. A national craze in the 1930s, puzzles continue to sell well today. But few of us know the pleasure of assembling an all-wood, hand-cut puzzle. These playthings for adults first appeared around 1910 in the United States. While basic puzzle construction was simple—glue a paper print to wood or cardboard and then cut it out with a saw—they were made purposefully difficult to assemble. At that time, no serious puzzle came with a picture of […]

Continue Reading about The Rolls-Royce of Jigsaw Puzzles Published on:
March 19, 2019

Think of the ubiquitous crayon—generally a three-inch-long, likely worn down (or possibly broken!) waxy object. There could be some in your utility drawer at home right now, or maybe there is a bucketful in your family’s playroom. Head on over to any family restaurant and there’s a good chance you find some waiting at your table ready to be used on the nearest paper placemat. You might even find evidence of crayon usage on your child’s bedroom wall, […]

Continue Reading about Those Colorful Crayons Published on:
December 6, 2018

Have you played Uno? An estimated 80 percent of game-playing households have. Since its introduction in 1971, the game has sold increasingly well. Inexpensive to buy and easy to learn, Uno appeals to a wide age range. Unlike most card games aimed at either children or adults, Uno is one of the few games that can truly be enjoyed by both—without the child feeling overpowered. But while nearly everyone has played or at least seen a version of Uno, few […]

Continue Reading about America’s Favorite Game and Success Story: Uno! Published on:
November 27, 2018

Is there someone on your holiday gift-buying list who deserves a memorable toy this season? I’m here to tell you to look no further than the must-have toys of yesteryear to come up with a gift that’s sure to delight—a strategy that will spare you from duking it out in the toy aisle over the latest hot plaything that’s selling at a premium. Just let the toy crazes of the past be your guide to avoiding holiday shopping stress this […]

Continue Reading about Must-Have Holiday Toys—Past, Present, and Future Published on:
November 20, 2018

Pinheads (or pinball enthusiasts, to the uninformed) rejoice! On November 8, 2018, pinball joined the 67 other iconic toys and games inducted into The Strong’s National Toy Hall of Fame. At its most basic level, pinball challenges players to use plastic flippers to control, aim, and fire a 1 1/16-inch stainless steel ball around a wooden playfield covered with objects and obstacles. It’s no surprise then, that pinball descended from centuries-old bowling, marble, billiard, and bagatelle games that all required […]

Continue Reading about Pinball Flips, Thumps, and Pops into the National Toy Hall of Fame Published on:
November 15, 2018

Our lives are complicated and expectations for the future lie between idle longing and fervent wishing. As I entered the angst of middle school, I often wondered “what might happen?” and “what should I do about it.” I sought an oracle that could illuminate the future for me and Magic 8 Ball proved an intriguing way to harmlessly flirt with the future. On November 8, 2018, Magic 8 Ball took its place of honor in the National Toy […]

Continue Reading about Outlook Good: Magic 8 Ball Inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame Published on:
November 8, 2018

In my last blog post we learned that the first big wave of skateboarding took place from 1959 to 1965, and then skateboarding went mainly “underground” from about 1966 to 1972. However, the skateboarding world began to see a resurgence starting in 1973 thanks to Frank Nasworthy’s 1972 introduction of durable “Cadillac Wheels.” These new and improved composite wheels provided smoother, faster rides for skateboarders and this upgraded feature literally set the “wheels in motion” for the second […]

Continue Reading about Sidewalk Surfing: The Gnarly History of Skateboarding Part II (1973 to 1991) Published on:
September 14, 2018