Bingo, Care Bears, Pokémon cards, and the playground slide have earned a place among the toys that generations keep coming back to.
The National Toy Hall of Fame added the four honorees to its 2026 class on November 5. The Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, New York, lists all four as this year’s inductees.
The winners emerged from 12 finalists, the Associated Press reported. The other contenders included Bop It!, mahjong, Monster High dolls, Mouse Trap, Polly Pocket, Sorry!, Tickle Me Elmo and Yahtzee.
From bingo cards to Care Bears
The museum traces bingo’s roots to an Italian lottery game in 1530. Toy merchandiser Edwin S. Lowe later helped popularize the American version, which spread across the country by the 1940s.
The museum’s history also connects the broader lotto tradition to educational games and lotería, the image-matching game that reached colonial Mexico as early as 1769.
Care Bears began as greeting-card characters before expanding into plush bears, small figures, television shows and movies. The museum describes the brand’s early focus on caring, sharing and expressing feelings.
Pokémon and playground play
The Pokémon Trading Card Game reached Japan in 1996, following the franchise’s Game Boy video games, the museum notes. Players battle with 60-card decks that combine Pokémon creatures, trainers, and items.
The card game also developed digital versions, bringing a franchise that began with video games back onto screens.
The slide rounds out the class with a form of play that needs neither a deck nor a character. The museum documents slides at amusement parks by the early 1900s and their spread through the playground movement.
It credits slides with helping children develop motor skills and encouraging exploration.
How toys make the hall
The National Toy Hall of Fame began in 1998 and moved to The Strong in 2002. The museum explains that selection considers recognition, appeal across generations, learning through play, and innovation.
Anyone can nominate a toy. A museum committee selects 12 finalists, and a national advisory committee helps choose the inductees. Public voting collectively counts as one ballot.
Provided by Dallas Express
