Toys are serious business in the United States. Every year, countless children and adults line up outside of stores to get their hands on the latest and greatest toys. And for the toys of yesteryear, there’s always the National Toy Hall of Fame in New York. So what toys made it into this prestigious hall of fame this year? Brace yourselves, folks.
First up, we have baseball cards. Yes, you heard it right. Those little pieces of cardboard with stats on them that you used to trade with your friends during recess. It seems like just yesterday when baseball cards were all the rage, but now they’re getting recognized for their supposed contribution to American culture. How exciting.
Next, we have Cabbage Patch Kids. Ah, the dolls that every little girl wanted in the 80s. With their rosy cheeks and wild yarn hair, these dolls were supposed to be the “it” toy of the decade. Yet somehow, they’ve managed to stick around for over 30 years, and now they’re in the Toy Hall of Fame. We can only imagine what kind of party the Cabbage Patch Kids are having right now.
Moving on, we have the Fisher Price Corn-Popper. You know, that toy that you push around and it makes popping noises? Apparently, this toy has been a hit with children since the 1950s. We’re not sure how it managed to stay relevant for so long, but we guess there’s something magical about watching colorful balls pop around inside a plastic dome.
Last but not least, we have Nerf. Yes, Nerf, the company that makes foam balls and plastic guns for kids. We’re not denying the appeal of Nerf toys, but we have to wonder what kind of message we’re sending to kids when we’re honoring a company that makes toy guns. It’s not like we have enough violence in this world already, right?
All joking aside, we can’t help but wonder what kind of criteria the National Toy Hall of Fame uses to determine which toys are worthy of induction. Sure, some of these toys were fun to play with, but do they really represent the best of American culture? We’re not sure.
But if we had to make a guess, we’d say that the Toy Hall of Fame is just looking for toys that have managed to stay relevant over the years. After all, it’s not easy for a toy to stand the test of time in a world that’s constantly changing. So, congratulations to baseball cards, Cabbage Patch Kids, the Fisher Price Corn-Popper, and Nerf. You’ve made it into the National Toy Hall of Fame, and that’s quite an accomplishment. Now, if you’ll excuse us, we’re going to go play with our fidget spinners while we ponder the meaning of it all.
