Tickle Me Elmo, Care Bears and Pokémon Cards Among 2026 Toy Hall of Fame Finalists

Get ready for a serious dose of childhood nostalgia! The National Toy Hall of Fame has announced its 2026 finalists, and the list is basically a trip down the toy aisle of your childhood.

From Tickle Me Elmo to Polly Pocket, some of the most beloved toys and games are competing for a permanent place in toy history.

And somehow, stepping on LEGO barefoot still hasn't been recognized as an official childhood trauma.

The 12 Finalists for 2026

This year's nominees include a mix of classic board games, collectible toys and playground favourites.

RELATED: Connect Four, Lightsabers, Furbies … and Snow? The Toy Hall of Fame Finalists Are Here

• Bingo
• Bop It!
• Care Bears
• Mahjong
• Monster High dolls
• Mouse Trap
• Pokémon Trading Card Game
• Polly Pocket
• The playground slide
• Sorry!
• Tickle Me Elmo
• Yahtzee

Yes, an actual playground slide is nominated.

Apparently, launching yourself down a scorching metal slide in July while wearing shorts is considered a treasured childhood memory.

Canadian kids of a certain age will remember those slides doubling as frying pans during summer recess.

Tickle Me Elmo Is Hoping for a Comeback

Despite becoming one of the most sought-after Christmas toys of the 1990s, Tickle Me Elmo still hasn't earned a spot in the Hall of Fame.

The giggling red Sesame Street character was nominated in 2025 but lost out to Battleship, Slime and Trivial Pursuit.

Apparently, making parents fight over the last Elmo at Toys “R” Us wasn't enough to secure a place in history. 

You Can Vote for Your Childhood Favourite!

The National Toy Hall of Fame, located at The Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, New York, celebrates toys that have entertained generations, encouraged creativity and changed the way children play.

The public can vote once per day until September 23, with the results contributing to the final selection process.

Three toys will be inducted into the Hall of Fame in early November. 

Cast your vote here: 2026 National Toy Hall of Fame Player's Choice Ballot 

And now for the important question: Which childhood toy deserves a spot in the Hall of Fame?

Because if we're accepting playground equipment, I would like to nominate the neighbourhood trampoline with no safety net, the lawn darts our parents somehow trusted us with, and the garden hose we drank from all summer.

The fact that we survived childhood in the '80s and '90s deserves its own Hall of Fame.