Four new toys—including Bingo, Care Bears, Pokémon Trading Card Game cards and a playground slide—were inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame.
The Story
Bingo, Care Bears, the Pokémon Trading Card Game and a classic playground slide were among the 2026 inductees announced Thursday for the National Toy Hall of Fame.
The Strong National Museum of Play said the winners emerged from a field of 12 finalists, with the hall adding the new entries alongside established icons such as Mr. Potato Head and G.I. Joe.
The museum noted that bingo “descends from an Italian lottery played around 1530,” and said it is now played virtually worldwide. Curator Mirek Stolee said in a statement that while bingo is often associated with older audiences, it has become increasingly popular with young adults, and recent public bingo games have moved beyond fundraising into venues such as bars and nightclubs.
The Strong National Museum of Play said the effort to get the Care Bears into the hall was supported by the franchise’s nearly 1 million social media followers, while Pokémon trading cards were boosted by anime enthusiasts and manga readers.
The hall said the playground slide helps children develop motor skills and encourages exploration. Jeremy Saucier, vice president for collections, said, “People of all ages remember fondly the simple, satisfying, and energizing experience of racing down a slide.”
The hall said anyone can nominate a toy, but only items that are considered icons—because they have engaged multiple generations, fostered creativity, or profoundly changed play or toy design—can be selected.
The four 2026 winners will join 90 toys already enshrined in the National Toy Hall of Fame, a list that includes Cabbage Patch Kids, Dungeons & Dragons, Hot Wheels and Frisbee.
Other finalists mentioned in the report included Bop It!, mahjong, Monster High dolls, Polly Pocket, Tickle Me Elmo, Yahtzee, Sorry! (Sorry, Sorry!) and Mouse Trap.
← More stories