The rubber duck has squeaked out a win for its place in the National Toy Hall of Fame. Along with the game of Chess both toys were inducted into the 2013 class on Thursday.
The 10 other finalists that the pair beat are: Bubbles, Clue, Fisher-Price Little People, the little green Army men, the Magic 8 Ball, My Little Pony, Nerf Toys, Pac-Man, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and the Scooter.
According to the Toy Hall of Fame website, anyone can nominate a toy to be entered but it has to have longevity, encourage learning, creativity, and discovery through play, as well as be widely recognized, respected, and remembered. If a toy is considered innovative, meaning, “the toy profoundly changed play or toy design” then it can be nominated without meeting the other criteria.
To date there are 53 toys at the 15-year-old National Toy Hall of Fame which is located in The Strong’s National Museum of Play in Rochester, NY. Some of the toys already inducted are the jump rope, playing cards, Barbie, and Candy Land.
The finalists were chosen by a museum committee of curators, educators and historians.
Abby Borovitz