ROCHESTER, Nov 6 (AP): Slime — the gooey, stretchy plaything loved by generations — has officially joined the National Toy Hall of Fame alongside two timeless games, Battleship and Trivial Pursuit.
Honoring toys that shaped play
Each year, the Hall of Fame selects a handful of toys that have inspired creative play across generations. The finalists are chosen from thousands of nominations submitted online, with the final picks decided by public voting and a panel of experts.
Battleship and Trivial Pursuit make waves
Milton Bradley’s Battleship and the trivia classic Trivial Pursuit have each sold more than 100 million copies over the decades, according to the Hall of Fame.
Battleship began as a pencil-and-paper strategy game in the 1930s before Milton Bradley released its plastic version in 1967. The game became a cultural icon, spawning computer adaptations in 1979 and even a 2012 Hollywood film produced by Universal Pictures and Hasbro.
Trivial Pursuit, invented in 1979 by Canadian journalists Chris Haney and Scott Abbott, quickly became a social favorite. The game challenges players to collect wedges by answering questions in categories such as geography, entertainment, and sports. Hasbro now owns the rights and continues to release themed editions for different age groups and interests, while an online daily quiz keeps fans engaged.
Slime sticks around
Slime’s appeal lies in touch rather than competition. Introduced commercially in 1976, it remains popular both as a store-bought toy and a DIY activity. Online tutorials offer countless recipes using glue, baking soda, and contact lens solution.
Curator Michelle Parnett-Dwyer said that despite its “icky” reputation, slime offers meaningful play through sensory stimulation, stress relief, and motor skill development.
A permanent place among classics
The new inductees will be featured permanently at The Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, New York.
This year, they were selected over other nominees including Connect Four, Catan, the Spirograph drawing set, the Star Wars lightsaber, Furby, and Tickle Me Elmo — as well as perennial favorites like scooters, cornhole, and snow play.
Thius news was originally published by The Associated Press.