By Associated Press

Copyright scmp

Later this year, snow could be inducted into the US National Toy Hall of Fame. Its competition: a group that features hugely popular board games, outdoor favourites and giggling plushies.
The National Toy Hall of Fame recently announced its 12 finalists for the class of 2025 and opened voting to the public and a panel of judges, who will choose which few will be honoured in November.
The 12 contenders consist of the games Battleship, Catan, Connect Four, Trivial Pursuit and cornhole; tactile materials slime and snow; Spirograph, scooters and the Star Wars lightsaber; and ’90s toy world technological icons Furby and Tickle Me Elmo.
The finalists were chosen from among the thousands of nominees the Toy Hall of Fame receives each year.
“This year’s contenders present some playful matchups,” says Christopher Bensch, vice-president for collections and chief curator.
“I’m always excited to see where the judges and public come out in their votes,” Bensch added. “At the end of the day, the playful debates just go to show how much personal and cultural relevance these toys have for us all.”

The public has until September 24 to vote for their favourites. The three top vote-getters will make up a “Player’s Choice” ballot to be counted alongside 22 other ballots from a panel of historians, educators and other experts.
The winners will be announced in November by The Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, New York, where the Hall of Fame is located.
While anyone can nominate a toy, the ones that make it into the hall have to be considered icons and to have engaged multiple generations, fostered creativity, or profoundly changed play or toy design.
Last year, My Little Pony, Transformers action figures and the Phase 10 card game were honoured, bringing to 87 the number of toys inducted since the Hall of Fame was established in 1998.
Here are more details on the 12 contenders nominated this year.
1. Battleship

Milton Bradley has sold more than 100 million copies of the strategy game since introducing its plastic warships and pegboard version in 1967.
Originally a pencil-and-paper game, Battleship was among the first board games to be computerised in 1979.

Known earlier as Settlers of Catan, the game first published by Kosmos in Germany was one of the first German-style board games to achieve popularity outside Europe.
More than 45 million copies in 40 languages have been sold since it was introduced in 1995.
It has inspired dozens of spin-offs and new editions, including electronic versions and even a cookbook.
3. Connect Four

Players drop discs into a grid trying to get four in a row.
Spoiler alert: the game has been mathematically solved, meaning the first player can always win with the right moves.
4. Cornhole
Players try to throw beanbags through a hole in a slanted wooden board to score points.
This nominee stands out for a simplicity that has made it a staple at picnics and on bar patios.

Furby debuted in 1998 and within the first three years, 40 million of the drowsy-eyed robotic creatures were sold.
An enhanced version was introduced to a new generation of kids in 2023.
6. The scooter

This has provided riders with low-tech, two-wheeled transport for generations, evolving along the way to incorporate lightweight materials and innovative technology.

Whether commercially produced or home-made, slime is on the list for its ability to encourage messy and experimental play.
Since its commercial introduction in 1976, it has also featured on a number of television shows.

Snow is recognised for its versatility, allowing children and adults to make snowballs and build snowmen, while serving as a base for sledding, skiing and snowboarding.
The nominee would join the ranks of other back-to-basic inductees like the stick, sand and cardboard box.
9. Spirograph
With their plastic gears, rings, triangles and bars, Spirographs have entertained and educated the masses for 60 years.
Users place the tip of a pen into a hole of a gear and rotate it around or within other gears to create intricate geometric drawings.
10. Star Wars Lightsaber

Kenner released the first Star Wars lightsaber in 1978 on the heels of the 1977 Star Wars film
Since then, the toy weapon has been updated with lights and sound.
11. Tickle Me Elmo
With its contagious laughter, this was the must-have toy of the 1996 holiday season.
The Sesame Street character was not the first stuffed animal to have electronics added, but the giggling Muppet took the concept to another level.
12. Trivial Pursuit
This board game debuted more than 40 years ago with a mix of trivia questions about geography, history, sports and other topics.
More than 100 million copies had been sold by 2023.