Rubik’s Cube enters Toy Hall of Fame | CNN

2014 National Toy Hall of Fame finalists —

The National Toy Hall of Fame added three new toys to its collection in 2014. Click through the gallery to see the rest of 2014's finalists -- and the playthings that received top honors.

Courtesy of The Strong

Bubbles —

Among kids of a certain age, it doesn't get better than blowing bubbles, and in 2014, bubbles won entry to the Toy Hall of Fame. The criteria to enter the hallowed hall: icon status for being widely respected and recognized; longevity, for entertaining multiple generations; discovery, for the ability to foster learning or creativity; and innovation, for having profoundly changed play or toy design.

Courtesy of The Strong

Little green Army men —

Little green Army men have fought for a spot in the Hall of Fame before, and in 2014, they earned it. IN 2013, they lost out to the rubber duck and chess.

Courtesy of The Strong

Rubik's Cube —

The Rubik's Cube was invented in the early 1970s, had a heyday in the 1980s and remains a source of fascination and competition today. In 2014, it was among the Hall of Fame inductees.

Courtesy of The Strong

American Girl dolls —

American Girl dolls were introduced in 1986 to tell the story of a social and cultural period in America's past. Each of the 18-inch dolls is paired with a series of books that tells the story of her life in different time periods, from colonial America to World War II. The Pleasant Company also makes My American Girl Dolls, which can be designed to look like their owners.

Courtesy of The Strong

Fisher-Price Little People —

The Fisher-Price Little People debuted in 1959. By the 1990s, they were still around -- and they were updated to include arms and legs.

Courtesy of The Strong

Hess toy trucks —

Hess toy trucks have been around since 1964, and are perennial holiday favorites. The vehicles are competing for a spot in the National Toy Hall of Fame at The Strong, an educational institution devoted to the study and exploration of play in Rochester, New York. The nonprofit claims to house "the world's most comprehensive collection of historical materials related to play."

Courtesy of The Strong

My Little Pony —

My Little Pony was first introduced in the 1980s, then re-emerged in 2003. At their peak, they outsold Barbie, the National Toy Hall of Fame reports.

Courtesy of The Strong

Operation —

"Operation" was designed as part of a class project in the 1960s, and its creator's need for a medical procedure of his own has been in the news recently. Today, it's still jolting kids with its noisy buzzer.

Courtesy of The Strong

The paper airplane —

The paper airplane's origins are unclear, The Strong says, but "through the years, the simplicity and play value of the paper airplane has made it an inexpensive playtime fixture."

Courtesy of The Strong

Pots and pans —

Pots and pans aren't made to be toys, but their ability to be re-imagined as helmets, drums and other objects earned them a spot among the finalists. If they make the Hall of Fame cut someday, they'll join other simple, imaginative toys, including 2009 inductee, the ball, and a 2008 inductee, the stick.

Courtesy of The Strong

Slip 'N Slide —

Wham-O debuted the Slip 'N Slide in 1960. Other Wham-O favorites have already entered the Hal of Fame: The Frisbee and the Hula Hoop were inducted in 1998 and 1999, respectively.

Courtesy of The Strong

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles —

Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello and Raphael are the fearsome fighting team known as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Created for a 1984 comic book, the Turtles have grown into a kids' entertainment franchise that is still going strong.

Courtesy of The Strong

2014 National Toy Hall of Fame finalists

Story highlights

National Toy Hall of Fame inducted three toys from 12 finalists on November 6

Rubik's Cube, bubbles and little green army men received the honor in 2014

Other finalists included American Girl dolls, Slip 'N Slide, pots and pans

CNN —

Sorry to burst your bubble, My Little Pony and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. But it was a few other classic toys that earned entry into the National Toy Hall of Fame on Thursday.

Rubik’s Cube, little green army men and yes, plain old bubbles won the honors over nine other finalists. The toys will become part of the National Toy Hall of Fame collection at the Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, New York.

Anybody can nominate toys for the honor, but inductees are selected by historians, educators and others based on the objects’ icon status, longevity and innovation. They range from simple playthings like the ball and the stick to beloved brands like Barbie and Lionel trains.

Others toys nominated in 2014 included American Girl dolls, Hess trucks, the Slip ‘N Slide, the paper airplane and yes, pots and pans – those kitchen staples that creative kids have been treating as toys for generations.

Last year’s inductees included the rubber duck and the game of chess. Toys previously inducted into the Hall of Fame include Monopoly (1998), roller skates (1999), jack-in-the-box (2005) and in 2012, “Star Wars” action figures and dominoes.

But there’s still hope for My Little Pony and the other runnersup: They’ll be eligible again next year, and many finalists aren’t inducted on their first try.

Game company to help ‘Operation’ creator with operation costs

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Rubik’s Cube, army men, bubbles enter Toy Hall of Fame

2014 National Toy Hall of Fame finalists

Story highlights