Want to feel old? The smartphone is a finalist for the National Toy Hall of Fame this year.
But if you prefer your Hall of Fame to be a little more nostalgic in tone, there's also the Fisher Price Corn Popper, a toddler walking toy first introduced in 1957, Matchbook cars, first introduced in 1952, and the timeless toys of a coloring book and a spinning top.
The Strong Museum of Play in Rochester, N.Y., which hosts the Toy Hall of Fame, released its list of finalists for induction in 2019 on Sept. 11. The winners will be announced Nov. 7.
In case you're wondering, it's been 12 years since Apple introduced the first iPhone, and the Strong Museum of Play in Rochester, N.Y., says smart phones have passed the test of time needed to qualify for the Hall.
Criteria includes: "Icon status," so the toy is widely recognized, respected and remembered; longevity, to prove it is more than a passing fad; discovery, showing it fosters learning through play; and innovation, representing something that profoundly changed play or toy design.
Smartphones certainly seem to pass those tests, and any parent can tell you about how their children love to play with smartphones.
And the museum is open to electronic toys. It already has a sizeable collection and display of video games.
That's not to say it's a lock for the Hall, of course. More than 20 industry experts will weigh in on what belongs in the Hall, which is part of the Strong Museum. And the public will have its (collective) say too.
Fans can submit their votes at toyhalloffame.org Sept. 11-18 through a "player's choice" ballot. The three toys that receive the most votes will join other top-three submissions that will be reviewed by judges.
So will the Nerf Blaster or My Little Pony or Care Bears or the Corn Popper (or Matchbox or the Corn Popper for that matter) join the Hall of Fame before the iPhone? Stay tuned.