Sand, Risk and American Girl Doll inducted into 2021 National Toy Hall of Fame

NEW YORK (WPBN/WGTU) — The inductees for the 2021 National Toy Hall of Fame have been announced!

Coming in on top were the educational American Girl Dolls, game-changing board game Risk, and universal plaything sand. The honorees were chosen from a field of 12 finalists that also included Battleship, billiards, Cabbage Patch Kids, Fisher-Price Corn Popper, Mahjong, Masters of the Universe, pinata, the Settlers of Catan, and toy fire engine.

American Girl Dolls were created in 1986 by educator Pleasant Rowland. Each 18-inch historical doll comes with a unique narrative that fits her era, such as Molly McIntire, who is waiting for her father to return home from World War Two.

Risk translates the hobby of wargaming with miniature figures into a mass-produced war and strategy board game.

It was first published in the United State in 1959 and ignited renewed interest in strategy games in the 1970s and continues to influence the board game industry.

National Toy Hall of Fame officials said sand may be the most universal and oldest toy in the world. Children recognize sand as a creative material suitable for pouring, scooping, sieving, raking, and measuring.