Toys and Gifts Made in the USA - these companies say they are building their children Toy products in the USA (below).

2008 - Toxic toys still on the shelves | Phthalates in toyland | Is that new toy safe?

PIRG - Toy safety information Check out http://www.healthytoys.org/ to verify toys regarding recalls & testing

Of Chinese Products, Powdered Milk Not the Only Poison

Consider the gift of Adventure and TIME instead of toys. -

Give special IOU cards that promise trips to fancy local playgrounds, please touch museums or children's science museums, local parks, community parades, an event at the public library, or water parks.

Promise to go to the movies and take a friend, or to a child centered show like ice skating shows or local theatre company's kids plays or puppet shows.

Select a book your child is interested in but is advanced for your child. (You could buy it or borrow it from the library.)
Read a chapter together each night.

When recalling their childhoods, my 20 somethings love to recount trips in a rented rowboat at a local state park. We boated to an island and had a home packed picnic. They loved a day trip to the zoo and please touch children centered museums.

My favorite memories of childhood are: A trip to see the Bolshoi Ballet in Pittsburgh, fishing at the local state park with Dad, the company Christmas show my Dad took us to each year. I also recall: going to the zoo in Pittsburgh with my grandparents.
I loved going to the Beaver, PA. Women's Club annual children's plays.

Pennsylvania Places to go on a Child Centered Adventure:

Science:

Academy of Natural Sciences - Philadelphia

Carnegie Science Center and UPMC SportsWorks - Pittsburgh, PA

DaVinci Science Center - Bethlehem, PA

Franklin Institute Science Museum, - Philadelphia, PA

Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts, - Harrisburg, PA

Nicholas E. Wagman Observatory, - Tarentum, PA

North Museum Science - Lancaster, PA

Great Valley Nature Center - Devault, PA

Honey Hollow Environmental Education Centre - New Hope

Pool Wildlife Sanctuary - Emmaus, PA

Museum: kid friendly

Children's Museum of Bloomsburg

Children's Museum of Pittsburgh

Everhart Museum, Nay Aug Park, Scranton lots of resources

expERIEnce Children's Museum

Children's Discovery Workshop Williamsport

Hands-on House, Children's Museum of Lancaster

Please Touch Museum - Philadelphia, PA

State Museum of Pennsylvania Harrisburg, PA

Railroad Museum of PA All aboard! Strasburg, PA

Philadelphia Museum of Art

Theatres:

Philadelphia Children's Theatre

The Barley Sheaf Players , West Chester

Bucks County Playhouse

Greensburg Civic Theatre

Storybook Musical Theatre, Bryn Athyn, PA

Hedgerow Theatre Media, Delaware County

Prime Stage Theater, Pittsburgh

Gamut Theatre Group, Harrisburg

Apple Hill Playhouse, Delmont

Gemini Theatre Company Pittsburgh

South Park Theatre, Pittsburgh area

Arden Children's Theatre , Philadelphia

Civic Theater of Allentown

Altoona Community Theatre

Erie Playhouse

Stage Right Theatre Company

Colonial Theatre, 227 Bridge St., Phoenixville

Philly Fun Guide for Philly

Lancaster Opera House children shows

Theatre of the Seventh Sister Lancaster

Little Theatre of Wilkes-Barre

Cultural Resources: Theatres Fun in NEPA

Scranton Public Theatre

Bradford County Regional Arts Council Schooltime Youth Series

There are many more local theatres check around

Out and About:

Shawnee Place Play and Waterpark - Shawnee-on-Delaware, 15 outdoor play activities especially for kids ages 2 to 12

The Slinky Action Zone - Duncansville, PA

Pennsylvania State Parks - low cost available in many counties!

Longwood Gardens is fun at Christmas time full of lights

Linvilla Orchards spring to fall tons of fun for free

Go Roller Skating

Go Ice Skating or sledding. We helped our kids build a sledding run one year. Within hours the whole neighborhood was there.

Zoos:

Claws 'N' Paws Wild Animal Park Lake Ariel

Erie,

Clyde Peeling's Reptiland

Lehigh Valley Zoo

Living Treasures Animal Park and Petting Zoo

Philadelphia

Pittsburgh

Woodland Zoo of Farmington

National Aviary in Pittsburgh

 

Science stuff & Places

Ward's Natural Science

S.K Science kits

Churchville Nature Center

Edmund Scientific

Young Exploreers Creative Educational Toys - check each toy

Group Lists Year's Most Dangerous Toys

Toys - Check out your local Farmer's Markets.

Many crafters make beautiful toys that are sold locally in "country" gift shops and farmer's markets.
Local business promotion agencies may know of area manufactureers (the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is pushing outsourcing manufacturing
to foreign countries), and the regional tourism promotion site.

Wooden Toys Handcrafted in Maine.

Uncle Goose blocks are handcrafted in Grand Rapids, Michigan by Lindenwood, Inc.

USA made toys from Lehman's

Toys of USA

Skullduggery

Apple Valley Dolls Works

Holgate Toys

Vermont Teddy Bear

Glick's Foods and Crafts, Lancaster

Willow Toys

BEKA, Inc. Hand made wooden products and children's toys

Creative Playthings

Zome construction toys

Mountain Boy Sledworks

Green Toys

Fat Brain Toys - each toy info reveals source. offers many sources!

Little Colorado play sets

250+ Lead-Free Toys Made in USA

Turner Toys made in USA

ALL AMERICAN Toy company - collectible cars trucks, tractors

Buffalo games

Finga Zinga

Educational Toys made in USA

Healthy Toys

Jump Ropes

Ogunquit Wooden Toys

Maurine's Fiber Friends

Roy Toy building sets

USA Made Toys

STILL MADE IN USA TOYS

Made in USA Toys - baby, preschool, older child

LAURI TOYS

Imagination Box Company - arts and crafts toys are made right here in the USA, and are manufactured by an environmentally friendly company.
All of our toys are assembled at PSNI ( Panhandle Special Needs Inc.)

Tarus Toys

Uncle Goose Toys

Doll Clothes Made in the USA for 18 inch Dolls (Mattel bought Pleasant Company) American Girl recall

There are many local sources for clothes for American Girl dolls made by Americans. Check around craft fairs. Ironically, American Girl dolls and toys are made in China. They were American made until Mattel bought it.

Back to Basics Toys search USA

Stack & Stick

Playclay

FairyFinery dress up stuff made in Minnesota

Farm toy manufactureers

Ebay can be an excellent source for great toys not available in your community.

Updated 12/8/2008