Let’s look at 2025’s top Alabama wooden toy brands — Made in Alabama, for Alabamans by Alabamans.
But first a quick fact! Alabama’s state tree is the longleaf pine (pinus palustris).
According to the Encyclopedia of Alabama, Alabama is one the nation’s of the most heavily forested states, and it’s timber industry has a rich history. Back in 1910, Alabama had 1,819 lumber manufacturers.
Today, Knox Handmade Toys is the state’s most well-known wooden toy maker.
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Alabama’s Top 3 Wooden Toy Companies
- (01) Knox Handmade Toys – Madison, AL
- (02) Granpa Penn – Jacksonville, AL
- (03) GCR Wooden Creations – Dothan, AL
(01) Knox Handmade Toys
Knox Handmade Toys are made with premium quality exotic woods in Madison, AL. Their story is best represented A to Z — of their many wood types, some I’ve never even heard of — African mahogany, African padauk, ambrosia maple, blood wood, cedar, cherry, curly cherry, Peruvian walnut, purple heart, red oak, sassafras, walnut, yellowheart, and zebra wood.
Exotic woods matched by careful craftsmanship — Knox Handmade Toys creates all the classics to accentuate the woods’ natural beauty — cars, helicopters, planes, trains, tractors, trailers.
Visit the Knox Handmade Toys official website.
(01) Granpa Penn
The heartwarming story of a Jacksonville, AL grandson who decided to help his 63 year old grandfather’s woodshop go digital. Check out a collection of “Grimm’s Style” natural eco-friendly wooden toys from this Boomer-to-Millennial Alabama concept shop.
Grandpa Penn has perfected the rainbow stacker making with an excellent variety — large rainbow arch stackers, flat semicircle rainbow boards, and straight-cut rainbow planks. Each designed to nest from longest to shortest piece. Each is available in bright rainbow colors or a lighter pastel color scheme.
(03) GCR Wooden Creations
GCR Wooden Creations believes in life-size hands on play for toddlers and up — both indoors and out.
Their signature pikler triangle sets come complete with a matching arch and ramp — to switch up the setup and climb in all different directions. The ramp part flips double-sided — with a smooth side to slide down and a grabbable side with rock-climbing holds.
For even more versatility, their modifiable pikler triangle isn’t actually a triangle. It’s got four ladder sections connected by three star knobs — foldable into a house with roof — or extendable extra straight and long like a bridge.
Besides climbing, GCR Wooden Creations’ sensory tables are a place for kids to get their hands messy! It’s a table with two removable buckets, and the outdoor “mud kitchen” includes a working faucet that hooks up to the garden hose.
Visit GCR Wooden Creations on Etsy.
See the GCR Wooden Creations official website.
(04) Alabama Woodworkers Guild
A community of local woodworkers making sawdust with a purpose. You can’t exactly buy toys from the guild — that’s because their “Toy Group” division holds weekly meetings to build toys that are donated to hospitalized children. Alabama wooden toymakers with hearts of gold!
Visit the Alabama Woodworkers Guild official website.
An Alabama Toy Making Time Capsule
- Chestnut & Hemlock — Until the year 2021, Chestnut & Hemlock made fine wooden puzzles, figurines, and toys made by a family of self-proclaimed “tree tuggers” in Tuscaloosa, AL. With different shades of sustainably harvested or salvaged wood — walnut, cedar, or pine — their wooden toys were like functional, earth-friendly art made for play!
- Lemon & Oak — Until the year 2021, Lemon & Oak produced all-natural wooden handicrafts and gifts — sending love from a Huntsville, AL stay-at-home dad. With a selection of gorgeous-grained natural wood toys for babies and toddlers — a daddy’s with a soft spot for parenting and power tools! Their most sought-after item was a set of three carved American Sign Language “I Love You” in three hardwood tones.
