Which North Carolina wooden toy brands are ready for play in 2025? Made in North Carolina, for North Carolinians by North Carolinians.
First a quick fact! North Carolina’s state tree is the pine tree (pinus), which is an excellent wood for toymaking — soft, light, warm, and easy to shape. Other state’s have elected pine variants to represent their states — like longleaf pine in Alabama and lobolly pine in Arkansas — but North Carolina kept it original, y’all!
According to a report from North Carolina State University, North Carolina’s timber cutting and milling economy is still booming, but in slight decline since 2023.
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North Carolina’s Top 5 Wooden Toy Companies
- (01) Outside Everywhere – Asheville, NC
- (02) Toys By Cooper – Charlotte, NC
- (03) Quality Woodcrafts – Clayton, NC
- (04) The Shoppe at Little Creek – Clayton, NC
- (05) New River Natural Store – Ashe County, NC
(01) Outside Everywhere
Waldorf parents rejoice! Outside Everywhere makes beautiful eco-friendly Waldorf figurines and wall art inspired by the natural world around us. With a distinct and consistent artistic style across each toy — mostly animal shapes — you’ll be able to build the most delightful Waldorf figurine collection.
See Outside Everywhere on Etsy.
(02) Toys By Cooper
Classic wooden Montessori baby learning toys — excellent to jump start your little boy or girl’s brain and sensory development. Simple toys with science-backed benefits for babies’ cognitive development.
For Montessori-inspired early problem-solving, writing, and spatial awareness — try a wooden shape sorter, alphabet tracing cards in print and cursive, and a coin box with object permanence box to teach little ones that things exist even when unseen.
(03) Quality Woodcrafts
Handcrafted in Clayton, NC, Quality Woodcrafts keeps timeless play alive with heirloom toys and furniture — and they keep up with the times by joining the Better Business Bureau and partnering with other local businesses. From personalized name puzzles, coat racks, and stools to classic wooden push toys resembling Amish tradition — every toy blends simplicity with lasting charm.
See Quality Woodcrafts on Etsy.
(04) Shoppe at Little Creek
The Shoppe at Little Creek brand was born in Clayton, NC, from a family’s dream to incorporate love and faith into child’s play. Their Christian-themed wooden puzzles bring Bible stories like Noah’s Ark and lessons like the 10 Commandments into the hands of eager learners — and their Montessori-inspired puzzles feature vibrant, photo-quality prints with laser-engraved words to encourage reading.
See Shoppe at Little Creek on Etsy.
(05) New River Natural Store
Handcrafted in Ashe County, North Carolina, the New River Natural Store specialized in heritage-quality hardwood kids furniture — timeless, wholesome, and made with love for kids to sit in.
From hardwood rocking chairs that sway on any surface to Adirondack swings strung up with sturdy rope, each swinging-and-rocking chair is built from cherry, walnut, or barnwood and finished with safe, natural oils — tung oil, pine oil, and zinc — and zinc for lasting durability, reduced mold, and protection from the sun.
See New River Natural Store on Etsy.
(06) Entwood Crafts
I usually won’t list purely decorative items, but these expertly crafted wooden magnets & wall hangings are too good not to share with you.
Have you ever watched an animated film — only to be amazed how lifelike 3D animation has become? Entwood Crafts makes the same impression with their wooden creations. An anatomical heart that looks so real — it’s kinda icky, and an owl that might someday actually hoot at you — I’m truly in awe at the lifelike detail.
Visit the Entwood Crafts official website.
(07) McCoy Toys
A retired couple by the name of McCoy — take a back-to-basics approach when it comes to making traditional wooden folk toys and games — The Tar Heel State’s Real McCoy! Their grasshopper pull toy with flinging legs is most fun — but also check out their cup and ball swinging and spinning classic games.
(08) Dad’s Sawdust Factory
How refreshing to find a wooden toy maker focused on calming and meditative kids activities. In this hectic world of cell phones and video games — Dad’s toys help kids experience peaceful moments through play.
Focused on neverending finger swirling, their finger-tracing meditation stops outside distractions. Attractive in the shape of your favorite animals, their lacing toys relieve stress like sewing — for people unskilled in sewing techniques.
See Dad’s Sawdust Factory on Etsy.
(09) We Cut Prime Paint It
We Cut Prime Paint It makes toy-sized versions of all kinds of vehicles — wheeled dinosaur or sea creature buddy sets, and chunky solid-color service toys: police cars, fire trucks, tractors, and bulldozers — accurate to proportion but with a creatively bold neon color scheme.
See We Cut Prime Paint It on Etsy.
(10) The Pearson Shop
Fun and functional laser cut wooden games and stacking towers — simple enough for kids’ play, but just as fun for adults. How’d you like to play Jenga or Connect Four on your lawn? Their items can be made to custom order — adding your personalized engraving or favorite colors.
Visit the The Pearson Shop official website.
(11) Weirs Wood Art
Hand cut hardwood push toys & puzzles from a local Huntersville scroll saw artist. As a man who takes pride in his woodwork — unpainted wood only — each toy comes with a letter of authenticity signed by the toymaker.
(12) Treelight Heirlooms
Fine rainbow stackers born from modern creative inspiration — in bright rainbow colors, pastel shades, or just plain wood. These baby- and toddler-friendly wooden stackers play as well as they display in the nursery.
See Treelight Heirlooms on Etsy.
A North Carolina Wooden Toy Time Capsule
- Tryon Toy-Makers — Established in 1915 to promote craftsmanship in the mountains of North Carolina, the Tryon Toy-Makers trained local toymakers until World War I. Back then toy brands, and their associated shops did their part in educating their community by sharing their skills and educating youths for life-long careers. Nowadays, the Tryon Toy-Makers are celebrated as a relic of North Carolina heritage and preserved at the Tryon Historical Museum.
- The Salted Owl — Until some time before 2025, The Salted Owl was a children’s boutique with unique children’s gifts, eco-friendly handmade wooden toys — with highly attractive color sorters and pretend play sets!
- Toy Maker Of Southport — Before their shop’s closure some time before 2025, the Toy Maker Of Southport brand made heirloom quality two-tone handcrafted wooden vehicle toys from Southport, NC with an incredible level of detail — large and in charge looking like the real thing.
