Companies

4 Great Physical Education

Chris Tamborra and Mark Farnsworth collaborated to form 4 Great Physical Education, an educational consulting firm. 4 Great Physical Education supports the leadership of the school physical education professional in promoting healthier lifestyles to reduce childhood obesity.

Alfred Carlton (A.C.) Gilbert founded and led the A.C. Gilbert Company for over 50 years. What began with magic sets was soon anchored with his most famous invention, the Erector Set. Over the years, A.C. Gilbert Company also produced chemistry sets, radio kits, microscopes, telegraph sets, electricity sets, weather stations, Atomic Energy sets, and American Flyer trains.

A.G. Spalding & Bros. Inc., an American sporting goods company, opened its first store in Chicago in 1876. Eventually known simply as Spalding, the company has had a long history of manufacturing baseballs, footballs, basketballs, volleyballs, soccer balls, and a wide range of athletic equipment and clothing.

Located in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada, Active Playground Equipment is a manufacturer of commercial playground equipment. Active Playground Equipment is committed to the global environment, which is reflected in their green policies.

Adventure Playground Systems enhancing children's learning through play

Adventure Playground Systems is a commercial playground designer and equipment manufacturer. They create outdoor play systems, soft play systems, early childhood systems, skate parks, splash pads, fitness equipment, stand alone structures, and Iron Kids structures.

A subsidiary of Mattel, American Girl manufactures historical dolls, customized dolls, baby dolls, toddler dolls, doll clothing and matching children's clothing, and period accurate accessories and furniture.

Since 1994, Atomic Playgrounds has designed, manufactured, and installed indoor contained play spaces and outdoor playgrounds. Atomic Playgrounds creates themed play systems for amusement centers, dentists, museums, malls, restaurants, and retail outlets.

John LaRue founded Back2BasicPlay, a not-for-profit corporation, to promote how play and games help produce children of character while promoting healthier lifestyles. Back2BasicPlay has formulated a procedure to teach children to create their own games to help them learn how to resolve conflict and gain social skills through play.

Invented by Rabbi Reeve Brenner in 1981, the sport of Bankshot Basketball was the beginning of the company, Bankshot Sports. The all-inclusive games offered by Bankshot Sports allow a large number of people of varying abilities to challenge themselves to complete various challenges.

Barbara Butler Artist-Builder, Inc. was incorporated in 1999 to custom design, build, and install play structures. Barbara Butler combined play and art in her backyard play designs. Most of the play spaces fit one of four standard categories: playhouses, play forts, theaters, and outside structures for grownups.

One of the oldest playground companies in the United States, BCI Burke was founded by John E. Burke in 1920 in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. Besides having innovative products, safety is also a priority at BCI Burke.

In 2000, Danny and Marcye Bears founded Bears Playgrounds, which designs, manufactures, and installs nature-inspired playgrounds nationwide and internationally. The company uses natural materials in their effort to "marry nature with play."

Beginning in Berlin in 1865 as a manufacturer of steel cables for the Berliner elevator industries, Berliner Seilfabrik entered the playground industry in the 1970s with their world famous ropes made into play climbing structures. With nearly 40 years in the play equipment industry, Berliner Seilfabrik GmbH & Co. established the subsidiary, Berliner Seilfabrik Play Equipment Corporation in 2008.

BigToys was started by Chuck Kirby and Al MacPherson in 1962. BigToys' mission has always been "to offer all children commercial playground equipment that provides a safe, positive play experience that is also fun, exciting and most importantly developmentally appropriate."

Derived from Blue Implement, a farm implement company, Blue Imp became a playground equipment manufacturer in the 1950s. Blue Imp takes safety issues in playgrounds and playground equipment very seriously. They believe, "A well-designed playground gets kids moving without realizing they are getting fit at the same time."

Founded by Jeff Brewer and Conant Brewer in 1990, Brewer's Ledge designs and manufactures climbing structures for playgrounds. At Brewer's Ledge, they "believe climbing is one of the best full body, functional training activities in the world and has a valued place in every training and recreation program."

A LEGO-based play and learning franchise business opportunity owned by Creative Learning Corporation, Bricks 4 Kidz offers building activities for children ages 3-13+ that engage their curiosity and creativity.

Founded in 1997, Build-A-Bear Workshop is a global company that offers an interactive make-your-own stuffed animal retail-entertainment experience. Maxine Clark opened the first Build-A-Bear Workshop in the Saint Louis Galleria.

As a playground, sports, and park equipment distributor, BYO Recreation's company motto is within their name: Beyond Your Ordinary Recreation. They believe that "play is an important part of a child's development" and that "playgrounds provide numerous benefits for children, both mentally and physically."

Founded in 1978, Cemrock Naturalistic Environments constructs, fabricates, and installs concrete landscaping features and realistic exhibits for zoos, aquariums, parks, playgrounds, and museums.

A commercial playground equipment manufacturer, Childforms offers a full line of modular play structures and play environments for early childhood and elementary market. They believe in "offering quality products at a fair price with excellent customer service" and in "assisting our children in learning about the health benefits of outdoor play."

Climbinet was founded in 2010 to offer more affordable rope play structures for outdoor climbing. Without sacrificing durability or safety standards, Climbinet manufactures climbing rope structures with unique technical features that increase durability.

A toy developer and manufacturing company, Coleco was most famous for the home video game system, ColecoVision, and the Cabbage Patch dolls. Coleco also produced wading pools, doll carriages, tabletop hockey games, electronic hand-held games, Power Cycle plastic tricycles, pinball machines, pool tables, and sleds.

Founded in 1977 by Curt Wear, Community Playgrounds, Inc. is a leader in the playground installation industry. Located in Vallejo, California, they have completed over 13,000 playground installations across the state of California.

Constructive Playthings is a division of U.S. Toy Company that focuses on providing teaching aids, supplies, and equipment for preschools, churches, daycare facilities, and other early childhood educational entities.

In 1903, Binney & Smith, Inc. introduced crayons in 16 different colors made from synthetic, non-toxic pigments. For over a 100 years, Binney & Smith, Inc. products were commonly known as Crayola products worldwide. Only in 2007 did the Crayola name become official.

Cre8Play playground structure - Casey's Clubhouse

Starting in Minneapolis in 2005 by Todd Lehman, Cre8Play introduced creativity in designing commercial playgrounds with nature themed play structures and custom built designs.

From 1995 until 2010 International Play Equipment Manufacturers Association worked with Detroit Testing Laboratory to provide third-party physical validation of compliance with the ASTM International safety standards for playground equipment and playground surfaces.

Founded in 2008 by Kathy and Gary Max, Dog-ON-it-Parks designs, manufactures, and installs dog exercise equipment, dog park furnishings, and dog park accessories.

The Duncan name is synonymous with the yo-yo which began with Pedro Flores in 1928 and his Yo-Yo Manufacturing Company. As an immigrant to the United States, Pedro thought of marketing the Philippine traditional wooden toy, the "yo-yo," which he played with as a child.

DuraPlay is a rubber poured-in-place safety surfacing company based in Wimberley, Texas. They provide safe fall surfaces for playgrounds, theme parks, and childcare centers addressing the reality that 75%-80% of playground injuries result from falls to unsafe surfaces.

Dynamo Playgrounds has been in business since 1993. Their playground equipment is based on the principles of motion, energy, and teamwork, and they manufacture playnets in many sizes and configurations.

A play and landscape design company, EarlySpace creates natural play spaces, outdoor classrooms, and sustainable landscaping for homeowners, schools, and children's programs. Nancy Striniste founded EarlySpace in 1989.

Based in Spencer, New York, EarthPlay assists communities in designing, planning, and building natural playscapes. EarthPlay designs are filled with hills, pathways, trees, sand, water, music, and much more where children can run, climb, dig, and pretend.

EcoPlay Playgrounds is a commercial playground design, manufacturer, and installation company that offers the EcoPlay products of play structures, swings, and site amenities made from post-consumer, recycled HDPE plastic (milk jugs). The company, originally known as Safeplay Systems, was founded in 1989 and is based in Marietta, Georgia.

Elephant Play was founded in 1994 in Montreal, Canada, by Serge Morin and Yvan Cinq-Mars. Combining their talents to design playground equipment, their goal was to develop new and innovative post and deck systems that offer products that entice children to move, increase their play value, and still be safe and accessible.

As part of the PlayCore family, Everlast Climbing Industries designs and manufactures indoor and outdoor climbing walls and handholds for all ages. Everlast Climbing Industries makes regular traverse walls, top rope climbing walls, freestanding climbing walls, and specialty climbing walls.

Peter May began Research Casting International, a museum technical services company that creates life-sized models of fossils. Having made molds for museums all over the world, Peter and Matt Fair realized that these molds could be used with children. In 2009, Peter and Matt founded Exploration Playgrounds.

A retail toy store, FAO Schwarz offers "high-end" quality and unique toys from all over the world and showcases them in an interactive and theatrical experience. FAO Schwarz's 150th anniversary was underscored by the induction of founder Frederick August Otto Schwarz into the Toy Industry Hall of Fame in 2012.

Fibar, Inc. was founded by Robert Heath in 1979 as a Wood Fiber supplier for equestrian training surfaces. In 1986, the idea of using wood fiber for under playgrounds was proposed and researched. After testing, Robert found that wood fiber was substantially better at cushioning children's falls than sand, grass, dirt, or gravel, which were the current "safety" surfaces in most places at the time.

Herman G. Fisher, Irving L. Price, Irving's wife Margaret Evans Price, and Helen M. Schelle founded Fisher-Price in 1930 in East Aurora, New York. Their mission was to produce toys with "intrinsic play value, ingenuity, strong construction, good value for the money, and action."

Founded in 1954, FlagHouse, Inc. is a supplier of equipment for physical education, sports, fitness, recreation, and special needs audiences through catalogs and e-commerce options. FlagHouse is the distributor of SNOEZELEN, multi-sensory environments for those with cognitive and physical disabilities.

Offering advanced simulated grass products, ForeverLawn manufactures products for commercial and residential markets. ForeverLawn creates innovative artificial turfs for specialty markets, such as playgrounds, splash parks, sports fields, golf greens, and kennels.

Free Play LLC is a design studio that creates abstract sensory play equipment for interactive learning and unstructured playing. Through these abstract structures they seek to "give kids not just a physical workout, but a cognitive one, too, as they decide what to do with each structure."

Started by Richard Cooke, Freenotes and Freenote instruments have been influential in combining music with play creating outdoor musical instruments for playgrounds. Freenotes Harmony Park is a company that produces musical instruments suitable for outdoor playgrounds, schools, museums, hospitals, community gardens, and other outdoor settings.

GameTime, a division of PlayCore, began operations in 1929 in Michigan. They use research-based design and engineering in manufacturing the company's products. GameTime's independent research studies are conducted by noted experts in the fields of fitness, nature, education, and urban issues, and are used as the foundation when designing their products.

GameTime Athletics provides equipment and supplies for the sports and sport fields of recreational, school, and collegiate programs. Based in Weston, Missouri, they offer both sports facility equipment and supplies and sports field construction and maintenance.

GenMove is dedicated to providing programs, staff services, and equipment that assists every child to experience athletic achievements, contribute to a team, and choose a healthy lifestyle regardless of physical limitations, athletic abilities, or past experiences.

Rick Henke, a creator of integrated playscapes and accessible play equipment for children of all abilities, founded Goric in 1994. Goric's product line includes outdoor play elements that allow children to experience gravity and centrifugal forces, sensory and sound play elements, sand and water play, cable net structures, site furnishings, and protective rubber surfacing.

Greatmats is a specialty flooring company that sells custom floor coverings offering a wide selection of industrial, athletic, commercial, and residential applications.

A division of Superior Recreational Products, Grounds For Play offers dramatic play components, outdoor classrooms, construction play, panels, climbers, slides, swings, music, and fitness elements. They also have site amenities, storage options, shade structures, safety surfacing, and borders.

From manufacturing pencil boxes in 1923, Hasbro has developed into primarily a toy company with Mr. Potato Head and G.I. Joe as early successful products.

Health-E-tips Inc. is dedicated to reducing obesity and disease in the young and the old through "bite-sized" tools that make healthy choices a daily habit. Believing that prevention is the best cure, the company promotes the philosophy that the key to healthy living is good nutrition, daily activity, and a knowledge of health issues.

Gordon C. Henderson founded the Henderson Recreation Equipment, Ltd. in Simcoe, Ontario, Canada in 1971. The company offers a full range of playground equipment including playground systems and freestanding play elements, such as swings, spinning events, and spring toys, as well as site amenities.

Holgate Toys is known for their colorful, durable, and quality made hardwood children's toys. As a division of Pepperell Braiding Company, all Holgate Toys are manufactured in Pennsylvania, making them one of the few exclusively made-in-America toy companies.

A fast growing youth sports franchise, i9 Sports offers youth sports leagues, camps, clinics, and after school programs for children ages 3-14. i9 Sports promotes "having fun, playing safe, and getting active in a healthy competitive environment while rewarding the value of good sportsmanship, leadership, and teamwork skills."

Imagination Playground, a company based in New York City, markets loose parts designed by David Rockwell that encourage child-directed, unstructured free play. The giant blue blocks, mats, crates, fabric, and wagons are packaged in storage containers on wheels designed to store and transport the loose play parts. Imagination Playground, LLC is a partnership of Rockwell Group and KaBOOM!

International Mulch Company manufactures and retails 100% recycled rubber nuggets for playgrounds and rubber mulch for landscaping applications. They also offer related rubber products such as playground mats, timbers, landscaping borders, tree rings, splash blocks, and pavers.

The International Playground Safety Institute (IPSI) is a Limited Liability Company (LLC) incorporated in the State of Oregon. They are committed to the rights of children worldwide to play safely when using public parks and playgrounds. They have contracted with the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) to conduct the Certified Playground Safety Inspector (CPSI) Course and the National Certification Examination.

iPlayCO is a manufacturer of custom-designed indoor play structures, which are installed worldwide. Founded as International Play Company, Inc. in 1999, their structures are found in family entertainment centers, theme parks, fitness clubs, day care centers, museums, zoos, and resorts.

J.L. Hammett Company is a family-owned internet retailer that supplies public, private, parochial, and chartered schools with core school supplies, art materials, early education products, office and paper goods, furniture, and equipment. Formerly, they also had a chain of retail outlets: Hammett's Learning World.

Jensen Swing Products is a wholesale playground equipment company that specializes in swings and swing set parts and accessories. They also offer playground equipment in the style of forts that can contain other elements, such as slides, tunnels, play panels, and climbing structures, as well as teeter totters and spring riders.

Founded in 2002 by Sascha Joffe and Alan Groves, Jungle Play (formerly traded as Art Dinouveau) is a commercial art and sculpture company specializing in nature-inspired play equipment and botanical concept furniture. Their larger-than-life range of artistic play sculptures has been designed in their jungle-surrounded studio in Queensland, Australia.

K'NEX designs, manufactures, and distributes plastic toy construction sets that encourage creativity, interaction, self-confidence, fine motor skill development, and an understanding of math, science, and technology concepts.

Kenner Products was formed in 1947 by the Steiner brothers, Philip, Joseph, Albert, and Albert's son, Robert, as a soap, flavoring, and extract business. They named their new company Kenner, after the street their office was on in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Since the mid-1980s, Kidstuff Playsystems has been manufacturing playground equipment that includes themed play structures as well as free standing elements, such as spring riders, see saws, swings, and climbers, fitness elements, and park amenities. Marketed as KidSoft, the company also offers several playground safety surfacing materials.

Begun in Denmark in 1970, the company name is derived from the Danish "kumpan" that means "companion." Known for their unique and innovative designs, KOMPAN has a network of child development specialists who guide the company's research and product innovation. KOMPAN designs are inclusive to encourage children of varying abilities to play together.

For over 60 years L.A. Steelcraft has manufactured outdoor tables, benches, bleachers, bike and scooter racks, flagpoles, site amenities, obstacle courses, fitness equipment, sports equipment and accessories. Their playground equipment includes swings, slides, climbers, spring riders, funball, and tetherball.

In 1971, Steve King and his wife, Barb, founded Landscape Structures Inc. in Delano, Minnesota, to manufacture playground equipment. Their early innovations have continued to expand to include playsystems, natural-looking climbers, inclusive play products, fitness equipment, stand alone events, skateparks, playground surfacing, and site amenities.

In 1971, Bob Leathers was asked if he would organize a group of people to help build a playground at his children's elementary school. After helping with this playground and seeing the need for community built playgrounds, Bob founded Leathers and Associates in 1971 in Ithaca, New York.

In 1949 the LEGO Billund Toy Factory, Ltd. introduced the Automatic Binding Blocks, the forerunner of the colorful, plastic LEGO blocks that were named the "Toy of the Century" by Fortune Magazine in 2000. The LEGO brand has expanded from the initial constructive play toys to include related children's products, video games, board games, and movie and television media.

Mara Kaplan founded Let Kids Play!, an inclusive play design consulting firm, in 2007. Let Kids Play! works with playground manufacturers, park districts, parents, communities, and nonprofit organizations to design play spaces for all children regardless of age or ability.

Lionel Limited Liability Corporation, known as Lionel L.L.C., is a manufacturer and marketer of toy and model trains, including historically accurate locomotives, rail cars, and accessories. Their mission is to "keep the magic of the Lionel tradition living for another 100 years."

A division of PlayPower, Inc., Little Tikes Commercial is a recognized brand of outdoor commercial playground equipment that provides innovative and developmentally appropriate children's play events. They offer complete play systems, modular play events, free-standing playground equipment, playground surfacing, and playground amenities.

Luckey LLC designs, manufactures, and installs Luckey Climbers: unique multistoried, three dimensional bespoke climbing sculptures encased in safety nets. Besides encouraging physical activity, gross motor skill development, and intellectual development through imaginative play, Luckey Climbers are "vertical mazes" or "vertical parks" for children's museums, malls, and other institutions worldwide.

Manhattan Toy designs, manufactures, and markets toys that "blend science and whimsy" for visual and tactile stimulation and imaginative play. They believe that "play is not only fun, it's essential to a child's cognitive, emotional, and social development."

Ruth and Elliot Handler joined with Harold "Matt" Matson to form Mattel Creations in 1945. The Mattel name was a combination of Harold's nickname Matt and part of Elliot's name.

Milton Bradley, lithographer and inventor, formed the Milton Bradley Company in 1860 in Springfield, Massachusetts. After playing an old English board game, Milton designed an American version called The Checkered Game of Life, produced several hundred copies, and sold all of them in a few days in New York City. This sparked a fad and Milton sold 40,000 copies that first year and thereafter focused his business on games.

Over 80 years ago, in 1927, John Ahrens formed Ahrens Manufacturing Company in Grinnell, Iowa. He had seen a perpetual motion machine at the Texas State Fair and with that inspiration designed a new merry-go-round called the Miracle Whirl. John was awarded a patent for his unique design which allowed just one person to make the merry-go-round move by shifting their weight across the surface.

The Missoula Children's Theatre (MCT) is committed to the development of life skills in children through their involvement in the performing arts. Communication, self-discipline, and team work skills are fostered through MCT's local children's theatre, international traveling theatre, performing arts camps, and their Next Step Prep summer high school performance arts program.

The Move Theory is a consulting and training company based on Dr. Kwame M. Brown's idea that exploring movement in a playful manner is the way to create "strong, healthy, happy young people." He maintains that such exploration must also include "effort, consistency, interaction and cooperation with others and the development of internal belief...through infrastructure and gentle guidance."

As an elders' play space design company, Must Have Play believes in providing safe, healthy playgrounds that the "Baby Boom" generation will want to visit for exercise, socializing, and play. They believe that elder play spaces can be "light-hearted and playful" as well as being "appealing, attractive, accessible, and safe places."

Ron King was listening to kids talking when he founded the Natural Playgrounds Company (NPC) in 2000. "They're critical of the limited challenges, and they're very bored. How many times can they slide down a slide before wanting to try something different?" As an architect and play environment designer, Ron has started a new movement in the playground industry with his environments that use no manufactured equipment.

Nicros, Inc., a company which has built over one million square feet of climbing wall surface, was founded in 1992 by Nate Postma, who had a love for rock climbing and a background in chemical engineering. Nicros designs and constructs climbing wall systems, playground boulders, handholds, and landing surfaces.

Headquartered in Leicestershire, England, Notts Sport has developed their own sufacing products for playgrounds, as well as artificial turf for sports and landscaping. Their synthetic turf serves the different needs of cricket, tennis, soccer, hockey, golf, and multi-sport fields.

The Ohio Art Company manufactures and distributes toys in the United States and internationally, the most famous of which is the classic drawing toy, the Etch A Sketch. They also manufacture retail and wholesale custom metal lithography and molded plastic products.

Orca Coast designs, manufactures, and installs contained play spaces for family entertainment centers, recreational facilities, daycares, schools, and restaurants. They believe that a well designed playground will "stimulate your child's creativity and tempt them to explore new dimensions of play."

Pacific Outdoor Products began as Timber Playsystems, which Samuel Emmons founded in 1981. They offer both wood and steel commercial and residential play equipment, game court equipment, fitness courses, and site amenities. Located in Maple Valley, Washington, Pacific Outdoor Products is a family-owned business.

George S. Parker, believing that strategy and amusement games could be enjoyed by adults as well as children, developed the classic games Monopoly, Flinch, Pit, Rook, Boggle, Risk, and Sorry.

Originally Progressive Design Playgrounds, PDPlay has been recognized for its environmental leadership in using recycled materials. Their natural playgrounds incorporate sand, water, living plants, grassy hills, play walkways, ponds, foliage mazes, dirt trails, gardens, play acting stages, and reading amphitheaters into their designs.

Peaceful Playgrounds started in 1995 with Dr. Melinda Bossenmeyer, Ed.D., who wanted more children involved with physical activity during recesses. Melinda designed a program using a variety of games in organized activities rather than the passive standing in line to use playground equipment or talking in small groups that she was seeing.

Julie Cole founded Perfect Rubber Mulch in 2000. Their tire recycling manufacturing plants throughout the U.S. take raw tires, extract the radial wire, and form the rubber into nuggets for playground surfaces, landscaping needs, equestrian arena footing, military training PT pits and ballistic rubber traps, and track and field artificial turf rubber infill.

Plants & Play, a R&D division of Mosteller Design and Construction, Inc., designs garden play spaces for all age groups, from infants through seniors. Plants & Play structures encourage children and adults to play and move in a "Lean, Green, Serene" environment that is safe and easy to supervise.

Beginning with wood play structures, Play Mart moved to using Recycled Structural Plastic and began manufacturing their own recycled plastic lumber for their designs. Play Mart offers play systems, nature play systems, fitness systems, themed designs, swings, site amenities, safety surfacing, and playground border options using Recycled Structural Plastic.

Playcare, Inc. designs play spaces, provides playground safety audits, and conducts playground safety trainings for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and surrounding counties. They design play areas that are "safe, sensory rich, stimulating, developmentally appropriate, curriculum-based, accessible, and cost effective," with the majority of their work involving day care and child care centers.

PlayCore is the parent company of several play and recreation companies and is known for their educational research and programming as well as their diverse family of brands. The company believes in building stronger communities by advancing play through research, education, and partnerships.

Playground Clearing House specializes in playground safety, playground surface testing, and accident evaluation. Since the 1990s, Playground Clearing House has worked closely with Alpha Automation in the development of the Triax 2000, a surface impact tester (SIT).

Playground Medic, based in Hawthorne, New York, is committed to making playgrounds safe "through identification of hazards and maintenance of playgrounds." They achieve this through playground audits or inspections, maintenance and repair of playground equipment, and seminars to train playground staff, day care workers, and teachers aides.

Since the 1990s, PlayGuard Safety Surfacing has been manufacturing recycled rubber playground safety surfacing. As a brand of ECORE International, PlayGuard provides surfacing products for playgrounds as well as school gyms, sports centers, child day cares, indoor play areas, rooftops, and patios.

PlayMark (formerly known as Eagle Play Structures) manufactures and installs commercial playground equipment as well as site furnishings and shade shelters in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States.

PlaySafe LLC is a global recreational consulting and playground service provider supporting numerous government agencies, private organizations, and schools. Founded in 1997 by Sam "Butch" DeFillippo, this company aids its customers in the design, purchase and installation of the safety playground equipment.

Playskool, Inc. manufactures preschool and infant toys that engage young children in play and learning. What began as the idea of two retired women schoolteachers continues today with the belief that "Play is nature's classroom."

Playtop Safer Surfacing manufactures impact-absorbing wet-pour safety surfacing for play spaces and walkways at children's playgrounds. Designed to minimize the risk of injury to children who fall in playgrounds, the Playtop surfacing material is a continuous, joint-free, porous material made from rubber granules and polyurethane binders.

Manufacturing since the 1950s, Playworld offers a variety of play systems for children as well as adults. Their products encourage physical activity and fitness, including electronic elements, motion play equipment, climbing boulders, rope bridges, fitness stations, and nature-themed elements.

Radio Flyer Inc. is one of the oldest national toy companies that is owned and operated by the original founding family. As makers of the little red wagon and subsequent models of wooden, steel, and plastic toy wagons and tricycles, Radio Flyer has been making coasting toys "for every girl and boy" since 1917.

Rainbow Crafts Company created, manufactured, and marketed Play-Doh, an elastic, reusable modeling clay. Though they existed only eight years and manufactured only Play-Doh, their product is now played with by children in 75 countries worldwide.

With a commitment to environmental stewardship, Recreation Creations offers creative play structures for early childhood play spaces and school-age children. Their free standing elements range from slides to spider web climbers, from swings to dome climbers, and from whirls to Rocky Mountain Climbers. They also offer site amenities, such as benches, tables, and bike racks.

The RJ Thomas Manufacturing Company, Inc. designs and manufactures the Pilot Rock brand of products. They offer outdoor park, landscape, streetscape, recreational facility, and campground furnishings, custom signs and graphics, and wheelchair accessible products for parks and playgrounds.

Rock-Op Climbing Boulders designs, cuts, delivers, and installs climbing boulders for playgrounds and water play spaces. These sandstone boulders are customized for different levels of climbing abilities, space requirements, and desired added playground features.

Designing climbing boulders as well as climbing wall systems, RockCraft Designs has created climbing features that are safe and fun for all ages. The playground boulders are uniquely handcrafted out of reinforced concrete (GFRC) with a variety of handhold. Their climbing wall structures include poolside climbing walls.

Rockwerx is a company based in central Massachusetts that designs, manufactures, and installs climbing walls. They offer consulting expertise as well as routesetting programs and routesetting training for climbing gym staff. They also offer mats, flooring and padding, climbing holds, and an auto belay system.

Safeplay by Design is a company focused on safe play spaces through playground designs and improvement plans, construction management for parks and similar projects, safety inspections for playgrounds and sports fields, impact testing, safety training and inspection programs, and playground surface safety scanning.'

Safety Play Inc. is a company that offers safety services and products for playgrounds, sports fields, and recreation areas. They offer safety inspections and audits, safety classes and programs, inspection tool kits and signs, play space planning and designing, and expert witness services.

School Specialty is an education company that provides proprietary products, programs, and services to help educators engage and inspire students of all ages and abilities to learn. The company designs, develops, and provides preK-12 educators with curriculum, supplemental learning resources, and school supplies.

Shlomi Golan founded ShapesInShape, Inc., a fitness research firm and developer of exercise programs, in 2000. As a Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) from the National Academy of Sports Medicine, Shlomi conducted research on wellness and effective exercise programs.

Snug Play manufactures large-scale, manipulative loose parts for play designed for indoor or outdoor play spaces. Snug Play offers nine play elements: the bump, cone, wave, wall, noodle, spider, pad, mound, and full loop. These tactile elements combine soft and rigid play surfaces that are durable and weather-resistant that can be easily linked together offering open-ended play.

SofSURFACES Inc. designs, manufactures, distributes, and installs fitness center flooring, roof tops, and playground safety surfacing. They produce an impact attenuating, interlocking surfacing tile system manufactured from recycled rubber. Their tile system offers durability, fall protection, long term value, and a secure system to eliminate vandalism.

Offering both indoor and outdoor commercial contained play equipment, Soft Play, a division of PlayPower, Inc., features small standard play systems, free standing play products, toddler designs, and large custom themed play systems. They also offer motion components, age zoned play areas, visual open play, and electronic play rooms in contained play spaces.

Softline Solutions is a provider of rubber surfaces and rubber products. Using recycled materials, Softline Solutions offers products for playgrounds, daycares, running tracks, schools, and other facilities.

Originally known as Sof-Fall, Sof'Solutions offers a variety of products to meet different needs in several venues. For outdoor playgrounds, they have engineered wood fiber as well as engineered rubber and interlocking play mats. They also have interlocking mats for childcare centers, indoor recreation facilities, and gyms.

In 1982, Bond Anderson developed the musical playscape: a permanent outdoor installation of tuned musical instruments built to stand up to the weather and designed for the durability a playground setting requires. The musical instruments designed by Sound Play are designed to be played at parks, school grounds, museums, and backyards.

As a subsidiary of ECORE International, Surface America installs playground surfacing on approximately 500 playgrounds annually as well as gymnasium flooring, fitness flooring, indoor and outdoor surfacing, and trail and pathway surfacing. They recycle rubber to manufacture poured-in-place surfacing, rubber tiles, and synthetic turf.

Founded in 1985 as a company producing do-it-yourself wooden home playground equipment kits, Swing-N-Slide developed over the years to include commercial playground systems. Swing-N-Slide continues to provide families with do-it-yourself options in planning their backyard or community play spaces.

Based in Greenville, Texas, The 4 Kids offers custom play space designing, manufacturing, and installation of one-of-a-kind, interactive play environments and site amenities that extend classroom learning into the fields of paleontology, biology, geology, and the natural sciences.

The Baby Einstein Company, a division of the Walt Disney Company, offers multimedia products, toys, and baby products for children aged three months to 3 years old. Under the slogan of "Where Discovery Begins," they offer an introduction to the subjects of music, language, art, science, and mathematics from a baby's point-of-view.

The Chimes Company offers indoor and outdoor recreational musical instruments and sensory equipment for inclusion in playgrounds, schools, nature and botanical parks, and rehabilitation and therapy facilities as well as zoos and family entertainment centers.

The Step2 Company is a manufacturer of preschool and toddler toys, garden and outdoor furniture products, and rotationally molded plastics. As part of The Step2 Holding Company, LLC, their mission is to create products that "build imagination and enrich the family's celebration of childhood."

Themed Concepts creates custom Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete (GFRC) play and nature features for playgrounds, water parks, zoos, museums, aquariums, restaurants, amusement centers, hotels, and religious centers. Based in Forest Lake, Minnesota, they believe that “If it can be imagined, it can be built.”

Themed Recreation Company creates themed playgrounds, stand-alone play and climbing structures, icon play and brand sculptures, and spray or misting play pieces. Their material of choice to use in the fabrication process is GFRC (glass fiber reinforced concrete).

Theora Design is a business that creates and designs toys, games, crafts, dolls, electronic games, and novelties. They also collaborate with other toy and game inventors and encourage young entrepreneur designers. While others fear the electronic age has ended games, Theora Design believes that games are "enjoying a renaissance" as "people seek avenues for interacting with each other."

Tonka Corporation began in 1947 as Mound Metalcraft Incorporated. They first began manufacturing steel toys and developed a large line of steel toy trucks among other products.

Tootsietoy brands itself as America’s Oldest Toy Company. The best known toys under the Tootsietoy name were a variety of die cast transportation toys made popular in the 1930s and 1940s.

Charles Lazarus, the founder of Toys "R" Us, began selling baby furniture in 1948 in Washington D.C. Aiming for the post World War II baby boom market, Charles soon added rattles, cradle gyms, stuffed animals, tricycles, books, and toys. He called the store the Children's Bargain Town.

TTPM is an inclusive resource for the latest toys and games, children's books, electronic games, family movies, sporting goods, and "all things play" where consumers can research and find the best playthings.

TÜV SÜD America is a technical inspection company that provides third-party safety testing, inspection, and certification services.

Tyco Toys began in 1926 in Mantua, New Jersey, when two friends, James P. Thomas and John N. Tyler, formed the Mantua Toy Co. to manufacture wood and metal model sailboats. Their first product, a 3 foot cabin cruiser featuring a small electric motor, was offered in 1927.

U.S. Toy Company is a family-owned company specializing in novelty toys, balloons, stuffed animals, educational toys, teacher supplies and teaching aids, magic tricks, and costumes.

As a division of Universal Precast of Redding, California, UPC Parks specializes in linked climbing boulders, rope bridges, and rock and log stepping stones for children’s playgrounds.

With over 60 years of producing consumer products designed for fun, play, and sport, Wham-O markets many recognizable brands of toys that continue to be enjoyed by children and adults alike. Many of their toys encourage physical activity, and they have become known as classic, well-made toys.

White Hutchinson Leisure and Learning Group

White Hutchinson Leisure and Learning Group is an international multi-disciplinary consulting firm for creating leisure venues.

Wiffle Ball Inc. is the creator, manufacturer, and distributor of the Wiffle Ball and Bat, “an outdoor toy, designed to get people out in the fresh air, playing ball and getting exercise.”

Created by David Hawkins and Karen Payne, Wild Zones or “Create-with-Nature” Zones are open-ended natural play spaces for self-directed play, creativity, learning, and socializing among children, adolescents, and adults.

WonderWorx designs and manufactures kinetically-activated musical, sensory, and educational playground equipment for play spaces, parks, schools, sensory gardens, and museums. Robert Tobias founded WonderWorx in 2002.

Xccent Play was founded in the 1970s as Nickelson Plastics by David Nickelson. In 1978, David met Steve King from Landscape Structures, and they began using vinyl in outdoor applications. At that time most playground manufacturers were only using paint on their equipment. The use of vinyl in playground equipment completely changed the industry.

Zeager playground surfaces came about initially because of the wasted wood by-products in their sawmill. They began to manufacture landscaping mulch in the 1970s, and engineered wood fiber for playgrounds in the mid-1980s. Zeager offers a range of surfacing products including engineered wood fiber, mats, interlocking tiles, and artificial grass.

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