The Bay Area isn’t just home to innovation in tech, it’s also one of the nation’s leaders in independent toys. From Kickstarter darlings to organic baby toys, cooperative games to old-school puppets, the Bay Area is producing some of the highest quality educational toys around. Many of them are prototyped and tested with local kids and are grounded firmly in the social and environmental values that the Bay Area is known for. So when it’s time to check off that holiday shopping list, check out some of these hometown favorites! Click through to see them all.

Build your Child’s Inner Maker: Kiwi Crate

Founded in a Los Altos garage by former Paypal & eBay executive mom Sandra Oh Lin, Kiwi Crate brings San Francisco’s maker movement right to your door. With monthly subscription crates, Kiwi Crate helps kids build art, science and engineering skills for kids 3-16+. Catch Kiwi Crate prototyping at their local TechShop, or email hello@kiwicrate.com to sign your kid up for one of their weekly product tests in their Mountain View headquarters.

Our pick? Stow a one off Discovering Dinosaur crate in your closet for an unexpected sick day or rainy weekend.

Want more toy recommendations? Bookmark Berkeley-based expert Stevanne Auerbach, or “Dr. Toy” for ratings and recs on this year’s best toys nationwide.

Do you have a favorite Bay Area brand that we missed? Tell us about it in the comments below! 

–Margaret Swink

All images courtesy of the companies

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