ACT Museum

Ohio isn’t known for producing building toys, however many have or continue to be produced in the Buckeye State. Let’s explore seven building toys that have been produced in Ohio over the past century.

Blocks (Ark Toy Makers)

Toledo, OH

Ark Toy Makers produced plain and multicolored wooden blocks that were sold in fabric bags or cardboard boxes. The blocks were sold from the 1930s to around WWII.

Waffle Blocks (Little Tikes)

Hudson, OH

Little Tikes, renowned for its durable, child-friendly toys, introduced Waffle Blocks in 1984. The Big Waffle Blocks line featured oversized, colorful pieces designed for easy handling and assembly by toddlers. These sets were marketed for both indoor and outdoor play, encouraging creativity and active engagement, and are still available for purchase.

Little Tikes also offered Wee Waffle Blocks, smaller sets designed for younger children or those who prefer a more compact building experience.

Girder & Panel (Kenner)

Cincinnati, OH

The concept for Girder and Panel originated in 1956, when Kenner president Albert Steiner observed the construction of a new office building in Cincinnati. Its steel framework of beams and girders, later enclosed by steel-and-glass panels, inspired Steiner to develop a toy based on modern architecture.

Kenner released the first Girder and Panel sets in 1957 and continued producing 31 original sets until 1968, including several with motors. In 1974, after Kenner became part of General Mills, the system was reintroduced under both the Kenner and Sears brands. The original green Masonite baseboards were replaced with interlocking plastic plates, but production ended in 1979.

In 1992, Irwin Toys of Toronto revived the line under the abandoned trademark, manufacturing new Girder and Panel sets until the early 2000s. Bridge Street Toys of Massachusetts later licensed the brand, producing sets from 2005 to 2016.

The Constructioneer Metal Building Set (Urbana Manufacturing)

Urbana, OH

The Constructioneer Metal Building Sets were sold from about 1946-1952. Similar to Erector and Meccano sets, the toy promoted creativity for boys, as Urbana’s slogan was, “Construction toys make better boys.” Some sets included parts to build a Ferris Wheel and carousel, with a working motor.

Magnastiks (OHIO Art)

Bryan, OH

Magnastiks were created in the 1960s to allow children to “experience the wonder of magnetism.” Each set included a blue plastic insert with four integrated permanent magnet plates, filled with small magnets of different shapes and sizes. The set sold alongside OHIO ART’s more popular Etch A Sketch toy.

Zaks (OHIO Art)

Bryan, OH

Zaks is a construction toy originally produced in Canada by Irwin Toy in 1987 and released in the U.S. by OHIO ART in 1988. The toy consisted of multicolored flat plastic triangles and squares that interlock with snap-lock hinges along their edges, allowing builders to create movable structures. Zaks is an acronym for Ziegler’s Animated Konstruction System, invented by Canadian designer Jim Ziegler. His inspiration came from visiting Expo 67, where he walked through the American pavilion—a geodesic dome designed by Buckminster Fuller—and from reading Fuller’s book Utopia or Oblivion.

Shortly after Zaks launched, LEGO released two television commercials featuring a boy named Zack, “a LEGO maniac.” Some observers viewed this campaign as a direct response to the release of Zaks.

StoryBlox (Customized Data Solutions)

Washington Court House, OH

Based in southern Ohio, StoryBlox, a small home-based toy company has been creating handmade keepsakes and toys since 2005. Their blocks were developed to encourage interaction, inviting parents, caregivers, and older siblings to share stories, songs, and rhymes with young children. After originally producing nursery rhyme block sets, the company expanded to full-sized block sets for children. The company’s focus remains on producing safe, educational toys.