Let's make it by hand-knitting: children's toys. Cute ideas.
For babies and toddlers who’ve just started walking, you naturally worry about toys because of the risk of choking or injury.
That’s why I recommend hand-knit toys.
When you knit them yourself, you can freely choose the size to suit your child, and toys made with wool or cotton yarn are soft, so they can play safely.
In addition to classics like rattles and balls, this article also introduces ideas perfect for early learning.
You can find the necessary tools and materials at 100-yen shops, so give it a try!
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[Let’s Make It by Hand-Knitting] Toys for Children: Cute Ideas (11–20)
Cat finger puppet
Let me introduce a cat finger puppet you can knit with just a small amount of leftover yarn.
This puppet is worked in one continuous piece, and you add the tail, ears, and limbs as you go.
The eyes and nose are embroidered, so there’s no need to attach additional parts later, making it a great project for beginners.
Try knitting cats in various colors—if an adult uses them like a puppet show, little children will be delighted.
For babies, it can be dangerous if swallowed, so be sure an adult puts it on and plays with it for them.
A coaster that can turn into a cake
Introducing an easy project for crochet beginners: a “coaster that can also become a cake,” adapted from a simple coaster.
Of course, it works great as a coaster, but its soft texture makes it a lovely baby toy too! Prepare cotton yarn and a crochet hook, crochet a round in single crochet, then add a scalloped edging to look like cream.
Stack several coasters and secure a strawberry pick on top, and it looks just like a cake! You can also hand-crochet the strawberry pick, so give it a try for reference.
Miffy rattle
How about handmaking a cute crocheted “Miffy rattle” for your baby on the way? Miffy is a classic character for baby items! Since it’s crocheted with cotton yarn, it’s soft to the touch and safe for babies to handle.
You’ll crochet the body, face, and ears in that order, and finish by adding the eyes.
The face is hollow, so you could customize it by putting a bell inside.
Enjoy making it stitch by stitch with lots of love!
roly-poly toy
Would you like to try hand-knitting a fun toy that pops back up even when it falls over—an “okiagari koboshi”? For the core, use an egg-shaped piece of Styrofoam and a nut as a weight.
Using Styrofoam as the core gives it a gentler, more leisurely movement compared to typical okiagari koboshi.
You can customize it into a daruma, rabbit, mouse, and more—the possibilities are endless.
These okiagari koboshi amigurumi are perfect as toys for newborns or gifts for children! The egg shape is beginner-friendly, so give it a try!
fluffy ball
Babies and small children love balls, but even a vinyl ball can hurt if it’s thrown hard.
A ball knitted with yarn like this is soft and safe even if it hits someone.
There’s a little bell inside, so it makes a sound, which is a nice touch.
By changing the colors of the yarn, you can make a colorful ball even with just small leftovers.
The shape can be managed fairly well through knitting, so just be careful not to make it lumpy when you stuff it with filling.
Kids backpack
Surprisingly, even in knitting, when you take on a larger project, you can make something as big as a child’s backpack—complete with a stuffed bunny on the back.
And the bunny plush is removable.
If you make it as a gift in your child’s or grandchild’s favorite colors, they’ll be thrilled.
The project involves assembling several parts and adding a zipper and hardware, so it’s recommended for intermediate or more experienced crafters who are comfortable with both knitting and some sewing.
[Let's Make by Hand-Knitting] Toys for Children: Cute Ideas (21–30)
Fruit Concentration
These are felt cards you can use to play Concentration (Memory)! You can choose any motifs you like—fruits, vehicles, animals, anything is fine.
However, since Concentration is a game where you match pairs of identical cards, be sure to make two cards of each design.
Cut felt into card shapes and either glue or sew the motifs onto them.
If you’re making everything out of felt, it’s efficient to layer the same fabric and cut two identical pieces at once to save time.
If you want to keep things simple, you could also use store-bought appliqués and just stick them on.
