I just love the versatility of yarn crafts! You can make garments and accessories, blankets, pillows, wall hanging, but also TOYS! There are patterns for dolls, animals and stuffed friends of all kinds, but did you know you can also make interactive toys? Check out this great collection of toys and games that you can make with knit and (mostly) crochet!
*Disclosure: this post contains affiliate links, meaning if you click on them and buy something, you don’t pay any extra, but I may get a small commission.*
I bet you weren’t thinking of chess pieces! First off, finding this pattern was inspired by my middle child who has developed a keen interest in chess. He’s quite good! He and Mr. Evangelist played 3 games last weekend and the almost 14-year old won all three games! I was crocheting while they were playing and he couldn’t find a piece, so I searched and found this incredible Set of Chess Piece Amigurumi Patterns from Vliegende Hollander includes instructions in both English and German for making all six chess pieces. Made with worsted weight yarn, they work up to be 8″-15″ tall, so it would be quite large if you made a whole set of pieces! I would love to try to make these with a smaller sized yarn to see if I really could replace the lost piece!
We also have a big soccer fan in our family. Our youngest child has dreams of playing in the pros! This Soccer Ball Crochet Pattern, also from Vliegende Hollander looks like it would be a far quicker project than a set of chess pieces (and definitely less complex). If you’re new to crochet amigurumi, this would be a great first project for you, learning to make a ball shape and adding some pentagons.
Once you have mastered the ball shape, you can also use your crochet skills to make a hacky sack! You can get a free hacky sack pattern here or if you just want to get playing, you can buy one (or more!) like the one above made for you here from maker Eltambache.
Of course, there are even more interactive patterns out there, like this cute Crochet Cactus Doll with a Removable Pot from Chrisette Designs. This adorable pattern is one in a series of similar interactive patterns from Chrisette Designs, and if you buy 3 of her patterns, you can get 20% off with the code BUY3GET20!
The author of the book The Very Hungry Caterpillar passed away this year, but his popular book lives on in the hearts of children, parents, and educators around the world. This Hungry Caterpillar Storytime Toy Crochet Pattern from JMC Creations is a fun way for kids to interact with the story and conveniently holds all of the pieces inside! This is a great deal of a pattern, as it also includes the patterns for all of the foods that the hungry caterpillar eats!
Interactive Quiet Play Books like this Bundle of Patterns from Joanite Theron Designs are fun to make and fun for keeping little hands and mind occupied during quiet times. This bundle of patterns includes the Dinosaur Playbook, the Out in Space Playbook, and the Pirate Playbook, a great collection of patterns for the adventure-seeking kid in your life!
Play food is such a fun crocheted toy to make! This inventive Crocheted Peelable Watermelon pattern from honeybee69 wraps up into a round watermelon shape and is totally baby-safe with no loose or small parts. Completely wash- and dry-able, this is a lovely toy for a small child to enjoy as they mimic mom and dad cutting up their own watermelon!
Similarly, honeybee69 also has this cute Crocheted Peelable Orange Amigurumi Pattern in a series of interactive food patterns that include apples, corn, pears, bananas, kiwis, and more! Check out all of the great food patterns!
I’ve always wondered why there aren’t more crocheted puppet patterns. It seems like such a good idea! This Crocheted Giraffe Hand Puppet Pattern is an adorable, baby-safe pattern complete with 30 photos and 13 pages of detailed description for how to make this sweet and cartoonish crocheted giraffe puppet!
Alright, knitters, this one’s for you (sorry: knitting just doesn’t lend itself to toys as well as crochet does!), but this Super Sonic Froggie Knitting Pattern from Phoenix Knits just makes me smile! With elastic through his body and down his arms, he can be shot off across the room by putting a finger down each of his front feet and pulling his back legs to stretch the elastic and letting go! How fun is that!? This would make a fun and delightful little gift for a fun-loving kid in your life!
The summer heat really hit in full force for us here in Edmonton (even though it is technically still spring). Having a water balloon fight is a fun way to cool down with the kids, but I don’t like the waste and mess of conventional water balloons. You can crochet reusable water balloons for your kids with this quick and free crochet pattern and Bernat Blanket Yarn. If you don’t want to make your own, there are plenty of makers who will make these for you!
I was just so delighted when I saw this hilarious Crocheted Monster Amigurumi Pattern from aNZeesCraft. This little monster’s fun little suitcase comes right off, but I just can help thinking that that mouth should zipper open to hold your pyjamas or something! Even if you can’t figure out how to modify this pattern to turn make it hold your pyjamas, it’s still so full of character, it would be sure to delight any child!
I hope you found some fun things to inspire your making journey! There are so many fun projects to make. If your current WIP is getting too heavy or a little boring, try whipping up one of these quick cute patterns to reinvigorate your making! Or pin it for later!
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