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Felt is one of the easiest and most forgiving materials for making baby toys. It does not fray, comes in every color you can imagine and can be cut with regular scissors, so even beginners can make something sweet in an afternoon.
Handmade felt toys are also lovely gifts. A crinkle square for a newborn, a quiet book for a toddler or a basket of felt fruit for a play kitchen feels personal and thoughtful, and many of these projects cost only a few dollars to make.
Below are 12 easy DIY felt toys for babies and toddlers, each with a simple free pattern written out as shapes and measurements, a supply list and step-by-step instructions. You do not need a printer, just a ruler, a pencil and some cardboard to make templates.
Choosing the Right Felt for Baby Toys
Wool or wool-blend felt is thicker, softer and more durable than thin craft felt, which can pill and stretch. For toys that will be chewed, squeezed and washed, wool blend is worth the small extra cost.
Pre-wash felt if you plan to wash the finished toy, so it does not shrink unevenly later. Stick to bright, high-contrast colors for young babies, who see bold colors best.
Safety First: Making Felt Toys for Babies
Babies explore everything with their mouths, so safety is the most important part of any handmade toy. Sew everything with a tight backstitch or whipstitch and double knot your thread. Embroider eyes and faces instead of using buttons, beads or plastic safety eyes on toys for children under three.
Avoid long ribbons or loops that could wrap around a neck or fingers, and keep ribbon tabs short and securely stitched. Check toys regularly for loose seams or worn spots, and always supervise babies during play. Toys with buttons, zippers or snaps are best for toddlers with supervision.
12 Easy DIY Felt Toys for Babies and Toddlers
Each project includes a simple written pattern so you can draw the shapes on cardboard, trace them onto felt and start sewing. Projects get a little more detailed as you go.
Felt Toys for Babies (0 to 12 Months)
1. Felt Crinkle Squares
Crinkle squares are the perfect first sewing project and a favorite sensory toy for young babies. The crinkly sound and soft ribbon tabs keep little hands busy during tummy time and car rides.
You will need:
- 2 squares of wool-blend felt, 7 x 7 inches each, in contrasting colors
- 1 piece of crinkle material or a clean, empty wipes package cut to 6 x 6 inches
- Short pieces of grosgrain ribbon, about 3 inches each
- Embroidery floss and needle, or a sewing machine
- Pins or clips
How to make it:
- Pattern: cut two 7-inch squares of felt and one 6-inch square of crinkle material.
- Fold each ribbon in half to make a 1.5-inch loop.
- Place the ribbon loops between the felt layers along the edges, with the folded ends pointing inward.
- Sandwich the crinkle material in the middle and pin all layers together.
- Sew around the edges with a half-inch seam allowance, catching the ribbons securely.
- Backstitch over each ribbon twice and trim any loose threads.
Pro tip: Keep ribbon loops short, about 1.5 inches when folded, so little fingers cannot get caught.
2. A Felt Quiet Book
A felt quiet book keeps toddlers busy on long trips, in church or at restaurants. Each page has a simple activity, such as matching shapes, counting or dressing a doll.
You will need:
- 6 to 8 sheets of stiff felt, 8 x 8 inches each, for pages
- Assorted colorful felt scraps for shapes
- Hook-and-loop tape
- Embroidery floss
- Fabric glue (optional)
- Two binder rings or ribbon for binding
How to make it:
- Pattern: cut pages to 8 x 8 inches. For a shape page, cut a 2-inch circle, a 2-inch square, a 2.5-inch triangle and a 2-inch star.
- Sew the outline of each shape onto a page using contrasting thread.
- Sew a small square of hook tape to the back of each loose shape and a matching loop tape square inside each outline.
- Repeat with other activities such as counting apples on a tree or matching colors.
- Stack the pages, punch or cut two small holes along one side and bind with rings or ribbon.
Pro tip: Sew pages back to back to make each page sturdier and hide stitching.
3. Felt Finger Puppets
Felt finger puppets are quick to make and perfect for songs, stories and peekaboo games. You play with them while your baby watches and giggles.
You will need:
- Felt in assorted colors
- Embroidery floss in black and pink
- Scissors and a needle
- Chalk or a fabric pen
How to make it:
- Pattern: draw a rounded arch about 2 inches wide and 3 inches tall on cardboard.
- Trace and cut two arches per puppet.
- Cut small ears, beaks or noses from scraps and stitch them to the front piece.
- Embroider eyes, a nose and a mouth on the front with floss.
- Place front and back together and blanket stitch around the curved edge, leaving the bottom open.
Pro tip: These are for grown-ups to use with babies. Keep puppets out of baby’s reach when not playing together.
4. Felt Stacking Rings
Soft felt stacking rings help babies learn sizes and colors and are much gentler than wooden or plastic sets.
You will need:
- Felt in five rainbow colors
- Polyester fiberfill
- A wooden dowel or a felt-covered cone base (optional)
- Embroidery floss and needle
How to make it:
- Pattern: cut two rings per color with outer diameters of 6, 5, 4, 3.5 and 3 inches and a 1.25-inch center hole.
- Place two matching rings together and stitch around the inner circle.
- Stitch around the outer edge, leaving a 1.5-inch gap.
- Stuff lightly with fiberfill and close the gap.
- Repeat for each ring and stack them from largest to smallest.
Pro tip: Babies can stack these rings on their own or on a soft felt cone. Avoid hard dowels for young babies.
5. Felt Fruit and Veggies
Felt fruit and vegetables are a wonderful addition to a play kitchen and help toddlers learn food names and colors.
You will need:
- Felt in red, yellow, orange, green and purple
- Fiberfill
- Embroidery floss
- Needle and scissors
How to make it:
- Pattern for a strawberry: cut a teardrop shape 3 inches tall from red felt and a 1.5-inch star from green.
- Pattern for a banana: cut two curved crescent shapes 6 inches long from yellow felt.
- Embroider seeds on the strawberry with yellow floss.
- Sew pieces together with a whipstitch, leaving a small opening.
- Stuff lightly and stitch closed.
- Add the green star top to the strawberry with a few stitches.
Pro tip: Make sure all pieces are too large to fit in a toddler’s mouth.
Sensory and Learning Felt Toys
6. A Felt Taggie Blanket
Taggie blankets give babies soft ribbon loops to explore with their fingers and mouths, and they are easy to make with felt or fleece.
You will need:
- 2 pieces of soft felt or fleece, 12 x 12 inches
- 8 to 12 pieces of ribbon in different textures, 3 inches each
- Sewing machine or needle and thread
How to make it:
- Pattern: cut two 12-inch squares of soft fabric.
- Fold each ribbon in half and pin between the layers around the edges, loops facing inward.
- Sew around the edges with a half-inch seam, leaving a 3-inch gap.
- Turn right side out and topstitch all the way around to close the gap.
- Double stitch over each ribbon.
Pro tip: Use satin, grosgrain and textured ribbons for a variety of sensory feels.
7. A Felt Shape Sorter Board
A felt shape matching board teaches toddlers shapes and colors and helps build fine motor skills.
You will need:
- A large felt sheet, 12 x 12 inches, for the base
- Colorful felt scraps
- Hook-and-loop tape or felt-on-felt sticking
- Embroidery floss
How to make it:
- Pattern: cut 3-inch circles, squares, triangles, hearts and stars in different colors.
- Stitch outlines of each shape on the base board using matching floss.
- Cut a duplicate set of shapes for matching.
- Attach loop tape inside the outlines and hook tape to the back of each loose shape.
- Store the shapes in a small pouch attached to the board.
Pro tip: Felt sticks lightly to felt, so you can skip the tape for older toddlers.
8. A Felt Baby Mobile
A soft felt mobile with clouds and stars is a calming nursery decoration that babies love to watch.
You will need:
- White, gray and yellow felt
- Fiberfill
- An embroidery hoop, 8 to 10 inches
- Fishing line or strong thread
- Needle and floss
How to make it:
- Pattern: cut two 4-inch cloud shapes and two 3-inch stars for each ornament.
- Sew pairs together, leaving a small gap.
- Stuff lightly and close.
- Attach each ornament to the hoop with fishing line at different lengths.
- Hang securely from the ceiling well out of baby’s reach.
Pro tip: Mount the mobile high enough that baby cannot reach it, and remove it once baby can pull up to stand.
9. A Felt Rattle Ball
A felt rattle ball made of colorful panels is soft, easy for babies to grab and quiet enough for indoor play.
You will need:
- Felt in six colors
- Fiberfill
- A sealed rattle insert or bell insert made for toys
- Needle and floss
How to make it:
- Pattern: draw a pointed oval about 5 inches long and 2 inches wide at the center.
- Cut 6 panels in different colors.
- Sew panels together along the long edges to form a ball, leaving one seam partly open.
- Turn right side out and stuff with fiberfill, placing the rattle insert in the center.
- Close the opening with a ladder stitch.
Pro tip: Use only rattle inserts designed for toys, and sew the ball with tight, double stitching.
Felt Toys for Toddlers
10. Felt Animal Softies
Felt animal softies like a fox, bunny and bear are sweet gifts and make perfect cuddle buddies for toddlers.
You will need:
- Felt in brown, orange, white and gray
- Fiberfill
- Embroidery floss
- Needle and scissors
How to make it:
- Pattern for a bear: draw a 5-inch-tall body with a round head and two small round ears.
- Pattern for a bunny: draw a 5-inch body with two long ears.
- Cut two body pieces for each animal.
- Embroider faces on the front pieces.
- Sew around the edges, leaving a small gap, stuff lightly and close.
Pro tip: Embroider all facial features rather than using buttons or safety eyes for children under three.
11. A Felt Busy Board
A felt busy board with buttons, a zipper and snaps helps toddlers practice everyday skills like dressing.
You will need:
- Stiff felt base, 10 x 12 inches
- Large buttons
- A short zipper
- Snaps and buckles
- Felt pieces for flaps
How to make it:
- Pattern: cut the base and several 3 x 3-inch felt flaps.
- Sew a zipper across one section of the board.
- Sew large buttons onto the base and cut buttonholes in felt flaps.
- Add snaps and a small buckle in other sections.
- Stitch around the edges of the board to finish.
Pro tip: This toy is for toddlers with supervision. Sew buttons with strong thread and check them often.
12. Felt Alphabet Letters
Felt alphabet letters help toddlers learn letters, spell their names and play matching games.
You will need:
- Colorful felt sheets
- Fiberfill (optional)
- Embroidery floss
- Scissors and fabric pen
How to make it:
- Pattern: draw block letters about 3 inches tall and 0.75 inches wide in each stroke.
- Trace and cut each letter twice for stuffed letters, or once for flat letters.
- For stuffed letters, sew two pieces together and stuff lightly.
- For flat letters, edge them with a blanket stitch for durability.
- Store letters in a small basket.
Pro tip: Make a felt board from a large sheet of felt glued to cardboard so letters stick and stay in place.
How to Wash and Care for Felt Toys
Hand wash felt toys in cool water with a mild soap, then press out the water with a towel and lay flat to dry. Avoid wringing, which can distort the shape.
Spot clean small messes with a damp cloth. Wool felt naturally resists stains, but synthetic felt may pill over time.
Inspect toys regularly for loose seams, worn spots or pieces coming free, and repair or retire them as needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is felt safe for baby toys?
Felt can be safe for baby toys when sewn securely with no small parts. Wool-blend felt is thicker and more durable than thin craft felt.
What kind of felt is best for baby toys?
Wool or wool-blend felt is best because it is soft, thick and durable.
Can I use glue on felt baby toys?
Glue is fine for decorative pieces on toys for older kids, but sewing is safer and more durable for baby toys.
How do I make felt toy patterns without a printer?
Draw simple shapes on cardboard using the measurements in each project, cut them out and trace them onto felt.
Can you wash felt toys?
Yes. Hand wash in cool water with mild soap and lay flat to dry.
What age are felt toys good for?
Crinkle squares and taggie blankets suit babies, while quiet books, busy boards and alphabet letters are best for toddlers.
Final Thoughts
Felt baby toys are simple to make, budget-friendly and full of love. Whether you start with a crinkle square or build a full quiet book, these projects give babies and toddlers soft, colorful toys to explore.
Choose good-quality felt, stitch securely and keep safety in mind. Your handmade toys may become treasured keepsakes that families keep for years.
