We all know that feeling...an invitation comes for a baby shower and when you look at the date, it is just a few short weeks away. Yikes! As crocheters, sometimes we can't always whip up a "quick" baby blanket, but thankfully there are other options. Crocheted baby and toddler toys are a fun way to give a DIY baby gifts without making a baby blanket, and if my opinion they can be a lot more fun to make too! They are often faster and less expensive than baby blankets also. Here are 10 of my favorite free crochet baby and toddler toy patterns. What is your favorite gift to make for mom-to-be?
As many of you may know, I just had my second baby a month ago. So I can say with experience that baby blankets aren't always the most "needed" item for new mothers. I love and appreciate every single blanket we got for my daughter and now my new son, but I will say that we got more than enough to get them through their childhood and then some. If you are going to a shower or wanting to make a gift for a new baby consider trying a toy!
1. Cuddly Koala Lovey by Make and Do Crew: No need to make a whole blanket! This little lovey is more than enough to keep babies and toddlers in love and attached - plus it is super adorable!
2. Octopus Amigurumi by The Friendly Red Fox: This sweet sea creature can be made with or without a rattle inside. I imagine any baby learning to grab would love those tentacles!
3. Spaceship Crib Mobile by Knot Bad: as the parent of a newborn I can say with 100% certainty that anything to encourage sleep for baby is a great thing! Your little one will be dreaming of the stars with this cute spaceship mobile.
4. Pond Friends Stacking Toy by Lion Brand: This free pattern looks like the classic stacking toy that has been around for ages, but this has an adorable crocheted twist. Each stacking ring has a different “bug” theme, with a frog post in the middle.
5. Stuff and Spill Fish Bowl by Left in Knots: I designed my Stuff and Spill patterns for my daughter when she was a baby. I designed these with a couple things in mind. First, I wanted them to be 100% baby safe. Second, I wanted them to be a useful toy that kids would love. This fish bowl toy would be so cute for someone with an underwater nursery theme. Bonus? You can toss the fish in the tub and use them as bath toys too!
6. Stuff and Spill Picnic Basket by Left in Knots: Another fun Stuff and Spill Pattern, and this one is great for pretend play! My three year old still plays with hers 🙂
Stuff and Spill Fish Bowl 
Stuff and Spill Picnic Basket
7. Hedgehog Taggie Baby Toy by One Dog Woof: This adorable little hedgehog is the perfect size for little hands to grab and for teething mouths to chew on! There are a lot of photos to go along with this free pattern to help you with assembly.
8. Koala Bear Teething Ring by Cute and Cozy Crochet: Speaking of teething babies, how cute is this Koala teether?! There is a whole series of these cute teething rings available for free so check them out and see which animal you like the best.
9. Amish Puzzle Ball by Look at What I Made: I always love including patterns in my roundups that I have personally tried myself. These Amish Puzzle Balls are too much fun and a great scrap buster! My three year old has two of these and loves playing with them.
10. Grids for Kids Alphabet Blocks by Left in Knots: This project has been one of the most loved by my daughter and these blocks have stood the test of time in her enjoyment of them! These blocks combine crochet with cross stitch, and pixel charts are available for each letter of the alphabet along with a corresponding animal. You could also make these using tapestry crochet and they would turn out equally as cute!
I LOVE seeing your projects! Come share pictures of your work in my Left in Knots Crochet Community 🙂 If you are looking for more free patterns from me, you can find over 100 on Ravelry here!
This post contains affiliate links. I receive a small commission for any purchases made through these links at no additional charge to you.