What makes a baby even cuter? A cute animal hat! These hats are great for newborn photo props, shower gifts, or first Halloween costumes. Don’t have a baby to knit for? Many of these hats have larger sizes for older children and adults. Updated 7/13/26
To get the knitting patterns, scroll down the page to the individual pattern you want and click on the link to that pattern.
These patterns are not my designs but links to other designers who have generously shared their patterns. If you have questions about how to knit a specific pattern, please contact the designer directly.
All links on this site are for informational purposes, but please note that some links are to affiliate sellers that pay me a small commission on purchases.
Follow me for more patterns:
Free Patterns
Monkey Hat and Puppy Hat
Adorable baby hats knit flat, a monkey hat with ears, long earflaps, and knit and embroidered face. And a puppy hat knit flat with floppy ears, patch coloring, and embroidered face. Sizes 3 to 24 months. Chenille Worsted weight yarn. Available in English, Spanish. Designed by Katia. Tip for US knitters: If asked for country, select United Kingdom. NOTE: Both patterns have the same cover page.
The Lucky Duck Hat
May only be free for a limited time. Baby beanie with a mallard duck head at the top. Includes video tutorials. Sizes: Newborn to Toddler. Designed by Dagworthy. Fingering weight yarn.
Gramminal Elephant Hat
Beanie with ears, trunk, and optional crown knit separately. Baby and Child Sizes: Newborn size fits from birth to six months, Small from three months to eighteen months, Medium from twelve months to seven years, and Large size from five to ten years. Excerpted from Gramma Nancy's Animal Hats (and Booties Too!) by Nancy Nielson. Worsted weight yarn.
- Get the free knitting pattern
- Get Gramma Nancy's Animal Hats (and Booties Too!) on Amazon (Kindle or Paperback)
Bear Hat
Baby hat knit flat to resemble a teddy bear head with ears, and knit and embroidered face. Sizes 3 to 24 months. Chenille Worsted weight yarn. Available in English, Spanish. Designed by Katia. Tip for US knitters: If asked for country, select United Kingdom. NOTE: Both patterns have the same cover page.
Chicken Baby Hat
Baby hat that looks like a chicekn with comb and beak sewn on. Designed by Deanna Lemay-Friesen. Pictured projects by designer and Hasemani
Rhinoceros Hat
Easy rhinoceros hat knit flat and seamed. Ears and horns are also knit flat in simple shapes. Sport weight yarn. Designed by Jessica Reeves Potasz at Mama In A Stitch.
Percy Penguin Hat
Baby hat with a heart-shaped penguin face knit flat and seamed. Size Baby Newborn to 2 years. Designed by Yarnsmiths. DK weight yarn.
Bashful Bear Hat
Child sized earflap hat with bear face and ears. Sizes Newborn - 4 years. Great photo prop or Halloween costume. Aran weight yarn. Designed by Sandy Huff for Red Heart
Lion Hat
Hat that features a lion face and mane of loopy stitch. Sizes 0-6 mos, 3 mos to 18 mos, 12 mos to 7 yrs, 5 yrs to 10 yrs. Worsted weight yarn. Designed by Nancy Nielson, excerpted from Gramma Nancy's Animal Hats.
Hunny Bear Hat
Baby hat inspired by the Winnie the Pooh book character. Sizes Newborn - 4 years. Great newborn baby photo prop or Halloween costume. Aran weight yarn. Hunny Bear Hat designed by Wendy Prager Goeckner
Owen's Fox Hat
Fox inspired baby hat knit in the round. Could probably be adapted to be a red panda hat. Aran weight yarn. Designed by Deanna Lemay-Friesen
Playful Puppy Dog Hat
Adorably playful puppy dog hat knitting pattern includes instructions to knit cute two color ears, and eye patch, and even a fun little tag for your puppy hat’s collar! Designed by Cassandra May at Little Red Window . The 12 month size pattern is free at her website. Printable pdf version and other sizes from newborn to 2T are available on Etsy.
- Get the free knitting pattern - web version for 12 months size
- Get the pdf version and additional sizes
Baby Tiger Hat
Hat with ties, tiger ears, and fur of unraveled yarn strands. Fits 6-12 months, or roughly 16-19″ head circumference. Designed by Hayley Rigali
More Free Patterns
Panda-monium Hat and Mitts
Baby hat and mittens turn your baby into a cuddly panda thanks to pompom ears and colorwork paws on mittens. Sizes 6 to 24 months. Designed by Bernat. Chunky weight yarn.
Blue Whale Hat
Cassandra May at Little Red Window designed this knit baby hat that turns a beanie into a whale with some simple knit pieces. The 12 month size pattern is free at her website. Printable pdf version and other sizes from newborn to 2T are available on Etsy.
- Get the free knitting pattern
- Get the pdf version and additional sizes on Etsy
- See more Whale and Sea Creature Knitting Patterns
Evan Hat With Cowl
This balaclava hat includes instruction for pointed ears to make a fox, cat or wolf hat, as well as an optional cowl. Sizes baby/1-2 year-old/3-5-year-old/6-10-year-old. Designed by Muki Crafts
Happy Hippo Hat
Cassandra May at Little Red Window designed this knit baby hat that gets its personality from a some easy pieces. The 12 month size pattern is free at her website. Printable pdf version and other sizes from newborn to 2T are available on Etsy.
- Get the free knitting pattern
- Get the pdf version and additional sizes on Etsy
- See more Hippo Knitting Patterns
Funny Frog Baby Hat
Cassandra May at Little Red Window designed this easy knit baby hat that gets its personality from a few additional pieces and a little embroidery. The 6 month size pattern is free at her website. Printable pdf version and other sizes are available on Etsy.
Speckled Fawn Hat
Bernat’s hat is sized for 6/12 mos 17″ [43 cm], 18/24 mos 18″ [45.5 cm], and 4 yrs 19″ [48 cm]
Panda Hat
Adorable earflap hat in baby, child, and adult sizes. Designed by Premier Yarns
- Get the free knitting pattern
- See the Ravelry page
- Get the recommended Premier Hush Yarn on Amazon
- See more Panda Knitting Patterns
Koala Hat
Cassandra May at Little Red Window designed this hat for 6 months with instructions for customizing the size. The pattern is free at her website. Printable pdf version is available on Etsy.
Puppy Hat
Donna Sires designed this hat sized for Newborn to 6 months. The pattern contains instructions for the Magic Loop method.
Shark Hat
Adult and child sizes are available for this fierce hat designed by Allison Mcalister. The baby version of the hat by Alexa81 is based on modifications by discosmurf
- Get the original free knitting pattern
- See the modifications by Alexa81
- See the modifications by discosmurf
- See more Shark Knitting Patterns
Hello Kitty Hat
Beadwhore designed this easy hat that can be customized to various sizes. Pictured project by lynnoliver
Woodland Fox Baby
Kristen Cooper’s fox ears come with a matching tail!
Baby Owl Hat
Designed by Patricia Sinnett.
Polar Bear Hat
Bernat’s easy baby hat is suitable for beginners. Sized for 6/12 mos and 18/24 mos.
Woodland Stag / Deer Baby Hat
Kristen Cooper’s hat with antlers and ears is a quick knit and come in two sizes.
Bunny Ears Hat
Just Ducky Hat
Patti Pierce Stone designed this duckling baby hat for personal or charity use. A pattern for duckling slipper socks is also available at her pattern site. Some of the Ravelry knitters had tips for the knitting the bill so I’m directing you to the Ravelry page first. Pictured project by melrows. Patti also has suggestions for where to donate your knitting items at http://www.p2designs.com/links/CharityList.html
Patterns for Purchase
Pom Pom Pet Hats
Includes instructions to make all three hats topped with a knit Kitty Cat, Puppy Dog, or Bunny head. They're just like wearable stuffed animals! Worsted weight yarn. Designed by Cassie May
Sheep Hat
Baby hat knit with the trinity stitch to make the sheep's woolly coat and a knit sheep's face and tail to complete the look. Size 6-12 months. Designed by Renee Lorion. Several knitters thought the hat was too short and added extra repetitions of the trinity stitch before decreasing. One of the patterns in 60 Quick Baby Knits. Pictured projects by the designer and morgancrouse.
See more pics and get 60 Quick Baby Knits on Amazon (Prime available)
Dragon or Dinosaur Baby Hat
Hat for babies and toddlers featuring a scale stitch pattern and spiky ridge in sizes 0-3 months, 6 months, 12 months, 2T+. Designed by Cassandra May of Little Red Window.
Giraffe Hat
3 sizes, Baby (13”-15” circm.),Toddler (16”-18” circm.), Adult (20”-22” circm.)
Waddles Penguin Toque
Worked seamlessly, from the top down, in stockinette stitch, this little hat can be knit up rather quickly!
Foxie and Wolfie Hat
This adorable forx hat is completely seamless and can be adapted to a wolf hat by changing the color. Baby, child, and adult sizes.
Hedgehog Hat
Prickles the Hedgehog Hat is one of the 35 knitting patterns in Knitted Animal Hats: 35 wild and wonderful hats for babies, kids and the young at heart
