Crochet Hippo Teething Ring: A Perfect DIY Baby Toy

There is something deeply satisfying about making a handmade gift for a baby. When you combine the softness of yarn, the creativity of crochet, and the practicality of a teething ring, you end up with one of the most delightful projects a crafter can take on. The crochet hippo teething ring has become a beloved staple in the handmade baby gift community, and for good reason. It is adorable, functional, and genuinely useful for new parents navigating the tender, tearful months of teething. Whether you are an experienced crocheter looking for a fresh project or a beginner wanting to try something sweet and purposeful, this guide will walk you through everything you need to know to create a safe, beautiful, and baby-approved hippo teething ring from scratch.

Why a Crochet Hippo Teething Ring Makes the Perfect Baby Gift

Before we dive into the materials and pattern, it is worth taking a moment to appreciate why this particular project has earned such a special place in the hearts of crafters and parents alike.

Teething typically begins somewhere between four and seven months of age, though some babies start earlier or later. During this time, babies experience sore, swollen gums as their first teeth push through, and the urge to chew on everything in sight becomes almost constant. A teething toy gives them something safe, accessible, and soothing to gnaw on. When that teething toy is also an adorable hand-crocheted hippo, it becomes a keepsake as much as a tool.

Unlike mass-produced plastic teethers filled with gels or questionable materials, a carefully made crochet teething ring uses only baby-safe yarn and a wooden or silicone ring insert. Parents who are mindful about what goes into their baby’s mouth appreciate the transparency of a handmade toy. You know exactly what materials touched that ring, because you chose every single one of them.

There is also the sentimental angle. A crochet hippo teething ring made by a grandmother, an aunt, a friend, or the parent themselves carries a warmth that no store-bought item can replicate. Babies grow up, but these small crocheted creatures often find their way into memory boxes and become treasured mementos of a fleeting time in life.

Materials You Will Need

Gathering your materials before you begin is one of the most important steps in any crochet project, and for a baby toy, the quality and safety of your materials matter more than usual. Here is what you will need.

Yarn: Choose a 100% cotton yarn in a worsted or DK weight. Cotton is ideal for baby items because it is durable, easy to wash, hypoallergenic, and free of synthetic fibers that might irritate delicate skin. Avoid anything fuzzy or with long fibers that could shed and pose a choking hazard. Popular choices include Paintbox Simply DK Cotton, Lion Brand 24/7 Cotton, and Drops Safran. For a classic hippo, you will want a medium gray or dusty lavender for the body and a lighter pink or peachy tone for the inner ears and snout details. You will also want a small amount of white or off-white for the teeth, if you choose to add them.

Crochet Hook: A 3.5mm to 4mm hook works well with worsted or DK cotton yarn. Using a slightly smaller hook than the yarn label suggests creates a tighter fabric with smaller gaps, which is important for a stuffed toy to prevent fiberfill from showing through or small parts from being pulled out.

Teething Ring Insert: You can use either a natural, untreated wooden ring (typically 70mm to 80mm in diameter) or a food-grade silicone ring. Make sure any wooden ring is made from untreated, unfinished hardwood such as maple or beech, as stained or varnished wood is not safe for mouthing. Silicone rings should be BPA-free and labeled as food safe. The ring typically measures about 2.5 to 3 inches in diameter and serves as the base around which you will work your crochet.

Fiberfill: Use polyester fiberfill that is labeled as washable and toy-safe, or opt for organic cotton stuffing if you prefer a more natural option. You will use a small amount to stuff the hippo head.

Safety Eyes: Many crafters use 9mm or 12mm plastic safety eyes, but for a true teething ring intended for babies under 12 months, it is actually safer to embroider the eyes directly onto the fabric using black or dark brown yarn. This eliminates any risk of a small piece detaching and becoming a choking hazard. If you do use safety eyes, attach them securely before stuffing and consider adding an extra dab of fabric glue behind the backing.

Tapestry Needle: You will need this to weave in ends and to sew pieces together.

Stitch Markers: Helpful for keeping track of your rounds, especially when working in a continuous spiral.

Scissors.

Skill Level and Time Commitment

This project is well-suited for beginners who have already learned the basic crochet stitches: the magic ring (or chain start), single crochet, increases, decreases, and slip stitches. If you are brand new to crochet, spending an hour or two on simple practice swatches before beginning this pattern will make the process much smoother.

For an intermediate crocheter, the hippo teething ring typically takes between two and four hours to complete, not counting drying time if you choose to block your pieces. Beginners should allow more time and not rush the sewing-together steps, which are where many small projects either come together beautifully or look a little uneven.

Understanding the Pattern: An Overview

The hippo teething ring is essentially a small amigurumi head attached to a teething ring insert. Amigurumi is the Japanese art of crocheting small stuffed animals and figures, and it uses the same basic construction across almost every pattern: working in continuous rounds, increasing to create a dome shape, stuffing, then decreasing to close. The hippo head in this pattern follows that structure, and additional features like the ears, nostrils, and snout are made as separate flat pieces and sewn on.

The ring insert is wrapped in crochet fabric before the hippo head is attached, giving the entire toy a soft, yarn-covered feel that is gentle on baby’s gums.

Step-by-Step Pattern Instructions

Wrapping the Teething Ring

Begin by making a slip knot and attaching your yarn to the teething ring itself. Single crochet around the entire ring, working over the ring and keeping your stitches snug and even. The number of stitches you make will depend on the size of your ring; aim to cover the ring completely without gaps but without the stitches being so tight that the yarn bunches or puckers. When you have made your way all the way around, slip stitch to the first stitch to close the round. Fasten off and weave in the end securely. This yarn-wrapped ring will be attached to the finished hippo head.

Making the Hippo Head

Using your main gray yarn and a magic ring, single crochet 6 stitches into the ring. Pull the ring closed. This is Round 1.

Round 2: Increase in every stitch — 12 stitches total.

Round 3: Alternate one single crochet and one increase all the way around — 18 stitches total.

Round 4: Single crochet one stitch, increase, single crochet one stitch, and repeat this sequence around — 24 stitches total.

Round 5: Single crochet two stitches, increase, and repeat around — 30 stitches total.

Round 6: Single crochet three stitches, increase, and repeat around — 36 stitches total.

Rounds 7 through 12: Single crochet in every stitch without increasing or decreasing — 36 stitches each round. This creates the sides of the head.

Round 13: Single crochet three stitches, decrease one, and repeat around — 30 stitches total.

Round 14: Single crochet two stitches, decrease one, and repeat around — 24 stitches total.

Insert safety eyes or embroider eyes now, before the opening becomes too small to work inside.

Round 15: Single crochet one stitch, decrease one, and repeat around — 18 stitches total.

Stuff the head firmly but not so tightly that the shape distorts. The head should feel round and smooth.

Round 16: Decrease all the way around — 9 stitches total.

Round 17: Decrease all the way around until closed, then fasten off, leaving a long tail to close the remaining hole with your tapestry needle.

Making the Snout

The snout gives the hippo its characteristic wide, flat-nosed look. Using your main gray yarn, make a magic ring and single crochet 6 stitches into it.

Round 2: Increase in every stitch — 12 stitches.

Round 3: Alternate single crochet and increase — 18 stitches.

Do not stuff the snout. Leave it flat. Fasten off with a long tail for sewing. Use your tapestry needle to attach the snout to the lower front portion of the hippo head, centering it carefully. Using pink or peachy yarn, embroider two small oval nostrils onto the snout with a few straight stitches.

Making the Ears

The ears are small and simple. Using your main gray yarn, make a magic ring and single crochet 6 stitches. Round 2: Increase in every stitch — 12 stitches. Slip stitch to close, fasten off with a long tail.

For the inner ear, use your pink yarn and repeat the same two rounds but do not fasten off after Round 1 — simply make 6 single crochet stitches into a magic ring, fasten off, and sew this small pink circle onto the front of the larger gray ear circle.

Make two of these ears. Pinch each ear slightly to give it a curved, three-dimensional shape, then sew them securely to the top of the hippo head, spaced evenly apart. A hippo’s ears sit toward the top and slightly back on the head rather than on the sides.

Optional Teeth Detail

If you want to add the charming little hippo teeth, cut a small rectangular piece of white felt and attach it just below the snout, or use white yarn to embroider small rectangular tooth shapes. Keep any added pieces very securely attached if the toy will be used as a teether.

Assembling the Toy

The final step is attaching the wrapped teething ring to the finished hippo head. Using your tapestry needle and a length of gray yarn, sew the ring to the back or bottom of the hippo head with tight, repeated stitches. Work all the way around the point of attachment several times to ensure it is completely secure. A baby will pull and chew on this toy, and the attachment between head and ring is the most important structural point in the whole project.

Pull on the ring yourself before giving the toy to any baby. It should not budge even with considerable force.

Safety Considerations for Baby Toys

Making toys for babies comes with a responsibility that goes beyond aesthetics. Here are the most important safety principles to keep in mind.

All materials should be non-toxic, hypoallergenic, and appropriate for mouthing. This means 100% cotton yarn, untreated natural wood or food-grade silicone for the ring, and toy-safe stuffing. Never use yarn that has been treated with moth repellent or other chemical finishes.

All pieces must be attached with absolute security. No button, eye, or decorative element should be able to be pulled free by a determined baby. When in doubt, embroider rather than attach.

The toy should be washable. Parents need to be able to clean it easily. Cotton yarn holds up well to gentle machine washing in a mesh laundry bag on a cool, delicate cycle.

Avoid anything that could fray, shed, or unravel. After sewing, run your fingers over all seams and weave in any loose ends very thoroughly, then trim them close.

The toy is intended for supervised use. No toy is entirely risk-free, and teething rings should always be used with adult supervision, particularly for very young babies.

Customization Ideas

One of the joys of making handmade toys is the freedom to personalize them. Here are some variations to consider.

You can change the colorway entirely and make a lavender hippo with white accents for a dreamy, soft look, or a teal hippo for something more unusual and eye-catching. You can add a tiny bow between the ears using a small piece of ribbon or crocheted chain, though again, make sure it is secured tightly.

If you want to make the toy more interactive, attach a small crinkle material inside the head before stuffing — the rustling sound delights babies and adds sensory interest. Food-safe crinkle material can be found at most fabric stores or online.

You can also adapt the head shape to make other animals using the same basic construction: a round snout becomes a bear, elongated ears become a rabbit, a curved horn becomes a unicorn. The teething ring stays the same while the character on top changes.

Caring for the Finished Toy

To keep the crochet hippo teething ring clean and in good condition, wash it in a mesh laundry bag on a gentle cold cycle with a mild, fragrance-free detergent. Reshape the head while still damp and allow it to air dry completely before giving it back to the baby. Never put a toy with a wooden ring insert in the dryer, as the heat can dry out and crack the wood. If using a silicone ring, check it periodically for any signs of wear or damage.

Gifting and Presentation Tips

A handmade crochet hippo teething ring makes a stunning baby shower gift, a birth announcement present, or a first birthday keepsake. Present it with a simple tag noting the materials used, so parents can feel confident about what is in the toy. You might also include brief washing instructions on the tag, which is a small but incredibly thoughtful touch.

Wrap it in tissue paper and tuck it into a small basket with a few other handmade or natural baby items for a gift set that feels curated and personal. Many crafters also enjoy making a matching pacifier clip or crochet rattle using the same yarn to create a cohesive little collection.

Final Thoughts

The crochet hippo teething ring sits at the perfect intersection of craft and care. It is a project that takes only a few hours to complete but delivers something with real, lasting value — both practical in the moment of teething and sentimental in the years that follow. Every stitch you put into it is a small act of love for the baby who will carry it around with gummy, grateful determination.

Whether you are making this for your own child, a grandchild, a niece or nephew, or a dear friend’s new baby, the process of creating something safe and beautiful with your own hands is its own reward. And when a tired parent tells you that the hippo teething ring was the only thing that calmed their little one on a rough night, you will be very glad you picked up that hook.

Happy crocheting, and may your yarn never tangle.