Free Crochet Stacking Toy Pattern | Bunny Ring Tower

There is something incredibly satisfying about making a toy with your own hands. When that toy is soft, colorful, safe for little ones, and genuinely fun to play with, the satisfaction multiplies tenfold. This free crochet stacking toy pattern gives you everything you need to create an adorable bunny ring tower — a classic developmental toy reimagined in yarn, complete with floppy ears, pastel rings, and a wobbly base that babies and toddlers absolutely love.

Whether you are new to amigurumi-style crochet or a seasoned maker looking for your next gift project, this pattern walks you through every step. By the end, you will have a handmade stacking toy that rivals anything you would find in a boutique toy shop, made entirely from materials you chose yourself.

Why Make a Crochet Stacking Toy?

Stacking rings are one of the oldest and most beloved infant toys in existence. Pediatric occupational therapists consistently recommend them because they support hand-eye coordination, color recognition, fine motor development, and cause-and-effect learning — all through simple, joyful play. When you crochet one yourself, you add a layer of intentionality and love that no mass-produced toy can replicate.

Crochet stacking toys are also customizable in ways that store-bought versions simply are not. You can choose colors that match a nursery, swap the bunny topper for a bear or a duck, resize the rings to suit different developmental stages, or make the whole thing in a single color palette for a minimalist aesthetic. You are not locked into what a manufacturer decided to produce this season.

There is also the safety angle. When you make a toy yourself, you control every material that goes into it. You can select a hypoallergenic stuffing, choose yarns that are certified OEKO-TEX or GOTS organic, and avoid hard plastic components entirely. For parents who are particular about what their babies put in their mouths — and every parent should be — a handmade toy offers transparency that is impossible to match.

Materials You Will Need

Before you start, gather everything together. There is nothing more frustrating than getting halfway through a project and discovering you are missing a hook or the right color of yarn.

Yarn: You will need a soft, washable worsted weight yarn (Category 4) in five to six colors. Choose one color for the base, one for the post, and four different colors for the rings. The bunny topper can be worked in white, cream, or any color you love. For a baby-safe project, look for yarns labeled machine washable, as the toy will inevitably need cleaning. Popular choices include Lion Brand Pound of Love, Paintbox Simply DK (held double), or Paintbox Simply Worsted. Approximately 50–80 yards per color will be plenty, making this a fantastic stash-buster project.

Hook: A 4.0mm (G/6) crochet hook is ideal for creating a tight, dense fabric that conceals the stuffing inside. If your gauge is loose, drop down to a 3.75mm or 3.5mm hook. The goal is to crochet tightly enough that no stuffing can poke through.

Stuffing: Polyester fiberfill is the standard choice, but if you prefer a natural option, organic cotton batting or wool roving both work beautifully. Stuff each piece firmly so the rings hold their shape and the base is stable enough to support the post.

Safety eyes: For the bunny face, 9mm or 12mm black safety eyes work well. However, for a toy intended for babies under three, consider embroidering the eyes instead. Small parts like safety eyes can become a choking hazard if not secured properly, and embroidery eliminates the risk entirely.

Stitch markers, scissors, a yarn needle, and a ruler round out your toolkit.

Pattern Notes and Abbreviations

This pattern is written in American crochet terms.

• MR — Magic ring
• sc — Single crochet
• inc — Increase (2 sc in the same stitch)
• dec — Invisible decrease (insert hook in front loop of first stitch, then front loop of second stitch, yarn over and pull through both, yarn over and pull through 2 loops)
• sl st — Slip stitch
• ch — Chain
• BLO — Back loop only
• FLO — Front loop only
• st(s) — Stitch(es)
• rnd — Round

Work in a continuous spiral unless otherwise stated. Use a stitch marker to mark the beginning of each round.

Finished size: Approximately 10–11 inches tall with all rings stacked. Individual rings are roughly 3 inches in diameter. This can vary slightly depending on your gauge and stuffing.

Part One: The Base

The base is a wide, flat dome that keeps the tower stable. It is worked in two pieces — a top and a bottom — then joined and stuffed.

Base (make 2 in your chosen base color):

Rnd 1: MR, 6 sc into ring. (6 sts)
Rnd 2: Inc in each st around. (12 sts)
Rnd 3: (Sc 1, inc) repeat 6 times. (18 sts)
Rnd 4: (Sc 2, inc) repeat 6 times. (24 sts)
Rnd 5: (Sc 3, inc) repeat 6 times. (30 sts)
Rnd 6: (Sc 4, inc) repeat 6 times. (36 sts)
Rnd 7: (Sc 5, inc) repeat 6 times. (42 sts)
Rnd 8: (Sc 6, inc) repeat 6 times. (48 sts)
Rnd 9: Sc in each st around. (48 sts)
Rnd 10: Sc in each st around. (48 sts)

Fasten off the first piece. Do not fasten off the second piece. Hold both pieces together with wrong sides facing each other. Single crochet through both layers around the entire edge, stuffing firmly before closing. Fasten off and weave in ends.

The finished base should feel solid and sit flat on a table without tipping.

Part Two: The Post

The post is a tube that inserts into the center of the base and holds all the rings. It needs to be firm and upright.

Post (make 1 in your post color):

Rnd 1: MR, 6 sc into ring. (6 sts)
Rnd 2: Inc in each st around. (12 sts)
Rnd 3: (Sc 1, inc) repeat 6 times. (18 sts)
Rnd 4–6: Sc in each st around for 3 rounds. (18 sts)

Now begin the tube:

Rnd 7: (Sc 1, dec) repeat 6 times. (12 sts)
Rnd 8: (Sc 1, dec) repeat 4 times. (8 sts)
Rnds 9–40: Sc in each st around for 32 rounds. (8 sts)

Stuff the post firmly and consistently as you go — do not wait until the end, as the tube will be too narrow to fill from the top. Close the tube by single crocheting across the opening.

Attach the post to the center of the base by stitching it securely with your yarn needle. Use a whip stitch around the entire base of the post, going through it multiple times to ensure it does not wobble or detach.

Part Three: The Rings

This is where your color palette really shines. Each ring is made the same way, but in a different color. The rings are worked flat as a long strip, then seamed into a circle and stuffed.

Ring (make 4, one in each color):

Ch 30. Join with a sl st to form a ring, being careful not to twist the chain.

Rnd 1: Ch 1, sc in each ch around. (30 sts)
Rnd 2: Sc in each st around. (30 sts)
Rnd 3: Sc in each st around. (30 sts)
Rnd 4: Sc in each st around. (30 sts)

Fasten off, leaving a long tail. Stuff the ring tube gently — not too firmly, as a slightly squishy ring is easier for small hands to grip and stack. Use your yarn needle to close the short ends together, creating a seamless donut shape. Weave in all ends.

If you find the ring method tricky, an alternative approach is to crochet the ring in the round from the start: work a flat circle, fold it, and seam. Either method produces the same result — a soft, chubby ring that slides easily onto the post.

To ensure your rings actually fit over the post, slide each one onto the post before seaming it closed. It is much easier to adjust the size at this stage than after the ring is fully assembled.

Part Four: The Bunny Topper

This is the most delightful part of the entire project. The bunny sits on top of the post like a little finial, giving the tower its personality and its name. It is worked in three pieces: the head/body, and two ears.

Bunny Head and Body (make 1):

Rnd 1: MR, 6 sc into ring. (6 sts)
Rnd 2: Inc in each st around. (12 sts)
Rnd 3: (Sc 1, inc) repeat 6 times. (18 sts)
Rnd 4: (Sc 2, inc) repeat 6 times. (24 sts)
Rnd 5–9: Sc in each st around for 5 rounds. (24 sts)
Rnd 10: (Sc 2, dec) repeat 6 times. (18 sts)
Rnd 11: (Sc 1, dec) repeat 6 times. (12 sts)

At this point, attach your safety eyes between rounds 6 and 7, with approximately 6 stitches between them. If embroidering instead, leave that for later.

Rnd 12: Inc in each st around. (24 sts) — this begins the body
Rnd 13: (Sc 3, inc) repeat 6 times. (30 sts)
Rnd 14–18: Sc in each st around for 5 rounds. (30 sts)
Rnd 19: (Sc 3, dec) repeat 6 times. (24 sts)
Rnd 20: (Sc 2, dec) repeat 6 times. (18 sts)

Stuff the head and body firmly. Leave the base of the body open slightly.

Rnd 21: (Sc 1, dec) repeat 6 times. (12 sts)
Rnd 22: Dec around. (6 sts)

Fasten off and close the bottom.

Bunny Ears (make 2):

Rnd 1: MR, 4 sc into ring. (4 sts)
Rnd 2: Inc in each st around. (8 sts)
Rnd 3–12: Sc in each st around for 10 rounds. (8 sts)

Do not stuff the ears. Flatten each ear and single crochet across the opening to close it. This gives the ears that sweet, floppy look. Attach both ears to the top of the bunny’s head, positioning them roughly over rounds 1–3 of the head, spaced about 4 stitches apart.

Embroider a small nose using a few stitches of pink or dusty rose yarn. You can also add a tiny embroidered smile below the nose for extra charm.

Attach the completed bunny to the top of the post, stitching through the bottom of the bunny’s body and into the top of the post multiple times for security.

Assembly and Finishing

Once all pieces are complete, do a quick quality check before considering the toy finished. Tug on every attached part — the ears, the bunny, the post — and make sure nothing pulls free. Run your fingers over every seam and look for any gaps where stuffing might eventually work its way out.

If you used safety eyes, double-check that the washers on the back are fully seated and cannot be pulled off. If there is any doubt, remove the safety eyes and embroider replacements. A toy that will be handed to a baby or toddler should be able to withstand hard pulling, chewing, and throwing without releasing any small part.

Stack the rings onto the post from largest to smallest if you want to honor the traditional stacking toy convention, though at the developmental stages where this toy is most played with, children generally enjoy stacking them in any order they like. The beauty of soft rings is that there is no wrong answer.

Sizing Variations and Customizations

One of the best things about making this pattern yourself is how easily it adapts. If you want a smaller version for a young infant — just for looking at and touching rather than stacking — reduce your hook size and use a lighter weight yarn. A sport weight or DK yarn with a 3.0mm hook will produce rings and a base that are noticeably smaller and lighter.

For an older toddler who is ready for a challenge, consider making more rings in more colors and expanding the post height by adding additional rounds to the tube section. Six or seven rings make the stacking challenge more interesting for children around 18 months and older.

You can also swap the bunny topper for other animals. A round, earless bear head works beautifully and requires only a head, two small round ears, and a muzzle. A duck topper is adorable with a small orange beak and two little wing nubs on the sides of the body. A lamb topper in loopy bouclé yarn has an irresistible texture that babies love.

Color-wise, the possibilities are limitless. Rainbow rings on a white base with a white bunny is a timeless classic. Muted earth tones — terracotta, sage, sand, dusty rose — suit a Scandinavian-inspired nursery perfectly. A monochromatic version in shades of a single hue is beautiful in its simplicity and also works as a high-contrast toy for very young infants.

Care Instructions for the Finished Toy

Because this is a baby toy, it will get dirty. It will be drooled on, thrown in the mud, and occasionally left somewhere unpleasant. Make life easier for parents by choosing machine washable yarn from the very beginning.

To wash the finished toy, place it in a mesh laundry bag and machine wash on a gentle or delicate cycle in cold water. Lay flat to dry or tumble dry on the lowest heat setting. Avoid high heat, which can distort the shape of the rings or cause the stuffing to clump.

If you used wool or a non-washable fiber, hand washing in cool water with a small amount of baby shampoo or wool wash is the way to go. Gently press (do not wring) the toy and lay flat to dry. It may take a day or two to dry completely.

Gifting and Presentation Tips

This toy makes a genuinely spectacular handmade gift for baby showers, newborn visits, first birthdays, and holidays. The time and skill that go into it are evident in the finished piece, and most parents are deeply moved by a gift that was made by hand specifically for their child.

For presentation, stack the rings on the post with the bunny on top and tie a simple piece of ribbon or baker’s twine around the whole tower. Nestle it in a small basket or wrap it in tissue paper. You can also include a handwritten care tag with washing instructions and the yarn details, which is especially thoughtful for parents who are concerned about materials.

If you are selling this toy rather than gifting it, be sure to research the toy safety regulations in your country or region. In the United States, handmade toys sold commercially may fall under CPSC guidelines. In the European Union, CE marking requirements apply to toys. Many makers include a “not a toy” disclaimer on handmade items; consult a legal resource or a community like the Crochet Business Community if you need guidance specific to your situation.

A Few Final Tips for Success

Crochet tight. The single most important thing you can do for the quality and safety of this toy is to maintain a firm tension throughout. A loose fabric looks less polished and, more importantly, allows stuffing to show through and potentially be pulled out.

Count your stitches every single round during the base and bunny construction. Missing an increase or accidentally adding one throws off