Fidget Sensory Toy

Fidget toys are often used in the autistic and ADHD communities for children who have trouble sitting still in class. The idea is to give their hands (or feet) something quiet to do in order to free up their brains to focus on their teacher. Having myself been a child who doodled in class in order to stay focused on the teacher, that makes perfect sense to me.

This fidget toy looks like a classic sock monkey, but I used ridged stitches to add physical texture, increasing stripe widths for visual interest, and a springy tail just for fun. And since it’s a soft toy, it doesn’t make any noise that would be distracting to other children in the class.

Finished Size: About 10 inches tall.

Pattern Level: Intermediate

Materials:

• MC: 1 skein Cascade Cherub Aran
• CC: 1 skein Cascade Cherub Aran
• White: 1 skein Cascade Cherub Aran
• Size F-5 (3.75 mm) crochet hook
• Yarn needle
• 2 stitch markers

Note: Pattern is worked in the round without joining or turning between rounds. To avoid confusion, it may be helpful to mark the beginning of each round with a stitch marker.

Outer Eyes

With CC, ch 2 or start with a magic loop.

Rnd 1. 6 sc in second ch from hook (or magic loop). 6 sc.

Rnd 2. 2 sc in ea sc around. Join with sl st in first sc. 12 sc.

Finish off.

Inner Eyes

Note: The inner eyes are optional. You may choose to use buttons or doll safety eyes instead. 

With MC, ch 2 or start with a magic loop.

Rnd 1. 6 sc in second ch from hook (or magic loop). 6 sc.

Rnd 2. Sc in ea sc around.

Finish off.

Head

With White, ch 7.

Rnd 1. 2 sc in second ch from hook (mark the first sc with first st marker), sc in ea rem ch across. Rotate work and continuing in unused loops along bottom of ch, 2 sc in first ch (marking the first sc with second st marker), sc in ea rem ch across. 14 sc.

Rnd 2. Sc in first marked sc; move st marker to this sc. 2 sc in next sc, sc in ea sc around to the sc before the next marked sc. 2 sc in next sc, sc in next marked sc; move st marker to this sc. 2 sc in next sc, sc in ea sc around to last sc; 2 sc in last sc. 18 sc.

Rnds 3-6. Rep rnd 2. The stitch count will increase by 4 ea rnd.

Rnd 7. 2 sc in first marked st (move st marker to first sc), sc in ea sc around to next marked st, 2 sc in next marked st (remove this st marker), sc in ea rem sc around. 36 sc.

Rnds 8-10. Sc in ea sc around, marking the first st in ea rnd with st marker.

Change to MC.

Rnds 11-20. Sc in ea sc around, marking the first st in ea rnd with st marker. Sc in next 3 sc to begin rnd 21 at the side of the Head.

Do not finish off.

Attach eyes by threading post of safety eyes or button through center of crochet eyes. Sew or attach eyes at the border between White and MC on head. Sew down the crocheted parts of the eyes. Continue on to Body.

Body

Switch to CC.

Rnd 21. Sc in blo of ea sc around. Switch to MC.

Rnds 22-23. Sc in blo of ea sc around.

Switch to CC.

Rnds 24-26. Sc in blo of ea sc around.

Switch to MC.

Rnds 27-30. Sc in blo of ea sc around.

Switch to CC.

Rnds 31-35. Sc in blo of ea sc around.

Do not finish off. Loosely stuff Head & Body.

First Leg

Switch to MC.

Rnd 36. Sc in blo of ea of next 9 sc, skip next 18 sc, sc in blo of ea of next 9 sc. 18 sc.

Rnds 37-41. Sc in blo of ea sc around.

Switch to CC.

Rnds 42-48. Sc in blo of ea sc around.

Switch to MC.

Rnds 49-56. Sc in blo of ea sc around.

Switch to White.

Rnds 57-63. Sc in both loops of ea sc around.

Loosely stuff Leg.

Rnd 64. *Dec 1 sc over next 2 sc, sc in next sc; rep from * around. 12 sc.

Rnd 65. *Dec 1 sc over next 2 sc; rep from * around. Sl st in next sc. 6 sc.

Finish off.

Second Leg

Join MC with sl st in first unworked sc of rnd 35 of Body, leaving a long tail for sewing later.

Rnd 36. Ch 1, sc in blo of ea of next 18 sc. 18 sc.

Rnds 37-65. Worked same as for First Leg. Finish off. Use tail from beginning to sew up gap between Legs.

Arms – make 2.

With White, ch 2 or begin with a magic loop.

Rnd 1. 6 sc in second ch from hook (or magic loop). 6 sc.

Rnd 2. 2 sc in ea sc around. 12 sc.

Rnd 3. *2 sc in first sc, sc in next sc; rep from * around. 18 sc.

Rnds 4-6. Sc in ea sc around.

Switch to MC.

Rnds 7-11. Sc in blo of ea sc around.

Switch to CC.

Rnds 12-15. Sc in blo of ea sc around.

Switch to MC.

Rnds 16-18. Sc in blo of ea sc around.

Switch to CC.

Rnds 19 & 20. Sc in blo of ea sc around.

Switch to MC.

Rnd 21. Sc in blo of ea sc around.

Sl st in next 5 sc, then finish off, leaving a long tail for sewing. Loosely stuff Arms and sew to sides of Body at the top stripe, taking care to place the “seam” of the arm toward the body so it won’t be seen.

Tail

With MC, ch 33. 2 dc in fourth ch from hook (first 3 ch count as dc), 3 dc in ea rem ch across. Finish off, leaving a long tail for sewing. 90 dc.

Sew Tail to bottom of Body between Legs.

Ears – make 2.

With MC, ch 2.

Rnd 1. 6 sc in second ch from hook (or magic loop). 6 sc.

Rnd 2. 2 sc in ea sc around. 12 sc.

Rnd 3. *2 sc in first sc, sc in next sc; rep from * around. 18 sc.

Rnd 4. Sc in ea sc around. Finish off, leaving a long tail for sewing.

Flatten Ears in half (do not stuff) and sew to sides of Head.

Nose & Mouth

With White, ch 7.

Rnds 1-4. Work the same as for rnds 1-4 of Head. 26 sc.

Switch to CC.

Rnd 5. Sc in blo of first marked sc; move st marker to this sc. 2 sc in blo of next sc, sc in blo of ea of next 10 sc, 2 sc in blo of next sc, sc in blo of next marked sc; move st marker to this sc. Switch to White. 2 sc in both loops of next sc, sc in both loops of ea sc around to last sc; 2 sc in both loops of last sc. 30 sc.

Rnd 6. Sc in blo of first marked sc; move st marker to this sc. 2 sc in blo of next sc, sc in blo of ea of next 12 sc, 2 sc in blo of next sc, sc in blo of next marked sc; move st marker to this sc. 2 sc in both loops of next sc, sc in both loops of ea sc around to last sc; 2 sc in both loops of last sc. 34 sc.

Rnd 7. Sc in ea sc around. Finish off, leaving a long tail for sewing. Loosely stuff Nose & Mouth and sew to Head.

Abbreviations

• blo (back loops only)
• CC (contrasting color)
• ch (chain)
• dc (double crochet)
• dec (decrease)
• ea (each)
• MC (main color)
• mm (millimeter)
• rem (remaining)
• rep (repeat)
• rnd (round)
• rnds (rounds)
• sc (single crochet)
• sl st (slip stitch)
• st (stitch)