My daughter loves to sew. Within one year, she’s already sewn 5 stuffed animals from scratch and continues to ask for more project ideas. Do your children have an interest in learning how to sew? These Felt Animal Keychains are adorable, soft creations that children can design, sew, and personalize.
Kids create miniature animals, such as cats, owls, or dinosaurs, that can be attached to backpacks, pencil cases, or gifted to friends. This craft combines creativity with practical skills, giving children a sense of pride in creating something both functional and fun.
Why This Craft Is Great for Late Elementary Children
- Fine Motor Skill Development: Cutting felt and sewing small stitches strengthens hand coordination.
- Top Tip: Invest in small sewing scissors (fairly sharp) that will cut easily through the felt.
- Creative Expression: Kids choose colors, animal shapes, and embellishments to reflect their personalities. The options are endless!
- Intro to Sewing: Teaches basic hand-sewing skills in a manageable, low-pressure format. The goal here is practice, not perfection.
- Confidence Building: Completing a usable item boosts self-esteem and encourages independence. The simple act of trying a new skill will help build their confidence. Talk with your child about all of the ways sewing can be used (first aid, survival skills, hobbies, and stuffy repairs).
- Social Sharing: Keychains make great gifts or tradeables among peers, which fosters connection.
Time To Craft!
Supplies Needed
- Colorful felt sheets (variety of colors)
- Embroidery floss or strong thread
- Plastic sewing needles (child-safe)
- Scissors
- Fabric glue or hot glue (with adult supervision)
- Stuffing material (cotton balls, polyester fiberfill)
- Keychain rings or clips
- Optional: googly eyes, buttons, ribbon, fabric markers
Directions
- Choose an Animal Design– Have children sketch or select a simple animal shape (e.g., cat, owl, fish). Keep the outline basic for easy cutting and sewing. You can also print out animal outline shapes online.
- Cut Out Felt Pieces– Cut two identical shapes from felt…one for the front and one for the back. Cut smaller felt pieces for details like ears, eyes, or wings.
- Top Tip-Avoid cutting animal shapes that are too small for your child to handle. Keychain animals should be a decent size to prevent frustration with cutting and sewing.
- Decorate the Front Piece– Glue or sew on details like eyes, noses, or patterns using smaller felt pieces, buttons, or fabric markers. These smaller pieces will likely not be large enough to sew with child-safe sewing needles.
- Sew the Edges– Parents will need to assist in this step.
- Lay your top and bottom felt pieces on top of one another.
- Thread your needle and tie a knot on the tail end of your thread to prevent accidentally pulling the thread too far through the felt piece (this helps avoid frustration for your child).
- Use a whipstitch or running stitch to sew around the edges of the two felt pieces. Leave a small opening at the top or bottom for stuffing.
- Stuff the Keychain– Gently fill the inside with stuffing to give the animal a plush look. Then sew the opening closed and tie off the thread/yarn with a knot.
- Attach the Keychain Ring– Sew or glue a small loop of felt or ribbon to the top of the animal and slide the keychain ring through it.
- Show Off or Share! Let kids attach their creations to bags or gift them to friends. Encourage them to name their animals or write a short story about them.
RELATED: DIY Dreamcatcher