36 Free Knitting Patterns for Children's Hats (and Scarves)

There's no better way to keep little ears toasty than with an earflap beanie! If your child is a fan of foxes, this one's a no-brainer.

Who doesn't love dogs? For an adorable hat that your child is sure to love, knit him or her this dog hat. Your child will be so excited to match the family pooch!

Sometimes it's better to not be specific. If you give your child a hat with a pair of ears, they can decide which animal they want to be!

Your little bear cub will never be better-prepared for the winter than with this bear hat. He's more likely to actually want to wear his hat outside when it's this cute!

Polar bears are some of the animals best-suited for the frigid cold out there, so why not give your child a fighting chance with a little bit of that polar bear spirit?

I have never met a child, boy or girl, who didn't love dinosaurs. Have you? Just because they're extinct doesn't mean that your kids can't play pretend.

If ears on your child's hat is just a little too mainstream for you, suit him up with a pair of eyes! These giant googly-eyes are bound to elicit giggles from his classmates.

Is your child a fan of Donald Duck? He can pretend to be the famous duck himself every day if he wants with this cute duck hat! You can even knit it in black if they're more of a Daffy fan.

The only thing she'll love more than a cute, eared hat for winter is getting to match with her favorite doll. Can you imagine tea parties with their matching hats? Precious!

Ready your little viking for the winter with this unique horned helmet-style hat.

We love this hat for early autumn trips to the farmer's market. If he's warm, he's less likely to complain when you're deciding which variety of apple butter to buy!

Nothing in this world is cozier than cables. It's a scientific fact. For a no-nonsense, classic hat that's perfect for the winter, knit your child her very own Chill Be Gone Hat.

Pom poms help keep winter hats fun, but the cords at the end serve a utilitarian purpose. Your child is less likely to lose his or her hat in the wind if it's tied beneath his or her chin!

If there's any way to get a little girl excited about wearing her hat, it's to make it colorful and pretty. Slap a flower on some fluffy, rainbow-colored yarn and you have yourself a keeper.

You want a classic cabled hat. She wants rainbows. Compromise with this hat that has the best of both worlds! Even with the variegated yarn, you can see the lovely braids.

Texture is so fun while knitting. In order to keep the hat exciting enough for the child to wear and for you to knit, try knitting up a hat like this one with a bubbly texture!

Doesn't the cuteness of a toddler in a holiday hat just melt your heart? Before he's old enough to be embarrassed by hand-knit hats, put him in a Pumpkin Hat, one of the cutest options for a little boy.

Speaking of cute hats for children, not only does this one tie under the chin, but it comes to a tiny little point at the top, like the stem of a pumpkin! This hat is great for autumn and winter alike.

Rolled brims are a quick and easy way to give a knit hat some intrigue. Since all it takes is knitting in stockinette stitch, nobody will believe how little time it took you to knit your child's hat.

Sometimes, simpler is better. The Happy Hat will do just that: keep your child warm and happy without attracting any unnecessary attention.

If you live in a particularly chilly or snowy area, ear flap hats are really the way to go. Your little one won't be pulling her hat down every five minutes to keep her ears warm.

Another benefit to ear flap hats is that they better trap the heat from your head. The adorable little Yoshis running around this Super Mario Color Charts hat are just a bonus.

Everyone knows that blue is the color of winter. Combined with the classic pale brown color, this hat is great for children in the winter.

Stripes are an easy and quick way to put together a hat for your little one that looks like it could have come straight out of a department store.

While everyone else's kids are freezing with their cheap hats, your child will be cozy and toasty with her handmade-with-love rainbow striped beanie. Plus, she'll be easy to spot with the bright colors!

For the girly-girl out there, flowers are an absolute must. Just because the ground is icy doesn't mean you can't channel springtime!

If any scarf is bound to make your kid the hit of the playground, it's the Cool Kid's Knitted Scarf. Rainbows are so popular with little ones, and its short construction means your kid is less likely to get it tangled up somewhere.

Cowls make an excellent option for kids who are clumsy or otherwise have a tendency to ruin dangly bits of their clothing. Since this cozy moss stitch cowl stays close to your kid's neck, it can go tucked under his coat, forgotten while playing, but still keeping him warm.

If your girly girl thinks that the more bedazzling, the better, she'll be obsessed with this Pom Pom Kids' Scarf. This scarf stimulates the senses with its bright color and soft, fluffy feel. Plus, it's super girly, which makes it perfect for super girly-girls.

On the other hand, some kids seem to think that the simpler, the better. An easy garter stitch scarf is quick to work up for your kid with the incoming chill of the winter, and this pattern has a built-in loop so your kid doesn't have to mess with any complicated knots.

A twist on the loop scarf above, this Stylish Pom Pom Scarf is worked up in simple stockinette stitch with a little dose of "happy" in the form of a couple of adorable pom poms on the end. This scarf is perfect for the unique child who does want to stand out from the crowd... but not TOO much.

Just because your child is small doesn't mean he or she shouldn't be able to wear a beautiful lace knit! For the slightly warmer days, show off a gorgeous handknit cowl on your child, and get them to start appreciating lovely lace early on.

On the complete opposite end of the spectrum, let your children's imaginations run wild with a snake-inspired scarf! You only get to be a kid once, so why not have some fun with your wardrobe before you have to show up to work with whatever you're wearing?

Everybody loves a matching set! If you're looking to knit your child both a hat AND a scarf, but you hate how none of them seem to match, then knit them up a set like this Knit Hat and Scarf.

When I was a kid, I was obsessed with fantasy novels and movies. For the adorable little nerd in your life, you HAVE to knit this Fiery Dragon Scarf. Just don't be surprised if your child names his scarf and grows attached...

If you don't typically love knitting for children because the style can be rather juvenile or simplistic, this is the cowl for you. Not only can you learn and practice a brand new stitch, but the end result is absolutely stunning.