Squeaker Birds are wonderful little birds designed with children in mind.

Easy to grasp and with a squeaker tucked inside, they delight little ones with the sound they make when squeezed.

At about 2.5 inches wide and 3 inches tall, and needing only about 35 grams of yarn each, they are perfect for using up scraps.

The pattern includes four birds to make: a penguin, a robin, a baby bird, and a crow.

Better still, it includes many different wings, feet, and beaks, so you can mix and match to invent birds entirely your own.

The birds are knit flat, with instructions to make beaks, wings, and feet in the round where applicable, and the crow body can also be worked in the round.

Skill level: Intermediate

Techniques: worked flat and in the round, ssk, k2tog, kfb, yarn overs, intarsia (used only on the tummy patches, which makes this a lovely low-stakes way to learn the technique)

As an early childhood educator, I love a toy that hands the imagination back to the child. Mixing and matching the wings, beaks, and feet turns knitting into a design game, and a little bird that squeaks when squeezed rewards a curious squeeze with a happy surprise. A gentle, joyful way to make a flock that is truly one of a kind.