meet the toddler play pants! these are a quick-to-sew and fun-to-wear pants and shorts pattern for little kids. You can make pants or shorts with just a little bit of fabric for the kids in your life to play in and enjoy. Even better if you get kids involved in picking the fabric!
This sewing pattern is appropriate for beginners and advanced sewists and everyone in between – with detailed diagrams and all our most helpful sewing tips.
For TODDLERS, sizes 12mo - 5 years
Extra space for diapers for kids who need it
Fully illustrated instruction booklet.
Two length options: shorts and pants
PDF sewing pattern download with print-at-home, copyshop, and projector files included
Designed for play, designed for growing
These pants and shorts are designed to be roomy with lots of range of motion and space for active play. These are a little different than many pants patterns, because they have the same pattern piece for the front and back. Because of this, they are really easy to get started and cut out, and you don’t have to worry about mixing up fronts and backs. You can even use four layers of fabric folded, trace and cut the pattern one time and sew. With kids pants, there’s not as much shaping needed - and they’re growing so quickly you don’t need a super precise fit, you want something loose that can move as they move.
The elastic waistband is very comfy — no buttons or zippers so kids can dress themselves. The loose fit also gives kids space to grow over time. You can also leave a little extra elastic overlapped at first when you sew, then seam rip the waistband and let out the elastic to make it a little bit roomier when kids grow.
It’s easy to measure and adjust the inseam for taller kids. The inseams are designed to be a bit on the long side for each size, so you can cuff or roll them to start, and they’ll last longer as the kids grow taller — or you can shorten them to your kid’s exact height. And the hems are 1” (2.5 cm), which allows a little extra fabric to let out if you want to lengthen the pants if they grow. That way you can get a little more wear out of the pants, if they still fit at the waist but are getting short in the legs. Just seam rip and re-hem!
Choose a size based on the child’s body measurements, mostly prioritizing the hip measurement. The waist can be adjusted smaller to preference when you add the elastic.
If the child wears a diaper, take the hip measurement with their diaper on. Diaper width is factored in for the 12m and 18m sizes. We realize two year olds (and up!) may still wear diapers too — there’s plenty of ease in the pattern to accommodate that as well, so don’t fear if the diaper increases their hip measurement.
Fabric — Recommended minimum fabric amounts are in the charts below, depending on the width of the fabric, the size of the garment, and if you are sewing pants or shorts.
We recommend mid-weight woven fabrics for the play pants. Heavier bottomweight fabrics are a possibility too, they just won’t drape as much. Make sure the fabric seems like something that would be comfy to play in!
These pants are designed to be made with woven fabric, but you can try sewing the play pants with knits as long as you pick fabrics without much stretch. (Sewing very stretchy fabrics requires different tools and techniques.) Choose thicker knits for a sweatpant-like feel. You can even thread thin elastic through the hems to make elastic cuffs! Lighter knits will give a pajama pants feel. Knits are not as durable as wovens in general, but they also don’t fray (you can leave them unfinished inside if you want) and if they get a hole in them, they don’t run and unravel in the same way as wovens.
Notions Needed For the Toddler Play Pants:
1.5” (3.8 cm) Elastic for pants waistband — specific lengths in size chart
As with every garment, it's all about the fabric! You can ask the kid you’re sewing for what kinds of fabrics they like to wear. Rummage through the offcuts and scraps in your sewing studio together or even take them with you to shop! Fabric that feels good to the kid will make them more likely to love and reach for the clothes you make for them. And they can help you and learn sewing skills appropriate for their age and interest levels - picking fabric is a skill!
Kids clothes in general are good to use up scraps and small amounts of fabric, or matching their pants to your pants. Don’t be afraid to make each leg of the pants a different color (using similar weight pre-shunk fabrics), or even use a different color for all four main pants pieces you cut! Kids pants are such a great opportunity to have fun sewing and try creative things like color blocking or fun trims (ricrac!), etc.
Toddler Play Pants and Shorts paired with All Well Little Box Tops. A perfect pair!
sew a play set
check out the little box top, our other kids pattern, to sew a complete outfit for the little friends in your life!
This pattern was designed by Amy Bornman for All Well Workshop and produced in collaboration with Amelia Greenhall, published by ANEMONE.
SEWING LEVEL: This pattern is appropriate for confident beginners, but will be fun for sewists of all levels to sew.
PATTERN INCLUDES:
Print-at-home pdf pattern
Copy shop pattern
Instruction Booklet with step by step instructions, detailed illustrations, sewing tips, and more!
PRINTING YOUR PDF PATTERN:
This pattern is a digital download. Once you have made your purchase, you will receive a link to download the print-at-home pattern pdf, copy shop pdf, and instructions pdf + hacking guide. You will find more instructions in the booklet that comes with your download. We also have more help about printing and assembling the pattern in our FAQ and printing help pages!
©️ Amy Bornman, Amelia Greenhall, All Well Workshop. All rights reserved.
Toddler Play Pants and Shorts paired with All Well Little Box Tops. A perfect pair!