I love the way animal shaped towels look in pictures from cruises and luxury hotels. They are so adorable and really fun to find unique shapes. Why not add them to your own home? Who wouldn't love to walk into a room and see a cute little animal looking back at you? These are perfect as a baby shower gift, gift for kids, or as a room decoration. Learn how to fold these and become the local “animal tamer”!

Animal Shape Towels

Whether you are using these as part of a baby shower gift or as a fun present for kids, these towels are sure to make everyone smile. You are going to be surprised at just how easy they are to fold. I love how absolutely adorable they are as a room decoration but also how useful they are. Sometimes it's just super fun to make something that is both cute and useful.

If you like this idea, you might also like our tutorials for how to fold napkins into flowers. They are ideal for your dining table at a party! Of course, if you are more interested in making something for a baby shower gift check out this washcloth teddy bear or even this cute sleeping baby made from diapers.

What's the Best Sized Towel for Making Animals?

These animals can be folded in many sized towels, so there isn't anything special you have to buy. I like using a hand towel for smaller ones since it can make it easy to manage, but you could also use a full-sized towel. Of course, a beach towel could work but is a bit harder to manipulate.

Washcloths are great for smaller creatures and for most of the ones included, multiple towels are needed to create the larger animals. Trial and error is best when making these to fit your needs.

Can I Add Other Decorations to the Animal Towels?

You can definitely dress up these cute little animals with other items to make them look even cuter. I like the idea of adding ribbons and bows around their ears and head. You can also add stickers or even tie small gifts to them.

If you are giving these towels as part of a present, I love the idea of adding a balloon to them. For baby gifts, adding clothes or toys is really cute. Add a hat to the animal or even use a teething ring as a bracelet or collar.

Supplies Needed

How to Make a Towel Elephant

Place a large towel on a flat surface then bring the sides in to meet in the middle vertically.

Starting on one end, roll the towel keeping it tightly together until you reach the halfway point.

From the other end of the towel, repeat the same process until the two sides meet in the middle.

Fold the rolls in half so the towel now has 4 "rolls" and is a stack.

Place a second towel on a flat surface

Starting from the middle top of the towel, begin rolling the sides toward the center creating a point at the top and two rolled sides with loose bottoms.

Flip this over and pull down the top of the towel to create a "face" and two floppy ears on the side.

Roll the pointed end upward for the nose.

Add googly eyes onto the face.

Place the head/face/ears on top of the stack from earlier to create the elephant head.

How to Make a Towel Sea Horse

Place a towel onto a flat surface, then starting from the middle top of the towel, begin rolling the sides toward the center creating a point at the top and two rolled sides with loose bottoms.

Repeat this a second time so you have two matching towels.

Place the two rolled towels in opposite directions on top of each other.

Pull the two loose ends over the pointed end of the towel on top and tuck it in against the others.

Flip this over.

Tuck the bottom flap of the towel under, then pull the top towel from both ends inward toward the center.

Sit the towel upwards and shape the pointed end into a nose.

Add googly eyes.

Lean against a wall to look like a sea horse

How to Make a Towel Teddy Bear

Place a towel on a flat surface and begin rolling it into a long tube - folding to the middle of the towel.

Roll the other side in until the two rolls meet in the middle.

Turn the towel over and twist at the middle fold then fold down onto itself.

Use a rubber band to secure the top ¼ of the towel into a big "loop".

On either side of the top of the circle/loop, add a small circle with a rubber band to hold in place. This creates ears.

Add googly eyes onto the top.

Then sit and shape to look like a bear.

How to Make a Towel Turtle

Place a towel onto a flat surface and begin rolling it from both ends until it meets in the middle.

Flip the roll over, then bring each of the ends in to the center.

Flip the roll over again.

Fold the towel outward creating a small box/square of the towel then set aside.

Place a second towel onto a flat surface and repeat the first step of rolling it from both ends until it meats in the middle.

Fold this over itself so you have 4 "rolls" and then gently tug the end of the towel out just a bit from the end of each "roll".

Now pull each side down by holding onto the two rolls on each side creating a base with 4 "legs" sticking out.

Spread this out and place the first bundle of towel square on top of this leg base.

Fold a third towel into a triangle.

Then fold each side of the widest end upward to meet at the top point in the middle.

Fold the outside corners inward to make a small 'tube".

Stuff this tub underneath the other towels on one side between the legs so just part of it pokes out to create the turtle head.

Add googly eyes to the head.

Display or gift as desired.

More Fun Baby Shower Gift Ideas

Babies are always welcomed and if your friends are having kids like mine have been lately, you'll want to have some great go-to gift ideas on hand. Below are some of my favorite baby shower gift ideas.

Crafting Tips

If you want to make your animals stay together for long term displaying, you can easily add a little stitch here and there with needle and thread to keep them in place.

For adding more character to your animals, feel free to add things like googly eyes, colorful ribbons, or clothes before displaying.

Yield: 4

How to Fold Towels Into Animal Shapes

Follow this detailed tutorial to learn how to fold towels into animal shapes. Make an elephant, seahorse, teddy bear, or turtle in minutes!

Active Time 30 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Difficulty Medium

Estimated Cost $10

Materials

Instructions

How to Make a Towel Elephant

Place a large towel on a flat surface then bring the sides in to meet in the middle vertically.
Starting on one end, roll the towel keeping it tightly together until you reach the halfway point.
From the other end of the towel, repeat the same process until the two sides meet in the middle.
Fold the rolls in half so the towel now has 4 "rolls" and is a stack.
Place a second towel on a flat surface
Starting from the middle top of the towel, begin rolling the sides toward the center creating a point at the top and two rolled sides with loose bottoms.
Flip this over and pull down the top of the towel to create a "face" and two floppy ears on the side.
Roll the pointed end upward for the nose.
Add googly eyes onto the face.
Place the head/face/ears on top of the stack from earlier to create the elephant head.

How to Make a Towel Sea Horse

Place a towel onto a flat surface, then starting from the middle top of the towel, begin rolling the sides toward the center creating a point at the top and two rolled sides with loose bottoms.
Repeat this a second time.
Place the two rolled towels in opposite directions on top of each other.
Pull the two loose ends over the pointed end of the towel on top and tuck it in against the others.
Flip this over.
Tuck the bottom flap of the towel under, then pull the top towel from both ends inward toward the center.
Sit the towel upwards and shape the pointed end into a nose.
Add googly eyes and lean against a wall to look like a sea horse.

How to Make a Towel Teddy Bear

Place a towel on a flat surface and begin rolling it into a long tube - folding to the middle of the towel.
Roll the other side in until the two rolls meet in the middle.
Turn the towel over and twist at the middle fold then fold down onto itself.
Use a rubber band to secure the top ¼ of the towel into a big "loop".
On either side of the top of the circle/loop, add a small circle with a rubber band to hold in place. This creates ears.
Add googly eyes onto the top and sit on a table or bed to create a bear.

How to Make a Towel Turtle

Place a towel onto a flat surface and begin rolling it from both ends until it meets in the middle.
Flip the roll over, then bring each of the ends in to the center.
Flip the roll over again, and fold the towel outward creating a small box/square of towel then set aside.
Place a second towel onto a flat surface and repeat the first step of rolling it from both ends until it meats in the middle.
Fold this over itself so you have 4 "rolls" and then gently tug the end of the towel out just a bit from the end of each "roll".
Now pull each side down by holding onto the two rolls on each side creating a base with 4 "legs" sticking out.
Spread this out and place the first bundle of towel square on top of this leg base.
Fold a third towel into a triangle.
Then fold each side of the widest end upward to meet at the top point in the middle.
Fold the outside corners inward to make a small 'tube".
Stuff this tub underneath the other towels on one side between the legs so just part of it pokes out to create the turtle head.
Add googly eyes to the head and display.

Notes

Make these in any color or pattern towel you want. They can be made with washcloths, hand towels, bath towels, or even beach towels.

Recommended Products

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Finished Project Gallery

Get creative with your animal shapes to make them using patterned or colorful towels and add to a gift.

These are ideal for surprising kids with when included in a gift basket or for adding to an upcoming baby shower basket.

Add cute bows or even sunglasses to your animals for a unique look.

To hold the shape long term, you can add simple stitching around the edges.

How to Fold Towels Into Animals (Bear, Elephant, Turtle, Seahorse)

Animal Shape Towels

What's the Best Sized Towel for Making Animals?

Can I Add Other Decorations to the Animal Towels?

Supplies Needed

How to Make a Towel Elephant

How to Make a Towel Sea Horse

How to Make a Towel Teddy Bear

How to Make a Towel Turtle

More Fun Baby Shower Gift Ideas

Crafting Tips

How to Fold Towels Into Animal Shapes

Materials