Child's Earflap Beanie

Supplies
worsted weight yarn
size 6 knitting needles, DPNs or circular 

Ear Flaps
CO 4 stitches.
Row 1: K1, P to last stitch, K1.
Row 2: K1, Kfb, K to last 2 stitches, Kfb, K1.
Repeat these two rows until there are 18 stitches on the needles.
Knit straight until piece measures 4" (I thought they were a tad long, so you could certainly go shorter here).
Cut yarn, leaving a 12″ tail, and leave the earflap on its DPN.
Repeat for second ear flap.

Hat
Using a cable cast on, CO 11 stitches on the circular needle. Knit the 18 stitches from first ear flap, then CO 32 stitches. K18 from second ear flap, then CO 11.

Join, being careful not to twist stitches, place marker and begin knitting in the round. As you knit around this first row, you’ll notice four gaps, on either side of each ear flap. When you get to those, K2tog to close them up.

Continue knitting all rounds until hat measures 5" from the cast-on row. I striped the hat using 5 different colors, 5 rows each.

Begin the decreases as follows, switching to DPNs when the diameter of the hat is too small for your circular needle. Honestly, I think I had to fudge it a little here because the math didn't work out quite right (I think I knitted 3 together in one or two places to make it work all the way around).
(Decrease) Row 1: *9, K2tog*
Row 2: K all sts 
(Decrease) Row 3: *K8, K2tog*
Row 4: K all sts
(Decrease) row 5: *K7,  K2tog*
Row 6: K all sts
(Decrease) row 7: *K6, K2tog*
Row 8: K all sts
Decrease in this manner until there are about 35 sts on the needles.
Then decrease in the same manner, omitting the “k all sts” rows, until there are 7 sts remaining.
Pull yarn through the last 7 sts with a tapestry needle, pull through to inside and weave in end.

Finishing
Weave in all ends. Make some pom-poms if that is your thing. 
There are a few ways you can add straps — pick up 3-4 sts and knit in garter stitch or seed stitch until desired length. OR pick up 3-4 stitches and knit i-cord until desired length. OR, thread through three long pieces of yarn and braid the double-strands until desired length, then tie off and trim (that's what I did).