Paper Squishy Template Maker

How to make a paper squishy

1. Print the template on plain paper at 100% scale. Each design has a front and a matching back.
2. Color it in if you printed a coloring page. Color the back too; it's a mirror image, so it lines up with the front.
3. Cover both pieces with clear packing tape, front and back, overlapping the strips. The tape makes the squishy smooth, shiny and squeezable.
4. Cut out each piece along the grey line. The white border gives you room to tape the edges.
5. Tape the front and back together around the edge with small pieces of tape, leaving a gap about as wide as your thumb.
6. Stuff it through the gap with scrunched tissue, cotton balls or shredded scrap paper. Stuff it softly so it squishes back.
7. Tape the gap closed. Your squishy is done.

How to use the template maker

1. Pick one or more designs. There are 23 original designs, from boba tea, donuts and dumplings to cats, clouds and hearts. Tap a design again to remove it.
2. Choose color or coloring page. Color is ready to cut; a coloring page prints outlines you fill in yourself.
3. Choose a face. Happy, sleepy, excited or no face at all.
4. Choose a size. Small (2 inches, six per page), medium (2¾ inches, three per page), large (3¼ inches, two per page) or jumbo (4½ inches, one per page).
5. Open "Back and copies". Pick a matching back, a plain back or fronts only, and choose whether to fill the page with copies or print one of each design.
6. Check the preview and print on US Letter at 100% scale with "Background graphics" turned on.

Materials list

• A printer and plain US Letter printer paper (card stock for sturdier, less squishy results)
• Markers, crayons or colored pencils for coloring pages
• Clear packing tape (wide); regular clear tape works for small sizes
• Scissors; grown-ups should help younger kids with cutting
• Stuffing: tissues, cotton balls, shredded scrap paper or soft fabric scraps
• Optional: a bone folder or ruler to smooth tape, and stickers for decoration

Print settings for a paper squishy template printable

• Paper: US Letter (8.5 × 11 in).
• Scale: 100% or Default, not "Fit to page", so front and back stay the same size.
• Background graphics: turn on so colored designs print fully.
• Headers and footers: turn off.
• Save as PDF: choose Save as PDF if you want a free printable paper squishy template to share with a class or print later.

Turn your own drawing into a squishy

Draw something on plain white paper with a dark outline, take a photo of it, and choose Your drawing. The template maker removes the white paper around your drawing, adds a white border and a grey cut line, and makes a mirrored back so the two pieces match.

• Use bright light and a flat page so the paper photographs white.
• Give the drawing a clear, closed outline. Gaps in the outline let the background leak in.
• Your drawing is processed on your device. It isn't uploaded or saved anywhere, and it isn't included in the Copy link address.

Ideas and variations

• Party blind bags: print a mix of small designs, stuff them, and let guests pick a sealed bag.
• Classroom craft: print coloring-page templates so every student colors their own face and design.
• Matching set: make a squishy heart or star plus a paper phone with the same case color mood.
• Your own characters: upload a drawing of a pet, logo or classroom mascot (processed only on your device).
• Gift wrap add-on: tuck a small squishy into a birthday package with a cash gift in a money envelope.

Tips for better paper squishies

• Tape before you cut. Taping the whole sheet first is faster, and the cut edges come out clean.
• Pick bigger sizes for younger kids. Large and jumbo shapes are easier to cut and stuff.
• Simple shapes squish best. Hearts, clouds, cookies and donuts are the easiest to tape around.
• Grown-ups: help with the scissors and keep small stuffing pieces away from young children.
• Make a set: choose several designs and "Fill the page" to print a mix for a party, a classroom craft or a blind bag swap.
• Want a squishy phone? Print one with the Paper Phone Template and tape and stuff it the same way.

Safety note for kids

Paper squishies are a craft project, not a toy for very small children. Grown-ups should handle scissors and help with packing tape. Keep plastic bags, small stuffing pieces and tape rolls away from toddlers. Supervise stuffing so nothing goes in a child's mouth.

Troubleshooting and notes

• The front and back do not line up. Check that the print was at 100% scale, not "Fit to page", and cut on the grey line of each piece. The back is a mirror image, so place the two pieces face-out with the edges together.
• The tape wrinkles. Lay the strips down from one edge to the other and press out air with your thumb as you go. Overlap the strips by a few millimetres so no paper is left uncovered.
• The squishy feels flat. Add a little more stuffing. It should fill the shape without stretching the tape seams.
• The paper tears when squeezed. Cover the edges with an extra strip of tape, or print on card stock for a sturdier (but less squishy) result.
• Colors look dull. Turn on "Background graphics" in the print window. Without it, many browsers skip the colored fills.
• Ink running low? Print a coloring page and color it with pencils or crayons instead.

See the safety note above before starting with younger kids.

Paper squishy food templates

Food shapes are the most popular paper squishies. The maker includes a dumpling, cake slice, chips bag, bread loaf, butter block, pizza slice and rice ball, alongside boba tea, donut, ice cream, strawberry, cupcake, watermelon, toast, milk carton, avocado, fried egg and cookie. Pick several to print a printable 3D paper squishy food set.

• Bakery set: bread loaf, toast, butter, cake slice and cookie.
• Snack set: chips bag, pizza slice, donut and boba tea.
• Lunch box set: rice ball, dumpling, fried egg and milk carton.

Food shapes with flat bottoms, such as the chips bag and butter, sit up on a desk when stuffed. The dumpling and bread loaf squish best because they are wide and round.

Paper squishy template FAQ