Christmas Paper Squishy Templates
Seven free printable Christmas paper squishies — gingerbread house, tree, cocoa mug, snowman, bauble, cookies and a gift box — in color and as coloring versions, with instructions.
Pages in this set
Paper squishies are the craft that took over classrooms this year: print a picture, cover it with clear tape, cut out the front and the back, tape them together and stuff the pocket with a bit of cotton. Ten minutes later there’s a soft, squeezable toy that costs nothing but paper and tape. This set has seven Christmas designs, each with a color template, a coloring version for black-and-white printers (or for kids who want their own colors) and a one-page instruction sheet.
What’s in the set
Gingerbread House, Christmas Tree, Christmas Cookies, Cocoa Mug, Cute Snowman, Christmas Bauble and Christmas Gift Box. Every design is drawn in the same kawaii style, so a finished batch looks like one collection — line them up on a shelf, hang the bauble on the tree, or hand them out as party favors. Finished pieces are about 10–12 cm (4–5 inches).
How to make a paper squishy
- Print the color or the coloring template at 100% on regular paper. The guide line on the page should measure 2 cm.
- Tape the printed side of both pieces with clear packing tape, strips overlapping a little.
- Cut along the dotted line, keeping the white border — the two halves are taped together on this border.
- Join the halves blank-side-in with small strips of tape and leave an opening of a few centimeters.
- Stuff with cotton wool or polyester filling. Loosely.
- Seal the opening and squeeze. If it stays flat, a grown-up makes a tiny needle hole in the back.
Full step-by-step pictures are on the instruction PDF that comes with every design.
Tips from making a lot of these
- Regular 80 gsm printer paper is best. Cardstock is too stiff to squish.
- Clear packing tape (2 inches wide) is faster than office tape and gives a glossier finish.
- Kids under 7 can do the taping and stuffing; the cutting-out usually needs a grown-up.
- Make the coloring version a group activity: everyone colors the same design and the results look like a set of collectibles.
All artwork is drawn by us and free for personal and classroom use — please link to this page instead of re-uploading the files.
Free for personal and classroom use. Please don't resell or re-upload the files — link to this page instead. Terms of Use.
Questions
What kind of tape works best?
Wide clear packing tape (2 inches / 5 cm) covers a piece in three strips. Regular office tape works too, it just takes longer. Lamination is not needed.
Can I make these without a color printer?
Yes — every design has a coloring version. Print it on plain paper, color with markers or pencils, then tape over it. Crayons smudge less than markers under tape.
How long does one squishy take?
About 15 minutes for a child who has made one before, 25–30 the first time. The cutting-out step is the slow part, so cut while the tape is drying for the next one.
