- Medium
- 30–45 minutes
- 3D shape
- about 2.0 × 3.1 in (5.0 × 8.0 cm)
Blow the biggest craft bubble with this adorable **gum paper squishy**! Designed like a pink and mint striped bubble gum pack, it features a smiling gum piece blowing a glossy bubble on the front and a cute “Squish Facts” chart on the back. Grab the free printable template in US Letter and A4 with 3 versions: full color, a coloring page, and a blank net. Pair it with our mint tin paper squishy for a sweet pocket-sized duo!
What you need
How to make it, step by step
1Print the template
Print your gum pack template at 100% scale on plain printer paper—make sure to turn off “fit to page” in your print settings. Check that the scale bar on the top right measures exactly 2 inches (or 50 mm on A4). If you picked the coloring page, color in your bubble gum stripes, hearts, and wrapper details now before adding any tape.
2Tape the motif
Cover the entire printed gum pack design with wide clear packing tape, making sure to cover all the yellow and blue tabs too. Lay each strip down gently and smooth it out from the center toward the edges without stretching the tape. This gives your bubble gum wrapper that glossy, shiny finish and makes the paper durable enough to squish.
3Cut it out
Use your scissors to cut neatly along the solid black outer line of the gum pack net, keeping every tab included. Take your time around the angled corners of the yellow glue tabs and the blue tape tabs so you don’t accidentally snip them off. Keep all the interior dashed lines completely intact—those are your fold lines for building the box.
4Pre-fold every tab
Line up your ruler along each dashed line and trace over it firmly with an empty ballpoint pen to score the paper. Fold every single tab and box crease inward toward the white back side once, then open it flat again. Pre-folding is super important because taped paper gets tough to crease neatly once the narrow gum pack is partly assembled.
5Make the walls
Fold the main panels of the gum pack into a rectangular ring with the cute bubble gum artwork facing outside. Put a dab of glue on the long yellow side tab, tuck it inside against the opposite wall to hold the ring shut, and immediately run a strip of regular clear tape along the outside of that vertical seam from top to bottom.
6Close the bottom
Swipe a little glue onto the 3 yellow tabs at the bottom of the pack—that’s the pink flap dotted with tiny hearts. Fold the bottom flap and tabs inward and press the tabs firmly against the inside walls from the open top. Leave the top lid with the blue tabs open so you can add the filling through it.
7Tape the bottom
Because craft glue won’t stick permanently to slick packing tape, you need to reinforce the base right away. Take strips of regular clear tape and seal every bottom edge of the gum pack from the outside, running the tape all the way along each edge seam so no stuffing can poke out when you squeeze it.
8Stuff it
Push small, loose scrunches of plastic grocery bag or fluffy tufts of fiberfill down through the open top of the gum pack. Since this box is slim—measuring about 2.0 by 3.1 inches (5.0 by 8.0 cm)—stuff it lightly into the corners so the front bubble gum face stays flat and square instead of rounding out.
9Close it
Fold all 3 blue tabs inward at the top and close the striped lid down over the stuffing. Hold the lid shut and seal every top edge from the outside with regular clear tape, covering the full length of each seam so your gum pack is completely closed up.
10Squish!
Your kawaii bubble gum pack is ready to play with! Give the middle a gentle squeeze and watch the pink and mint wrapper puff right back into shape. If you want a smoother, slow-rising squishy, carefully prick one tiny pinhole in an inconspicuous corner.
Free Gum Pack Squishy Template
- Color
- Coloring page
- Blank, design your own
- Step-by-step guide
One free PDF: the template in three versions (pages 1–3) and the step-by-step guide (pages 4–6). Print the template at 100% on plain printer paper.
Tips for the perfect squish
- Keep the slim pack flat. A gum pack has narrow side walls, so overstuffing quickly turns it into a round pillow. Take some filling out if the front bubble gum illustration starts bulging.
- Crisp corners on narrow walls. If the long vertical edges look messy instead of boxy, score every dashed line firmly with an empty pen and a ruler before you fold.
- Smooth tape over the lettering. Wrinkles right across the big “Bubble Gum” letters can hide the design, so use shorter strips of packing tape and lay them on without pulling.
- Fix a popping corner seam. Glue doesn’t hold on tape for long. If a side edge pops open when you squeeze, put a fresh strip of clear tape along the whole seam.
Questions
How do I make a bubble gum paper squishy with different flavors?
Print the coloring page or blank version from the PDF! You can color the stripes green for spearmint, bright pink and red for watermelon gum, or icy blue for peppermint before you tape the sheet.
What paper works best for this gum paper squishy template?
Use plain printer paper (80–100 gsm / 20–24 lb). Heavy cardstock is hard to fold once it is taped and makes the narrow gum pack walls too stiff to squish.
Can I build the gum pack using only glue?
No, glue alone won’t hold on tape-covered paper for long. Glue just holds the yellow tabs in place while you build, so every glued seam needs a strip of clear tape from the outside.
What can I stuff my gum paper squishy with?
You can use plastic grocery bags for a crinkly, light feel or soft fiberfill for a plush bounce. Stuff lightly so the rectangular pack keeps its neat shape.
Can I make a candy shop squishy set with a class or group?
Yes! Print one sheet per person, cut tape strips in advance, and plan about 45 minutes while kids color the coloring page. You can also make our candy box paper squishy for a matching sweet shop collection.
More paper squishies to make
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