- Medium
- 30–45 minutes
- 3D shape
- about 2.4 × 3.3 in (6.0 × 8.5 cm)
Brighten up your craft desk with this pastel marshmallow cereal paper squishy! The tall 3D box features a smiling kawaii bowl brimming with toasted rings, stars, hearts, moons, and tiny rainbows, plus a cute “Squish Facts” panel on the back. You get a free printable template in US Letter and A4 with 3 versions: pre-colored, a coloring page, and a blank net. Pair it with our milk carton squishy for the ultimate miniature breakfast.
What you need
How to make it, step by step
1Print the template
Print your marshmallow cereal box sheet at 100% scale on plain printer paper, making sure to turn off the “fit to page” setting. Check the scale bar at the top right: it needs to measure 2 inches on US Letter or 50 mm on A4. If you picked the coloring page, color in the rainbow marshmallows, cereal rings, and happy bowl now before adding any tape.
2Tape the motif
Lay strips of wide clear packing tape across the entire printed cereal box net, making sure to cover all the yellow and blue tabs too. Smooth each strip down starting from the center and working outward so you do not trap air bubbles over the pastel clouds or the “Squish Facts” list. Avoid stretching the tape as you lay it down.
3Cut it out
Use your scissors to cut neatly along the solid black outer line of the marshmallow cereal box, keeping every glue and tape tab attached. Take your time around the angled corners of the top and bottom flaps. Do not cut any of the dashed inner lines—those are your fold lines for building the 3D box.
4Pre-fold every tab
Line up your ruler along each dashed line and trace over it firmly with an empty pen to score the paper. Fold every single tab and box panel inward toward the white back side once, then unfold it flat again. Taped paper is stiff, so pre-creasing now gives your tall cereal box crisp corners later.
5Make the walls
Fold the main wall panels into a rectangular ring with the marshmallow artwork facing outside. Put a dab of glue on the long yellow side tab, press it to the inside of the front cereal bowl panel to hold it in place, and then seal that vertical corner seam from the outside with a strip of regular clear tape along its whole length.
6Close the bottom
Spread glue on the 3 yellow bottom tabs surrounding the pink heart-patterned base flap. Fold the bottom flap inward and press the glued tabs firmly against the inside walls of the cereal box so the base sits flat. Leave the top blue-tabbed lid wide open so you have room to stuff the squishy.
7Tape the bottom
Since craft glue alone will not hold onto slick tape for long, reinforce the base right away. Place strips of regular clear tape along the outside of every bottom edge, covering the whole length of each seam so the pink heart bottom stays securely shut when you squeeze the box.
8Stuff it
Push small, loose scrunches of plastic bag or soft tufts of fiberfill down through the open top of the box. Reach all the way into the bottom corners first, then fill up toward the top. Stuff your marshmallow cereal box lightly so the wide front and back panels stay flat and rectangular instead of bulging out.
9Close it
Tuck the 3 blue tabs inward and fold the blue marshmallow-patterned top lid down over the filling. Hold the lid closed and run strips of regular clear tape along the outside of every top edge, sealing the whole length of each seam so no stuffing can peek out.
10Squish!
Your marshmallow cereal paper squishy is ready! Give the box a gentle squeeze and watch the pastel sides puff right back into shape. If the air is completely sealed inside and you want a slow-rising feel, prick one tiny pinhole to let the air escape and refill slowly.
Free Marshmallow Cereal 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
- Box corners look rounded. Score every long vertical dashed line firmly with an empty pen and a ruler before folding so the narrow side panels bend at sharp angles.
- The side seam pops open. Glue only holds the tab temporarily and won’t stick to tape, so press a fresh strip of clear tape down the entire outside length of the seam.
- Front panel bulges like a pillow. Tall cereal boxes lose their boxy shape if overfilled; pull out a bit of stuffing so the front bowl artwork and back panel stay flat.
- Wrinkles across the front logo. Cut shorter pieces of wide packing tape and lay them across the pastel artwork from the center outward without pulling.
Questions
How do you make a 3D paper squishy cereal box?
Print our one-piece cereal box template, laminate the front with clear packing tape, cut along the solid outer edge, and score the dashed lines. Fold the walls into a box, tack the yellow tabs with glue and seal every seam from the outside with clear tape, then stuff lightly before taping the top lid shut.
What can I stuff my cereal paper squishy with?
You can use loosely scrunched plastic grocery bags for a light, crinkly feel or fiberfill for a soft squeeze. Either way, stuff the box lightly so the narrow sides and wide front stay neat and rectangular.
Can I build this cereal box with glue only?
No, glue only holds the yellow tabs in place while you assemble the walls and base. Because glue does not stay stuck to tape-covered paper, every glued seam must be sealed from the outside with clear tape.
What paper works best for a paper squishy template?
Plain printer paper (80–100 gsm / 20–24 lb) is ideal. Cardstock becomes too stiff once covered in packing tape and won’t squish nicely.
What other cereal paper squishy ideas can I make?
You can build a whole miniature breakfast aisle by pairing this marshmallow box with our fruit rings cereal squishy. For a group or classroom activity, print one sheet per person, pre-cut the tape strips, and plan about 45 minutes.
More paper squishies to make
Pin this tutorial
Save it to your craft board so you can find the free template again.