- Easy
- 20–30 minutes
- No glue
- about 3.6 × 3.7 in (9.2 × 9.4 cm)
With its glossy yellow body, happy closed eyes, rosy cheeks, and smiling orange beak, this chubby duck paper squishy looks just like a kawaii bath toy. Grab the free printable PDF below—it includes 3 versions (ready-to-cut color, a coloring page, and a blank outline) in both US Letter and A4 sizes. Pair it with our chubby frog squishy to build a cute pond crew!
What you need
How to make it, step by step
1Print the template
Print your yellow duck template at 100% scale on plain printer paper—make sure to turn off “fit to page”. Check the scale line in the top corner so it measures exactly 2 inches (50 mm on A4). If you picked the coloring page, color the yellow body, orange beak, and pink cheeks now, and let marker ink dry completely.
2Tape the pieces
Cover only the front and back duck pieces with wide clear packing tape, rather than taping the entire sheet. Smooth each strip down from the center outwards without pulling—stretched tape wrinkles later. This glossy coat makes your yellow duck shiny, strong, and extra squishy.
3Cut out both pieces
Cut out the front and back duck shapes along the solid outer line, keeping the small white border intact. Take your time curving around the top of the head and the little dips where the side wings meet the neck.
4Add a tape border to the back
Lay the back piece printed side down on strips of regular clear tape, sticky side facing up. Cut the tape about 1 cm (½ inch) past the paper edge, then snip into this tape border every 2 cm (1 inch) right up to the paper so the little flaps hold your squishy together.
5Join front and back
Place the front duck piece right on top of the back, white sides together, matching the head and wings. Fold the sticky flaps over the front edge one by one and press them down. Leave a 3.5 cm (1½ inch) gap open, where the pink line in the illustration shows, for the stuffing.
6Stuff it
Tear plastic bags, cotton, or fiberfill into small pieces and push them in through the gap. Fill the far corners like the top of the round head and the side wings first, then pad the belly until it feels soft and puffy—too much stuffing makes the seams pop.
7Close the gap
Fold the last tape flaps over the edge and tape the stuffing gap shut with an extra strip of clear tape. Run your finger firmly along the entire duck outline to press all the tape edges down well.
8Squish!
Done! Give your yellow duck’s chubby belly a squeeze and watch it puff right back up. Want a slow-rising squishy? Prick one tiny pinhole in the back.
Free Yellow Duck 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 4–5). Print the template at 100% on plain printer paper.
Tips for the perfect squish
- My duck feels too hard. There is too much stuffing inside the belly. Open the gap, take some stuffing out, and tape it shut again.
- Tape wrinkles on the belly. Use shorter strips of packing tape across the wide yellow body and lay them on gently without pulling.
- A wing seam splits open. The dip between the head and wing gets lots of pressure; put a new short strip of clear tape right across the edge, overlapping the old ones.
- Beak and cheek colors smeared. Always let dark orange and pink markers dry fully before adding packing tape. Printer ink on the color version is fine right away.
Questions
Can I make a duck paper squishy with glue instead of tape?
Not for the edges. Glue does not stick to tape-covered paper so the seams would open, and the snipped tape border folded over the curved edges holds your duck together best.
What paper works best for a duck paper squishy template?
Plain printer paper (80–100 gsm / 20–24 lb) works best. Cardstock makes the round duck body stiff so it will not squish as nicely.
What can I stuff my paper duck squishy with?
Plastic grocery bags give a light, crinkly feel, while cotton balls or fiberfill make it soft. You can also use small pieces of memory foam for a slow-rising squishy.
Can I make the duck squishy bigger?
Yes! Print the page at a larger scale, for example 120%, and print both the front and back together on the same sheet so the two halves match.
Can I make these with a class or a group?
Yes, print one sheet per person, cut tape strips in advance, and plan about 30 minutes. Kids can color the duck coloring page while you help with taping, or you can print our fluffy chick squishy too so everyone can pick their favorite bird!
More paper squishies to make
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