- Easy
- 20–30 minutes
- No glue
- about 3.7 × 3.7 in (9.4 × 9.4 cm)
Brighten up your desk with a rainbow pop fidget toy paper squishy! Shaped like a classic octagon bubble popper, this design features pastel pink, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple rows with a sparkly-eyed kawaii face right in the middle. You get a free printable PDF in US Letter and A4 sizes with 3 versions: full color, a coloring page, and a blank outline. Pair it with a stress ball squishy or a puzzle cube squishy for a fun desk toy set!
What you need
How to make it, step by step
1Print the template
Print your pop fidget toy sheet at 100% scale on plain printer paper, making sure to turn off the “fit to page” setting. Check the scale line in the top corner—it should measure 2 inches (50 mm on A4). If you picked the coloring page, color the bubble rows in rainbow shades or your own pastel palette now, and let marker ink dry completely.
2Tape the pieces
Cover only the 2 octagon pieces with wide clear packing tape instead of taping the whole page. Press each strip down from the center and smooth it outward across the colorful bubble rows without pulling or stretching—stretched tape will wrinkle later. This glossy layer makes your fidget toy shiny, strong, and extra squishy.
3Cut out both pieces
Cut out the front and back octagons right along the solid black outer line. Turn the paper smoothly at each of the 8 angled corners and make sure to keep the narrow white border around the rainbow frame intact.
4Add a tape border to the back
Place the back piece printed side down onto strips of regular clear tape with the sticky side facing up. Trim the tape about 1 cm (½ inch) past the paper edge all the way around, then snip this sticky border every 2 cm (1 inch) right up to the paper. These little flaps will hold your fidget toy together.
5Join front and back
Line up the front piece on top of the back piece with the white paper sides together so the 8 straight sides match. Fold the sticky flaps over the front edge one by one and press them flat. Leave a 4 cm (1½ inch) gap open along 1 straight side (shown by the pink line in the picture) for stuffing.
6Stuff it
Tear plastic bags, cotton, or fiberfill into small fluffy bits and push them in through your open gap. Fill the far angled corners of the octagon first before stuffing the happy yellow face in the middle. Stop once your fidget toy feels soft and puffy—packing in too much makes the seams pop.
7Close the gap
Fold the last tape flaps neatly over the open side and tape the gap shut with an extra strip of clear tape. Run your finger firmly along all 8 straight edges and corners to press the tape down well.
8Squish!
Done! Squeeze your rainbow pop fidget toy and watch the bubble rows puff right back up. Want a slow-rising squishy? Prick 1 tiny pinhole into the back so the air escapes gently.
Free Pop Fidget Toy 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
- An angled edge splits open. Place a new short strip of clear tape across the open octagon seam, overlapping the old tape strips to seal it back up.
- My squishy feels too hard. If the rainbow fidget toy won’t squish down easily, gently open the stuffing gap, take some filling out, and tape it shut again.
- Ripples on the bubble rows. Use shorter strips of packing tape across the octagon and lay them on without pulling so the glossy front stays smooth.
- Smudged rainbow colors. Printer ink is fine right away, but if you colored the bubble rows with markers, let the ink dry fully before taping.
Questions
How do you make a paper squishy fidget?
Print the 2 octagon pieces on plain paper, cover them with wide clear packing tape, and cut them out. Add a snipped tape border around the back, fold the flaps over the front while leaving a 4 cm (1½ inch) gap, stuff it softly, and tape the opening closed.
What can I stuff my fidget toy paper squishy with?
Torn plastic grocery bags give a fun crinkly feel, while cotton balls or fiberfill make it extra soft. You can also use small pieces of memory foam for a slow-rising squishy.
Can I use glue instead of tape for the edges?
Not for the edges. Glue doesn’t stick to tape-covered paper, so the octagon seams would open right up—the snipped tape border folded over the edge holds best.
What paper works best for printing the template?
Plain printer paper (80–100 gsm / 20–24 lb) works best. Cardstock makes the 8 angled edges stiff and your fidget toy won’t squish as nicely.
Can I make a bigger pop fidget toy squishy?
Yes! Print the template sheet at a larger scale, such as 120%, and keep the front and back octagons on the same sheet so both pieces match.
More paper squishies to make
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