- Easy
- 20–30 minutes
- No glue
- about 3.5 × 4.1 in (8.8 × 10.4 cm)
This bright pink popping candy packet is bursting with floating sugar crystals, neon stars, and a smiling yellow starburst right in the center. Grab the free printable candy paper squishy template in US Letter or A4, which includes 3 versions: full color, a coloring page, and a blank outline to design your own wrapper. When stuffed, the crinkled pillow measures about 3.5 × 4.1 in (8.8 × 10.4 cm). Pair it with our bubble gum tape squishy for the ultimate sweet shop collection!
What you need
How to make it, step by step
1Print the template
Print your popping candy 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 exactly 2 inches (50 mm on A4). If you chose the coloring page, color the wrapper, starburst, and crystals now, then let your marker ink dry completely.
2Tape the pieces
Laminate just the 2 candy packet pieces with wide clear packing tape instead of taping the whole page. Press each strip down from the middle outward without pulling or stretching the tape, because stretched tape wrinkles later. This glossy layer makes the pink wrapper shiny, durable, and extra squishy.
3Cut out both pieces
Use your scissors to cut out the front and back wrappers right along the solid black outer line. Take your time following the slightly wavy top and bottom crimped edges and the curved corners, making sure to keep the narrow white border intact all the way around.
4Add a tape border to the back
Place the back wrapper printed side down onto strips of regular clear tape so the sticky side faces up. Trim the tape about 1 cm (½ inch) past the paper edge, then snip this sticky border every 2 cm (1 inch) right up to the paper. These little tabs will wrap smoothly around the packet.
5Join front and back
Line up the front wrapper on top of the back piece with the white sides facing each other. Fold the sticky flaps over the front edge one by one and press them firmly. Leave a 3.5 cm (1½ in) gap open on one side—just like the pink line in the illustration shows—so you can stuff your candy bag.
6Stuff it
Tear your plastic bags, cotton, or fiberfill into small bits and push them inside through the side gap. Poke the first pieces all the way into the far wrapper corners, then fill the middle until the pouch feels soft and puffy. Stop before overstuffing, or the seams might pop open.
7Close the gap
Fold the remaining tape flaps over the open side and seal the gap shut with an extra strip of clear tape. Run your finger firmly along all sides and the wavy crimped ends to make sure every piece of tape is pressed down tight.
8Squish!
Your popping candy pillow is ready! Give the shiny packet a big squeeze and watch the happy starburst face puff right back up. If you want an extra slow-rising squishy, carefully prick 1 tiny pinhole into the back wrapper so the air escapes slowly.
Free Popping Candy 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
- Fix a stiff candy packet. If your packet feels too hard, open the gap, pull out a little filling, and tape it shut again. Stuffing with torn plastic grocery bags gives this wrapper a fun, crinkly popping sound when you squeeze it!
- Keep the shiny wrapper smooth. Wrinkles show up easily over the bright pink and yellow artwork. Use shorter strips of packing tape and lay them down gently from the center without pulling.
- Reinforce the wrapper corners. If a corner or wavy edge splits open while squishing, lay a fresh short strip of tape right across the seam, overlapping the old tape.
- Prevent neon marker smudges. Bright marker colors on the sugar crystals and starburst can smear under tape if they are still damp. Let markers dry completely before laminating, though regular printer ink is ready right away.
Questions
What can I stuff a candy paper squishy with?
Torn plastic grocery bags are awesome for this candy packet because they feel light and make a crinkly wrapper sound! You can also use soft cotton balls, fiberfill, or small pieces of memory foam for a slow-rising squish.
What other paper squishy ideas for candy can I make?
You can turn this template into a whole candy store by coloring the blank version in different neon flavors, or craft our gummy clusters squishy to go with it. Printing the page at 120% scale (with both pieces on the same sheet) also lets you make a jumbo bag!
Can I use glue instead of tape to seal the wrapper?
No, glue will not stick to the tape-covered paper, so the packet edges would pop right open when you squeeze it. Folding the snipped tape border over the edge holds the seams together best.
What paper works best for a printable paper squishy template candy craft?
Standard plain printer paper (80–100 gsm / 20–24 lb) folds and squishes the best. Avoid heavy cardstock, as it makes the candy pouch stiff and hard to press.
Can I make this craft with a classroom or party group?
Yes, it takes about 30 minutes and is a big hit with groups! Print 1 sheet per kid and pre-cut the tape strips so everyone can color their candy wrappers while you help with the taping.
More paper squishies to make
Pin this tutorial
Save it to your craft board so you can find the free template again.