- Easy
- 20–30 minutes
- No glue
- about 4.5 × 2.4 in (11.4 × 6.1 cm)
Give your desk the cutest upgrade with this pastel mini keyboard paper squishy! It features rows of pink, yellow, mint, and lilac keycaps, a smiling cream spacebar with rosy cheeks and a tiny heart, plus little rubber feet on the back. Grab the free computer paper squishy template below in US Letter or A4, which includes 3 versions: full color, a coloring page, and a blank design. Pair it with a laptop paper squishy to build an adorable paper tech set.
What you need
How to make it, step by step
1Print the template
Print your mini keyboard template at 100% scale on plain printer paper with “fit to page” turned off. Check that the test line in the top corner measures exactly 2 inches (50 mm on A4). If you are using the coloring page, color the individual keycaps and the smiling spacebar now, then let your marker ink dry completely before moving on.
2Tape the pieces
Cover only the two keyboard pieces with wide clear packing tape rather than taping the entire sheet. Smooth each strip down from the center outward and do not stretch it, as stretched tape wrinkles later over the pastel keys. This tape layer makes your paper squishy shiny, strong, and extra squishy.
3Cut out both pieces
Cut out the front and the back keyboard shapes along the solid outer line. Take your time cutting smoothly around the rounded corners, and make sure to keep the small white border around the cream frame.
4Add a tape border to the back
Lay the keyboard back printed side down on strips of regular clear tape, sticky side up. Cut the tape about 1 cm (½ inch) past the edge, then snip this border every 2 cm (1 inch) right up to the paper, taking care around the curved corners. The little flaps will hold your squishy together.
5Join front and back
Put the front keyboard piece on the back, white sides together, lining up the rounded rectangle edges. Fold the tape flaps over the edge of the front one by one and press them down. Leave a small gap of 4.5 cm (1½ and ¼ inch, or about 2 inches) open where the pink line in the picture shows: that is your gap for the stuffing.
6Stuff it
Tear your plastic bags, cotton, or fiberfill into small pieces and push them in through the open gap. Fill the far rounded corners of the keyboard first so the long rectangle puffs up evenly, and stop when it feels soft and puffy—too much stuffing makes the seams pop.
7Close the gap
Fold the last tape flaps over the gap and tape the gap shut with an extra strip of clear tape. Run your finger firmly along all edges and rounded corners to press the tape down well.
8Squish!
Done! Squeeze your mini keyboard squishy across the pastel keys and watch it puff right back up. Want a slow-rising squishy? Prick one tiny pinhole in the back panel to let the air escape slowly.
Free Mini Keyboard 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 edge splits open. If a seam pops along the long sides or curved corners, place a new short strip of clear tape across the edge, overlapping the old strips.
- Keyboard feels too hard. Long rectangular shapes get firm quickly if packed with too much stuffing; gently open the gap, take some filling out, and tape it shut again.
- Wrinkles across the pastel keys. Use shorter strips of wide packing tape and lay them across the keyboard without pulling, smoothing from the middle of the spacebar outward.
- Marker colors smeared under tape. Let markers on the keycaps and cute spacebar face dry fully before taping; regular printer ink is fine to tape right away.
Questions
How do you make a paper squishy computer set?
After finishing this mini keyboard, you can craft a matching tablet paper squishy or a cute phone using the same tape-and-stuff method. Print each template at 100% on plain paper so all your desk accessories look great together.
Can I use glue instead of tape on the keyboard edges?
Not for the edges. Glue does not stick to tape-covered paper, so the seams would open when squeezed; the snipped tape border folded over the edge holds best.
What paper works best for a computer paper squishy?
Plain printer paper (80–100 gsm / 20–24 lb) works best because it folds and squishes easily. Cardstock makes the keyboard stiff and it will not squish as nicely.
What can I stuff my mini keyboard squishy with?
You can use plastic grocery bags for a crinkly and light feel, cotton balls or fiberfill for a soft pillow, or small pieces of memory foam for a slow-rising squishy.
Can I make this paper squishy bigger or with a group?
Yes! To make it bigger, print the page at a larger scale like 120% with the front and back on the same sheet so they match. For a class or group, plan about 30 minutes, print 1 sheet per person, and cut tape strips in advance while kids color the keycaps.
More paper squishies to make
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