- Easy
- 20–30 minutes
- No glue
- about 3.7 × 3.7 in (9.3 × 9.4 cm)
With its fluffy dark green crown, light green stalk, starry eyes, and rosy cheeks, this happy broccoli paper squishy makes eating your veggies way more fun. The finished pillow measures about 3.7 × 3.7 in (9.3 × 9.4 cm) and feels wonderfully puffy in your hand. You get a free printable template in US Letter and A4 with 3 versions: full color, a coloring page, and a blank outline. Pair it with our sweet carrot squishy and crunchy pickle squishy for a full veggie basket!
What you need
How to make it, step by step
1Print the template
Print your happy broccoli template at 100% scale on plain printer paper (make sure “fit to page” is turned off). Check the scale line in the top corner—it should measure exactly 2 inches (50 mm on A4). If you chose the coloring page, shade the fluffy florets in rich greens, color the stalk light green, and let marker ink dry completely.
2Tape the pieces
Lay strips of wide clear packing tape over the front and back broccoli pieces only, not the whole sheet. Smooth each strip from the center of the smiling stalk outward toward the scalloped crown without stretching it, since pulled tape wrinkles later. This glossy coat makes your paper squishy shiny, strong, and extra squishy.
3Cut out both pieces
Cut out the front and back pieces right along the solid black outer line, keeping the narrow white border all the way around. Take your time turning the paper around the wavy top of the floret crown and the inward curves where the top meets the stalk.
4Add a tape border to the back
Place the back piece printed side down onto strips of clear tape with the sticky side facing up. Cut the tape about 1 cm (½ inch) past the paper edge, then snip this border every 2 cm (1 inch) right up to the paper around the curved crown and stalk. These little flaps will hold your squishy together.
5Join front and back
Set the smiling front piece on top of the back piece, white sides together, lining up the wavy crown and bottom edge. Fold the sticky tape flaps over the front edge one by one and press them down firmly. Leave a 3.5 cm (1½ inch) gap open (the pink line in the picture shows where) for the stuffing.
6Stuff it
Tear plastic bags, cotton, or fiberfill into small pieces and push them gently through the open gap. Fill the far corners of the wide broccoli crown and stalk first, and stop when the pillow feels soft and puffy—too much stuffing makes the seams pop.
7Close the gap
Fold the last tape flaps neatly over the stuffing gap and tape the gap shut with an extra strip of regular clear tape. Run your finger firmly along the entire scalloped crown and curved base to press all the tape edges down well.
8Squish!
Done! Give the plump broccoli crown a good squeeze and watch it puff right back up. If you want a slow-rising veggie squishy, prick 1 tiny pinhole in the back so the air escapes slowly.
Free Happy Broccoli 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
- Puffy crown feels too hard. If the wide broccoli top feels hard instead of bouncy, it has too much stuffing inside. Gently open the gap, take some filling out, and tape the edge shut again.
- Wrinkles across the smiling stalk. Stretching wide packing tape as you lay it down causes creases over the face. Use shorter strips and lay them on from the center outward without pulling.
- Edge splits at the neck curve. The inward dip between the floret crown and the stalk takes extra pressure when you squeeze. Put a new short strip of clear tape right across the splitting edge, overlapping the old ones.
- Green marker colors smeared. Dark green markers need a moment to set on plain paper, so let your coloring page dry fully before taping. Regular printer ink on the color version is fine right away.
Questions
Can I use glue instead of tape for this broccoli paper squishy?
Not for the edges, because glue won’t stick to tape-covered paper and the seams would pop open. Laying a 1 cm (½ inch) clear tape border around the back piece, snipping it every 2 cm (1 inch) into little flaps, and folding them over the front holds best.
What paper works best for a veggie paper squishy template?
Plain printer paper (80–100 gsm / 20–24 lb) is the secret to a soft squish. Cardstock makes the broccoli stiff around the curves and it won’t squish as nicely.
What can I stuff my broccoli, carrot, or pickle paper squishy with?
Plastic grocery bags give a fun crinkly and light feel, while cotton balls or fiberfill make your veggies super soft. You can also use small pieces of memory foam for a slow-rising squishy.
Can I make this veggie paper squishy bigger?
Yes! Print the template page at a larger scale, for example 120%, and make sure the front and back print together on the same sheet so they match.
Can I make these with a class or party group?
Yes, plan about 30 minutes for the activity. Print 1 sheet per person and cut the tape strips in advance so kids can color the coloring page while you help with taping.
More paper squishies to make
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