- Easy
- 20–30 minutes
- No glue
- about 3.9 × 3.7 in (9.9 × 9.5 cm)
Brighten up your craft desk with a beaming Happy Star! This plump golden-yellow star features sparkly dark eyes, rosy pink cheeks, and a cheerful open smile. Our free printable emoji paper squishy pack includes 3 versions in both US Letter and A4 sizes: ready-to-use color, a black-and-white coloring page, and a blank outline for drawing your own paper squishy face. Pair it with our rainbow cloud paper squishy or heart eyes smiley squishy for a sunny desk collection.
What you need
How to make it, step by step
1Print the template
Print your Happy Star template at 100% scale on plain printer paper, making sure to turn off the “fit to page” setting. Check that the test line in the top corner measures exactly 2 inches (50 mm on A4). If you picked the coloring page or blank version, color the star points and cute face now, then let any marker ink dry completely before moving on.
2Tape the pieces
Cover only the front and back star shapes with wide clear packing tape rather than taping the entire sheet. Smooth each strip down from the middle of the yellow face outward toward the points without pulling or stretching, because stretched tape will wrinkle later. This glossy layer makes your star shiny, strong, and extra squishy.
3Cut out both pieces
Use your scissors to cut out the front and back star pieces right along the solid outer black line. Take your time turning the paper smoothly around the rounded star tips and the dips between them so you keep the small white border all the way around both pieces.
4Add a tape border to the back
Lay the back star piece printed side down onto strips of regular clear tape with the sticky side facing up. Cut the tape so it extends about 1 cm (½ inch) past the paper edge, then snip into this sticky border every 2 cm (1 inch) right up to the paper. These little flaps around the points and dips will hold your squishy together.
5Join front and back
Put the smiling front star directly on top of the back piece with the white paper sides together and the points lined up. Fold the sticky tape flaps over the front edge one by one and press them down around each curve. Leave a 4 cm (1½ inch) gap open along one side, just like the pink line in the picture shows, for your stuffing.
6Stuff it
Tear plastic bags, cotton, or fiberfill into small pieces and push them inside through your open gap. Fill the far star points first so every tip puffs up evenly, then fill the center until the star feels soft and puffy. Stop before it gets too tight, since too much stuffing makes the taped seams pop open.
7Close the gap
Fold the last tape flaps over the stuffed opening and tape the gap shut with an extra strip of regular clear tape. Run your finger firmly along all the star points and inner dips to press the tape down well and seal every edge.
8Squish!
Done! Squeeze your Happy Star and watch the yellow pillow puff right back up. Want a slow-rising squishy? Prick one tiny pinhole in the back so the air escapes slowly.
Free Happy Star 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
- The star feels too hard. If the star feels stiff and won’t squish, it has too much stuffing packed inside. Open the gap, take some out, and tape it shut again.
- The tape wrinkles on the face. Use shorter strips of packing tape and lay them across the yellow star without pulling. Smoothing from the cheeks outward keeps the glossy surface flat.
- A dip between points splits. The curved inner edges of a star take extra tension when squeezed. Put a new short strip of tape across the split edge, overlapping the old ones, and press it down well.
- The rosy cheeks smeared. Always let dark eye outlines and pink cheek markers dry fully before taping over your coloring page. Standard printer ink on the color version is fine to tape right away.
Questions
What are some fun paper squishy ideas for emoji faces?
You can print the blank Happy Star page and draw winking eyes, silly tongues, or starry-eyed grins before taping. Mixing different expressions on the front and back gives you a fun two-sided paper squishy emoji.
Can I use glue instead of tape on my paper squishy emoji?
Not for the edges. Glue does not stick to tape-covered paper, so the star seams would pop open when squeezed. The snipped tape border folded over the edge holds the points and inner dips together best.
What paper works best for this star template?
Plain printer paper (80–100 gsm / 20–24 lb) works best. Cardstock makes the star stiff and keeps the points from squishing nicely.
What can I stuff my Happy Star with?
Plastic grocery bags give a light, crinkly feel, while cotton balls or fiberfill make it super soft. You can also use small pieces of memory foam for a slow-rising squishy.
Can I make this craft with a class or group, or print it bigger?
Yes! For a group, print 1 sheet per person, cut tape strips in advance, and plan about 30 minutes while kids color and you help with taping. To make a larger star than the standard 3.9 × 3.7 in (9.9 × 9.5 cm) size, print the page at 120% so the front and back match.
More paper squishies to make
Pin this tutorial
Save it to your craft board so you can find the free template again.