- Medium
- 30–45 minutes
- 3D shape
- about 2.4 × 3.3 in (6.0 × 8.5 cm)
With its happy breakfast bowl, little frosted roll, and cute “Squish Facts” back panel, this cinnamon cereal paper squishy looks good enough to eat! The finished box measures about 2.4 × 3.3 in (6.0 × 8.5 cm) and folds up from a single net. You get a free printable template in both US Letter and A4 with 3 versions: full color, a coloring page, and a blank net. Pair it with our milk carton squishy for the ultimate morning set.
What you need
How to make it, step by step
1Print the template
Print your cinnamon cereal box sheet at 100% on plain printer paper (make sure “fit to page” is turned off). Check the scale bar in the top corner: it should measure exactly 2 inches (50 mm on A4). Using the coloring page? Color the crunchy squares in golden browns and give the little hearts a bright pink pop now, before any tape goes on.
2Tape the motif
Lay strips of wide clear packing tape across the entire printed box net, including all the yellow and blue tabs. Smooth each strip down from the center outward without stretching the tape, so the glossy finish over the “Cinnamon Swirls” lettering and the back “Squish Facts” panel stays completely flat and wrinkle-free.
3Cut it out
Cut carefully along the solid outer black line around the cereal box net. Keep every single yellow glue tab and blue tape tab attached—you will need them all to build the shape. Take your time around the angled corners of the tabs, and never cut into the internal dashed fold lines.
4Pre-fold every tab
Line up your ruler along every dashed line and trace firmly with an empty pen to score the paper. Fold each tab and box panel inward toward the white back side once to create a crisp crease, then open the net back up: taped paper is hard to fold later, and pre-folding makes the tall cereal box walls much easier to assemble.
5Make the walls
Fold the main panels into a rectangular ring with the cinnamon artwork facing out. Put a dab of glue on the long yellow side tab, press it inside the opposite wall to hold the ring together, and then run a strip of regular clear tape along the whole vertical seam on the outside.
6Close the bottom
Dab glue onto the yellow tabs at the bottom of the box. Fold the heart-patterned bottom flap in and press the glued tabs firmly against the inside of the walls so the base sits flat. Leave the top flap with the cinnamon squares open: you fill the box through that opening.
7Tape the bottom
Because craft glue alone will not hold on slick packing tape, reinforce the base right away. Place strips of regular clear tape from the outside along every bottom edge of the cereal box, covering the full length of each seam so no stuffing can push through when you squeeze it.
8Stuff it
Push loose scrunches of plastic grocery bag or fluffy fiberfill in through the open top of the box. Tuck a little gently into the bottom corners first, then fill up toward the top. Stuff lightly so the front and back cereal panels stay square and flat like a real box instead of bulging out.
9Close it
Fold the blue tabs at the top inward and bring the top lid down over them like closing a real cereal box. Hold the lid snug and seal every top edge from the outside with regular clear tape, running the tape all along each edge to lock the box shut.
10Squish!
Your cinnamon cereal box is done! Give the middle a gentle squeeze and watch the sides puff right back into shape. For a slow-rising squishy, prick one tiny pinhole into an inconspicuous spot on the side seam so the air escapes slowly.
Free Cinnamon Cereal 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 4–6). Print the template at 100% on plain printer paper.
Tips for the perfect squish
- Keep the box walls flat. Overstuffing makes a rectangular cereal box bulge out like a pillow. Take some filling out if the front bowl artwork and back “Squish Facts” panel start curving outward.
- Crisp corners on tall sides. Score every vertical dashed line firmly with your ruler and empty pen before folding. Sharp creases give the narrow side panels with the cinnamon sticks that neat, boxy grocery-store look.
- Stop the long seam popping. Glue does not hold on tape for long. Put a fresh strip of clear tape along the whole vertical seam on the outside so it stays shut when squeezed.
- Smooth tape over the lettering. Use shorter strips of packing tape across the front panel and lay them on without pulling. This prevents wrinkles right across the shiny “Cinnamon Swirls” title and the cute smiling bowl.
Questions
How do you make a paper squishy cereal box stay square?
Score every dashed line with a ruler and an empty pen before folding, and stuff the box lightly with loose fiberfill or plastic bag pieces. Packing in too much filling pushes the flat front and back panels out of shape.
Can I build this cereal paper squishy with glue only?
No, glue just holds the yellow tabs in place while you build the walls and base. Because glue does not stick to tape-covered paper for long, every glued seam needs a strip of clear tape from the outside.
What paper works best for a printable paper squishy template?
Plain printer paper (80–100 gsm / 20–24 lb) works best. Cardstock is hard to fold once it is taped and makes the cereal box squishy too stiff.
What are more easy cereal paper squishy ideas to make a set?
You can build a whole mini breakfast aisle by pairing this box with our fruit rings cereal squishy. If you want a bigger box, simply print the page larger on a bigger sheet of paper—since all parts are one piece, they always fit together.
Can I make these cereal boxes with a classroom or party group?
Yes! Print one sheet per person and cut tape strips in advance. Kids can color the coloring page version while you help with scoring and taping—plan about 45 minutes.
More paper squishies to make
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