- Easy
- 20–30 minutes
- No glue
- about 3.7 × 4.1 in (9.3 × 10.4 cm)
With its mint-green spots, rosy cheeks, cream striped belly, and dark green back plates, this cute dinosaur paper squishy looks like a tiny plushie made from paper and tape. Download the free printable PDF in US Letter or A4 to get 3 versions: full color, a black-and-white coloring page, and a blank outline. It finishes at about 3.7 × 4.1 in (9.3 × 10.4 cm) and pairs adorably with our baby dragon squishy.
What you need
How to make it, step by step
1Print the template
Print your chosen dinosaur sheet 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 picked the coloring page, color the dino’s belly, spots, and back plates now, and let marker ink dry completely before taping.
2Tape the pieces
Lay strips of wide clear packing tape over the two dinosaur pieces only, rather than covering the whole sheet. Smooth each strip from the center of the round belly outward toward the back plates and tail without pulling—stretched tape will wrinkle later. The tape makes your squishy shiny, strong, and extra squishy.
3Cut out both pieces
Cut out the front and back dinosaur pieces along the solid black outer line, keeping the small white border all the way around. Take your time curving around the bumpy back plates, the upturned tail tip, and the two round feet at the bottom so both silhouettes match cleanly.
4Add a tape border to the back
Place the back piece printed side down onto strips of regular clear tape, sticky side facing up. Cut the tape about 1 cm (½ inch) past the paper edge all around, then snip this sticky border every 2 cm (1 inch) right up to the paper, especially around the curved plates and tail, to create little flaps that hold your squishy together.
5Join front and back
Put the front dinosaur piece on top of the back piece, white sides together, matching the back plates, cheeks, and feet. Fold the sticky tape flaps over the edge of the front one by one and press them down. Leave a 3.5 cm (1½ in) gap open where the pink line in the picture shows: that is your gap for the stuffing.
6Stuff it
Tear plastic bags, cotton, or fiberfill into small pieces and push them in through the open gap. Fill the far corners first—the tail tip, the top head plate, and both round feet—then fill the belly until it feels soft and puffy. Stop before it gets tight, because too much stuffing makes the seams pop.
7Close the gap
Fold the last tape flaps over the gap and tape it shut with an extra strip of clear tape. Run your finger firmly along all edges—over the bumpy back plates, around the cheeks, and under the feet—to press the tape down well.
8Squish!
Done! Squeeze your cute dinosaur squishy and watch the chubby belly puff right back up. Want a slow-rising squishy? Prick one tiny pinhole in the back piece so trapped air escapes slowly.
Free Cute Dinosaur 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
- Keep the back plates neat. If the tape wrinkles along the curved back plates, use shorter strips and lay them on without pulling. Smooth each strip gently from the middle outward.
- Fix a popped seam. If an edge splits open around the curved tail or feet, put a new short strip of clear tape across the edge, overlapping the old ones. Press it down firmly with your finger.
- My dino feels too hard. If the belly feels stiff instead of soft, it has too much stuffing inside. Open the gap, take some out, and tape the edge shut again.
- Prevent marker smears. Dark outlines or bright green markers on the coloring page can smudge under packing tape if they are still damp. Let markers dry fully before taping; printer ink is fine right away.
Questions
Can I use glue instead of tape for a dinosaur paper squishy?
Not for the edges. Glue doesn’t stick to tape-covered paper, so the seams around the dinosaur would open. The snipped tape border folded over the edge holds best.
What paper is best for a dinosaur paper squishy template?
Plain printer paper (80–100 gsm / 20–24 lb) works best and folds smoothly around the dino’s curved back plates. Cardstock makes the squishy stiff and it won’t squish as nicely.
What can I stuff my paper squishy with?
You can use plastic grocery bags for a crinkly and light feel, or cotton balls and fiberfill to make it soft. Small pieces of memory foam also work well for a slow-rising squishy.
Can I make the dinosaur paper squishy bigger?
Yes, print the page at a larger scale, for example 120%. Make sure to print the front and the back together on the same sheet so both halves match.
Can I make these with a class or a group?
Yes, print one sheet per person and cut the tape strips in advance so kids can color the coloring page while you help with taping. Plan about 30 minutes, and pair it with our chubby frog squishy for a fun animal set.
More paper squishies to make
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