- Easy
- 20–30 minutes
- No glue
- about 3.7 × 3.7 in (9.4 × 9.3 cm)
This happy yellow heart eyes smiley features glossy red heart eyes, rosy pink blush cheeks, and a wide, cheerful grin. Grab our free printable emoji paper squishy template in US Letter or A4 to make your own puffy 3.7 × 3.7 in pillow! The download includes 3 versions: full color, a coloring page, and a blank circle for drawing custom faces. You can even pair it with our silly face squishy or a sweet love envelope squishy.
What you need
How to make it, step by step
1Print the template
Print your heart eyes smiley template at 100% scale on plain printer paper, making sure to turn off the “fit to page” setting. Check that the scale line in the top corner measures exactly 2 inches (50 mm on A4). If you picked the coloring page version, color the yellow face, red hearts, and pink cheeks now, then let any marker ink dry completely.
2Tape the pieces
Cover just the front and back smiley circles with wide clear packing tape rather than taping the entire sheet. Smooth each strip from the middle of the face outwards without stretching the tape, because pulled tape will wrinkle later. This glossy layer makes your round smiley shiny, durable, and extra satisfying to squeeze.
3Cut out both pieces
Use your scissors to cut out the front heart-eyed face and the matching yellow back piece right along the solid outer black line. Take your time turning the paper smoothly as you cut so you keep the neat, even white border all the way around both circles.
4Add a tape border to the back
Lay the yellow back circle printed side down onto strips of clear tape with the sticky side facing up. Trim the tape about 1 cm (½ inch) past the paper edge, then snip this sticky border every 2 cm (1 inch) right up to the paper. These little tabs are essential for hugging the round shape smoothly.
5Join front and back
Place the front smiley face right on top of the back piece, keeping the white unprinted sides together. Fold the sticky tape flaps over the curved front edge one by one and press them down firmly. Leave a 4 cm (1½ inch) gap open along the edge, right where the pink line in the illustration shows, for stuffing.
6Stuff it
Tear your plastic bags, cotton, or fiberfill into small, fluffy bits and push them inside through the open gap. Work the filling into the far edges behind the heart eyes first, then fill the center until the round pillow feels soft and plump. Stop before it gets tight, as overstuffing makes the curved seams pop open.
7Close the gap
Fold the remaining tape flaps neatly over the open curve and seal the gap shut with one extra strip of clear tape. Run your finger firmly all the way around the circular border to press every single flap down tightly so no stuffing can escape.
8Squish!
Your heart eyes smiley paper squishy is ready to play with! Give the chubby yellow face a big squeeze and watch it puff right back into shape. If you want an extra slow-rising feel, gently prick 1 tiny pinhole in the back circle so the air escapes slowly.
Free Heart Eyes Smiley 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
- My squishy feels too hard. A round pillow needs room to squish, so if it feels stiff like a ball, gently peel open the stuffing gap. Take out a few pinches of filling until the yellow face feels soft, then tape the edge shut again.
- The tape has wrinkles. Lay your packing tape across the heart eyes and smile using shorter strips, smoothing from the center of the face outward without pulling. Keeping the tape relaxed prevents creases across the glossy yellow surface.
- An edge splits open. Because the smiley is completely round, curved seams take a lot of pressure when you squeeze. If a spot along the circle pops open, place a new short strip of clear tape across the edge, overlapping the old ones.
- The red and yellow smeared. Bright red heart eyes can smudge into the yellow face if taped too soon, so let marker ink dry completely before laminating. Regular printer ink from the color template is ready to tape right away.
Questions
Can I use glue instead of tape for an emoji paper squishy?
Not for the edges, because glue will not stick to tape-covered paper and the round seams would pop right open. Folding the snipped clear tape border over the curved edge holds your smiley together best.
What paper works best for a paper squishy face?
Standard plain printer paper (80–100 gsm / 20–24 lb) is the secret to a super soft squeeze. Heavy cardstock makes the round smiley face stiff and stops it from puffing back up nicely.
What can I stuff my heart eyes smiley with?
You can use torn plastic grocery bags for a light and crinkly feel, or cotton balls and fiberfill for a plush pillow. Small bits of memory foam also work great if you want a slow-rising squish.
Can I make this paper squishy emoji bigger?
Yes! Just set your printer scale higher, such as 120%, and print the front and back circles together on the same sheet so both halves still match up.
Can I make paper squishy emojis with a class or group?
Yes—plan for about 30 minutes, print 1 sheet per person, and pre-cut the tape strips ahead of time. Kids love coloring the heart eyes or drawing custom faces on the blank circle while you help with the taping.
More paper squishies to make
Pin this tutorial
Save it to your craft board so you can find the free template again.