- Easy
- 20–30 minutes
- No glue
- about 3.6 × 3.7 in (9.2 × 9.4 cm)
With its glossy aqua-to-pink gradient, sweet heart-sparkle eyes, and chubby scalloped tentacles, this Jelly Jellyfish is the cutest DIY paper squishy fidget toy to keep on your desk. Your free printable PDF comes in both US Letter and A4 sizes and includes 3 versions: the pastel color design, a coloring page, and a blank outline. Pair it with our Cute Octopus paper squishy or Sea Turtle squishy for an ocean collection!
What you need
How to make it, step by step
1Print the template
Print your Jelly Jellyfish 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 chose the coloring page version, blend your favorite pastel tones across the bell and tentacles now, and let marker ink dry completely.
2Tape the pieces
Cover only the front and back jellyfish pieces with wide clear packing tape, rather than the whole sheet. Smooth each strip from the center of the rounded bell outwards without stretching it, since stretched tape wrinkles later. This clear layer gives your jelly jellyfish its signature glossy shine, keeps the paper strong, and makes it extra squishy.
3Cut out both pieces
Take your scissors and carefully cut out both the front and back pieces right along the solid black outer line. Go slowly around the side indents beneath the bell and along the wavy bottom of the tentacles, making sure to keep the small white border intact all the way around.
4Add a tape border to the back
Lay the back piece printed side down on strips of regular clear tape with the sticky side facing up. Cut 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—especially around the curved tentacle tips. These little flaps will hold your squishy together.
5Join front and back
Place the smiling front piece right on top of the back piece with the white sides facing together, lining up the dome and tentacles. 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 where the pink line shows in the picture for stuffing.
6Stuff it
Tear your plastic bags, cotton, or fiberfill into small pieces and push them gently through the open gap. Fill the far corners first—tucking small bits down into the wavy bottom tentacles and up into the top dome—and stop once the jellyfish feels soft and puffy. Adding too much stuffing will make the seams pop.
7Close the gap
Fold the last tape flaps neatly over the open edge and tape the gap shut with one extra strip of clear tape. Run your finger firmly along the entire curved outline and the scalloped bottom to press all the tape edges down well.
8Squish!
Your glossy Jelly Jellyfish is ready! Give the chubby bell a squeeze and watch it puff right back up into shape. If you want an extra slow-rising squishy feel, just prick one tiny pinhole into the back of the jellyfish so the air escapes slowly.
Free Jelly Jellyfish 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 jellyfish feels too hard. If the bell and tentacles feel stiff instead of pillowy, there is too much stuffing inside. Gently open the stuffing gap, take some out, and tape the edge shut again.
- Wrinkles across the glossy dome. To keep the shiny aqua-and-pink gradient looking smooth, use shorter strips of packing tape and lay them on gently without pulling.
- A tentacle seam splits open. The wavy curves along the bottom tentacles get a lot of pressure when you squeeze. If an edge splits open, put a new short strip of clear tape across the edge, overlapping the old ones.
- Smudged pastel marker ink. When coloring the blank or outline jellyfish, always let your markers dry fully before taping. Regular printer ink on the color version is fine right away.
Questions
How do you make a paper squishy fidget that rises slowly?
To give your Jelly Jellyfish that classic slow-rising fidget feel, stuff it with small pieces of memory foam or soft fiberfill and make sure the tape seams are sealed tight. Then prick just 1 tiny pinhole in the back so air escapes slowly when you squeeze.
What can I stuff my paper squishy fidget toy with?
You can use plastic grocery bags for a light, crinkly feel, cotton balls or fiberfill for a soft pillow texture, or small pieces of memory foam for a slow-rising squishy.
Can I use glue instead of tape to seal the edges?
Not for the edges. Glue doesn’t stick to tape-covered paper, so the curved jellyfish seams would open when squeezed. The snipped tape border folded over the edge holds best.
What kind of paper works best for this template?
Plain printer paper (80–100 gsm / 20–24 lb) works best. Cardstock makes the jellyfish stiff and it won’t squish as nicely.
Can I make this jellyfish bigger or craft it with a group?
Yes! To size up from the 3.6 × 3.7 in (9.2 × 9.4 cm) shape, print the sheet at 120% so the front and back scale together on the same sheet. For a class or group, print 1 sheet per person, cut tape strips in advance, and plan about 30 minutes.
More paper squishies to make
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