- Easy
- 20–30 minutes
- No glue
- about 3.6 × 4.5 in (9.1 × 11.4 cm)
Add a burst of sunshine to your collection with this cute kawaii lemon paper squishy! Sporting a bright yellow peel with tiny citrus speckles, a green leaf on top, rosy cheeks, and a little pink heart, this puffy pillow measures about 3.6 × 4.5 in (9.1 × 11.4 cm) when finished. Grab the free printable template below—it comes in 3 versions (full color, coloring page, and blank) formatted for both US Letter and A4 paper. Pair it with our strawberry paper squishy for a sweet summer basket!
What you need
How to make it, step by step
1Print the template
Print your lemon template at 100% scale on plain printer paper (make sure to turn off “fit to page”). 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, color in the sunny yellow peel, green leaf, and pink cheeks now, then let any marker ink dry completely before moving on.
2Tape the pieces
Cover only the two lemon pieces with strips of wide clear packing tape—no need to tape the entire sheet. Smooth each strip from the center outward toward the edges without pulling or stretching the tape, because stretched tape will wrinkle later. This glossy layer makes your squishy strong, shiny, and extra squishy.
3Cut out both pieces
Use your scissors to cut out the front and back shapes right along the solid outer black line. Take your time curving around the bottom tip of the lemon and the little stem and green leaf at the top, making sure to keep the narrow white border intact all the way around.
4Add a tape border to the back
Place the back piece printed side down onto strips of clear tape so the sticky side faces up. Cut the tape 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, especially around the curved leaf and bottom point. These little flaps will hold your squishy together.
5Join front and back
Line up the front piece on top of the back piece with the white sides facing together. Fold the sticky tape flaps over the front edge one by one and press them down firmly around the lemon curves. Leave a 3.5 cm (1½ in) gap open on the side (the pink line in the picture shows where) so you have room for the stuffing.
6Stuff it
Tear your plastic bags, cotton, or fiberfill into small pieces and push them inside through the open side gap. Fill the far corners first—tucking bits into the top stem, leaf tip, and bottom point—before filling the round middle. Stop once it feels soft and puffy, because packing in too much stuffing makes the seams pop.
7Close the gap
Fold the last tape flaps over the open side and tape the gap shut with an extra strip of regular clear tape. Run your finger firmly along all the citrus edges to press the tape down well so no air or stuffing can sneak out.
8Squish!
Done! Give your sunny lemon a big squeeze and watch it puff right back up. Want a slow-rising squishy? Gently prick one tiny pinhole in the back so the air escapes slowly when you squeeze it.
Free Lemon 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
- Smooth tape without wrinkles. Wide yellow shapes show creases easily if the tape is pulled tight. Use shorter strips of packing tape across the lemon and lay them down gently without stretching.
- Too firm to squeeze?. If your lemon feels hard instead of pillowy, it has too much stuffing inside. Open the side gap, take some filling out, and tape the edge shut again.
- Prevent marker smudges. Bright yellow and dark brown outlines can smear if taped while damp. Let marker ink dry fully before laying down your clear packing tape; printer ink is fine right away.
- Fix a popping seam. If an edge splits open around the bottom point of the lemon, place a new short strip of clear tape across the edge, overlapping the old ones.
Questions
How do I make a fruit paper squishy basket?
You can easily craft a whole bowl of cute fruit paper squishies using this same tape-and-stuff method! Once you finish this citrus friend, print our watermelon paper squishy to build a colorful, squishy fruit collection.
What paper works best for a lemon paper squishy?
Plain printer paper (80–100 gsm / 20–24 lb) works best because it folds smoothly when covered in tape. Cardstock makes the lemon stiff and it won’t squish as nicely.
Can I use glue instead of tape for the edges?
Not for the edges. Glue doesn’t stick to tape-covered paper, so the seams would open. The snipped tape border folded over the edge holds best.
What can I stuff my paper squishy with?
Tear up plastic grocery bags for a light and crinkly squish, or use cotton balls and fiberfill for a soft feel. You can also use small pieces of memory foam for a slow-rising squishy.
Can I make these with a class or a group?
Yes! Print 1 sheet per person and cut the tape strips in advance. Kids can color the lemon coloring page while you help with taping—plan about 30 minutes for the activity.
More paper squishies to make
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