- Easy
- 20–30 minutes
- No glue
- about 3.7 × 3.7 in (9.4 × 9.4 cm)
With a pastel rainbow mane, a golden spiral horn, rosy cheeks, and starry eyes, this sitting unicorn paper squishy turns out about 3.7 × 3.7 in (9.4 × 9.4 cm) when stuffed. Grab the free printable template below in US Letter or A4—it comes with 3 versions: full color, a coloring page, and a blank outline for custom designs. Pair your magical friend with our baby dragon squishy or pastel butterfly squishy for a fantasy desk collection.
What you need
How to make it, step by step
1Print the template
Print your chosen magical unicorn 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 2 inches (50 mm on A4). If you picked the coloring page, color the rainbow mane, golden horn, and pink hooves now, then let marker ink dry completely before taping.
2Tape the pieces
Cover only the front and back unicorn pieces with wide clear packing tape, rather than taping the entire sheet. Smooth each strip from the center of the chubby belly outward toward the mane without pulling or stretching—stretched tape will wrinkle later. This glossy layer makes the paper strong, shiny, and extra squishy.
3Cut out both pieces
Cut out the front and back pieces right along the solid black outer line, keeping the narrow white border intact all the way around. Take your time turning the paper smoothly as you cut around the top of the horn, the wavy rainbow locks, and the rounded bottom hooves.
4Add a tape border to the back
Flip the back piece printed side down and place strips of tape along its perimeter, sticky side up, extending about 1 cm (½ inch) past the paper edge. Snip into this sticky border every 2 cm (1 inch) right up to the paper edge, especially around the curves of the ears, tail, and hooves so the little flaps can bend cleanly.
5Join front and back
Place the front piece right on top of the back piece, white sides facing together, lining up the horn, ears, and pink hooves. Fold the sticky tape flaps over the front edge one by one and press firmly. Leave a 4 cm (1½ in) gap open where the pink line shows in the illustration so you can stuff it.
6Stuff it
Tear plastic bags, cotton, or fiberfill into small bits and push them gently through the open gap. Poke tiny pieces up into the horn tip, the ears, and the side tail curls first, then fill the round body until it feels soft and puffy—stop before it gets tight, as overstuffing makes the seams pop.
7Close the gap
Fold the remaining tape flaps neatly over the open edge and seal the gap shut with 1 extra strip of clear tape. Run your finger firmly along the entire wavy outline, pressing every seam down well so the edges stay closed.
8Squish!
Your magical unicorn is ready to squeeze! Give the round belly a gentle press and watch it puff right back into shape. If you prefer a slow-rising feel, prick 1 tiny pinhole into the back of the squishy so air lets out and flows back in slowly.
Free Magical Unicorn 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
- Squishy feels too hard. If the unicorn body feels stiff, it has too much stuffing inside. Gently open the stuffing gap, pull a few pieces out, and tape the edge shut again.
- Wrinkles across the face. Lay shorter strips of packing tape across the unicorn face without pulling them tight, smoothing gently from the nose outward.
- Seam pops between the hooves. If an edge splits along the bottom hooves, reinforce it by pressing a short new strip of clear tape right across the seam, overlapping the old tape.
- Smeared pastel mane colors. Always let water-based markers dry completely on the coloring page before laying down packing tape; printer ink on the color version is ready right away.
Questions
Can I use glue instead of tape for a unicorn paper squishy?
Not for the seams. Glue will not stick to tape-covered paper, so folding a snipped 1 cm (½ inch) tape border over the edges holds the curvy unicorn shape together best.
What paper works best for a unicorn paper squishy template?
Standard plain printer paper (80–100 gsm / 20–24 lb) is ideal. Heavy cardstock is too stiff to fold cleanly around the wavy mane and won’t squish nicely.
What can I use to stuff my unicorn paper squishy?
Torn plastic grocery bags give a light and crinkly squish, cotton balls or fiberfill make it plush and soft, and tiny bits of memory foam create a slow-rising effect.
Can I print the unicorn paper squishy bigger?
Yes! Set your printer scale to a larger number like 120% and print the front and back together on the same sheet so both halves still match up.
Is this a good craft for a party or classroom group?
Definitely—plan about 30 minutes and print 1 sheet per kid. Pre-cut the tape strips before you start so children can color their unicorns while you help them tape the edges.
More paper squishies to make
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