- Easy
- 20–30 minutes
- No glue
- about 3.5 × 4.3 in (8.8 × 10.9 cm)
With its sunny yellow-to-red blush, rosy cheeks, and happy closed-eye smile, this mango paper squishy brings instant summer vibes to your desk. You can download the free printable template in US Letter and A4, complete with 3 versions: ready-to-make full color, a coloring page, and a blank outline. Pair it with our pineapple paper squishy or strawberry paper squishy to craft a whole tropical fruit basket.
What you need
How to make it, step by step
1Print the template
Print your mango template at 100% scale on plain printer paper and 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) so your finished fruit comes out at about 3.5 × 4.3 in (8.8 × 10.9 cm). If you picked the coloring page, blend warm yellow, orange, and red shades now and let marker ink dry completely.
2Tape the pieces
Lay strips of wide clear packing tape over the two mango shapes only, rather than taping the entire sheet of paper. Smooth each piece of tape from the middle of the fruit outward without pulling or stretching it, because stretched tape will wrinkle later. This glossy coat protects the sunny gradient and makes the paper strong and squishy.
3Cut out both pieces
Cut out the front and back mango pieces right along the solid black outer line with your scissors. Take your time around the little stem bump at the top and the gentle inward curve on the side. Make sure to keep the narrow white border all the way around both pieces.
4Add a tape border to the back
Place the back mango piece printed side down onto strips of regular clear tape so the sticky side faces up. Trim the tape about 1 cm (½ inch) past the paper edge, then snip into this tape border every 2 cm (1 inch) right up to the paper, especially around the curved bottom tip and top stem. These little flaps will wrap around to hold your squishy together.
5Join front and back
Line up the smiling front piece on top of the back piece with the white paper sides facing each other, matching the top stems and curved sides. Fold the sticky tape flaps over the front edge one by one and press them down firmly. Leave a gap of about 3.5 cm (1½ in) open on the side (shown by the pink line in the illustration) for stuffing.
6Stuff it
Tear plastic grocery bags, cotton, or fiberfill into small bits and tuck them inside through the open side gap. Push the first pieces up into the top stem bump and down into the rounded bottom curve before filling the chubby middle. Stop once your mango feels soft and plump, as overstuffing can make the taped seams pop open.
7Close the gap
Fold the remaining tape flaps neatly over the open side of the mango and seal the gap shut with one extra strip of clear tape. Run your finger all the way around the curved edges to press every flap down tightly so no stuffing can peek out.
8Squish!
Your sunny mango is ready to squish! Give its chubby cheeks a squeeze and watch the pillow puff right back into shape. If you want a slower, calmer rise, prick one tiny pinhole into the back of the mango so the air escapes gently.
Free Mango 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 mango feels too hard. If the fruit feels stiff instead of pillowy, it simply has too much stuffing inside. Gently open the side gap, pull out a few tufts of filling, and tape the edge closed again.
- Smooth out tape wrinkles. Wrinkles happen when packing tape gets stretched as you lay it down over the wide mango shape. Use shorter strips and press them down from the center outward without pulling.
- Fix a split seam. If an edge pops open around the rounded bottom or inward curve when you squeeze it, place a new short strip of clear tape right across the edge, overlapping the old ones.
- Prevent smeared fruit colors. Bright yellow, orange, and red marker ink can smear if you tape over the coloring page too soon. Let markers dry completely before taping, though printer ink is fine right away.
Questions
What paper works best for a fruit paper squishy?
Plain printer paper (80–100 gsm / 20–24 lb) works best because it folds softly around the curved mango shape. Heavy cardstock is too stiff and won’t let your squishy puff up nicely when you squeeze it.
Can I use glue instead of tape for the edges?
Not for the edges, because glue doesn’t stick to tape-covered paper and the seams would open. Folding the snipped clear tape border over the edge holds your squishy together best.
What can I stuff my mango paper squishy with?
You can use torn-up plastic grocery bags for a light and crinkly feel, or cotton balls and fiberfill for a soft pillow texture. Small pieces of memory foam also work well if you want a slow-rising squish.
Can I print the mango template bigger?
Yes! You can scale the page up to 120% in your printer settings for a bigger fruit pillow. Just make sure the front and back print together on the same sheet so both halves match.
Can I make these with a class or a group?
Yes, plan about 30 minutes for the activity. Print 1 sheet per person and cut the tape strips in advance so kids can color the coloring page while you help with taping.
More paper squishies to make
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