- Easy
- 20–30 minutes
- No glue
- about 3.7 × 3.7 in (9.4 × 9.3 cm)
With its soft lilac bell, wavy pink-and-purple tentacles, and tiny heart detail, this pastel jellyfish paper squishy is the sweetest ocean friend you can craft at home. Our free printable PDF gives you 3 versions—full color, a coloring page, and a blank outline—formatted for both US Letter and A4 paper. Print a sheet, grab your clear tape, and pair it with our axolotl paper squishy for an adorable underwater collection.
What you need
How to make it, step by step
1Print the template
Print your jellyfish template at 100% scale on plain printer paper, making 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 picked the coloring page, color the dome and striped tentacles with your favorite pastel shades now, and let marker ink dry completely before moving on.
2Tape the pieces
Cover just the two jellyfish pieces with wide clear packing tape, rather than taping the entire sheet. Smooth each strip down from the middle toward the edges without pulling or stretching, because stretched tape will wrinkle later. This smooth layer gives the lilac and pink artwork a glossy shine and makes your squishy strong and extra squishy.
3Cut out both pieces
Cut out the front and the back along the solid outer line, keeping the small white border intact all the way around. Take your time guiding the scissors around the side frills of the bell and the curvy bottom of the tentacles so both shapes stay smooth and match up evenly.
4Add a tape border to the back
Lay the back piece printed side down onto 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 at the inward curves between the bell and tentacles. The little flaps will hold your squishy together.
5Join front and back
Put the front on the back, white sides together, lining up the dome and wavy bottom. Fold the sticky tape flaps over the edge of the front one by one and press them down flat. Leave a 4 cm (1½ in) gap open along the edge—the pink line in the picture shows where—as your gap for the stuffing.
6Stuff it
Tear plastic bags, cotton, or fiberfill into small pieces and push them in through the gap. Fill the far corners first—tucking bits into the bottom tentacle curves and the side frills of the bell—then fill the middle and stop when it feels soft and puffy. Too much stuffing makes the seams pop.
7Close the gap
Fold the last tape flaps over the edge and tape the gap shut with an extra strip of clear tape. Run your finger firmly along all edges—around the smooth dome, side frills, and wavy tentacles—to press the tape down well.
8Squish!
Done! Squeeze your pastel jellyfish squishy and watch the plump dome puff right back up. Want a slow-rising squishy? Prick one tiny pinhole in the back so air escapes slowly when you squeeze.
Free Pastel 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 dome and tentacles feel stiff instead of pillowy, it has too much stuffing inside. Open the gap, take some filling out, and tape the edge shut again.
- Tape wrinkles on the dome. Wrinkles happen when packing tape gets pulled while you cover the wide lilac bell. Use shorter strips and lay them on smoothly from the center outward without stretching.
- Seam splits at the frills. The inward curves where the bell meets the wavy tentacles take extra pressure when you squeeze. Put a new short strip of clear tape right across the split edge, overlapping the old strips.
- Pastel marker colors smeared. Damp marker ink on the striped tentacles or blushing cheeks can smudge under tape. Let markers dry fully before taping—printer ink on the color version is fine right away.
Questions
Can I use glue instead of tape on my jellyfish squishy?
Not for the edges. Glue does not stick to tape-covered paper, so the wavy seams around the bell and tentacles would open up. The snipped tape border folded over the edge holds best.
What paper works best for a jellyfish or fish paper squishy template?
Plain printer paper (80–100 gsm / 20–24 lb) works best. Cardstock makes the squishy stiff, so the plump jellyfish bell will not squish as nicely.
What can I stuff my paper squishy with?
You can use plastic grocery bags for a crinkly and light feel, or cotton balls and fiberfill for a soft pillow. Small pieces of memory foam also work if you want a slow-rising squishy.
Can I make this pastel jellyfish squishy bigger?
Yes! Print the template page at a larger scale, for example 120%, for a jellyfish bigger than the standard 3.7 × 3.7 in (9.4 × 9.3 cm) size. Make sure to print the front and the back together on the same sheet so they match.
Can I make ocean paper squishies with a class or group?
Yes, plan about 30 minutes and print one sheet per person with tape strips cut in advance. Kids can color the jellyfish coloring page—or make a matching tropical fish paper squishy—while you help with taping.
More paper squishies to make
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