- Easy
- 20–30 minutes
- No glue
- about 3.5 × 4.1 in (8.8 × 10.4 cm)
This happy potted cactus paper squishy brings desert charm to your desk without a single sharp spine! Topped with a sweet pink blossom and sitting in a terracotta pot, the plump round plant has rosy cheeks and a smiling face. Grab the free PDF in US Letter or A4 to get 3 versions: full color, a coloring page, and a blank outline. Pair it with our happy flower squishy or toadstool mushroom squishy to craft a paper garden.
What you need
How to make it, step by step
1Print the template
Print your potted cactus template at 100% scale on plain printer paper (make sure “fit to page” is turned off). Check the line in the top corner to see that it measures exactly 2 inches (50 mm on A4). Using the coloring page? Color the ribbed green cactus, pink flower, and terracotta pot now, then let marker ink dry completely.
2Tape the pieces
Cover only the two cactus pieces with wide clear packing tape, leaving the rest of the sheet untaped. Smooth each strip from the center outwards and do not stretch it, because stretched tape will wrinkle later. This glossy tape layer makes your terracotta pot and green cactus shiny, strong, and extra squishy.
3Cut out both pieces
Cut out the front and the back along the solid outer line. Be sure to keep the small white border all the way around. Take your time curving around the little pink flower on top and the flared rim of the flower pot so both pieces match neatly.
4Add a tape border to the back
Lay the back piece printed side down on strips of regular clear tape, sticky side up. Cut the tape about 1 cm (½ inch) past the edge, then snip this border every 2 cm (1 inch) right up to the paper. These little flaps will hold your cactus and pot together cleanly.
5Join front and back
Put the front on the back with the white sides together. Fold the tape flaps over the edge of the front one by one and press them down around the flower and pot. Leave a 3.5 cm (1½ in) gap open (the pink line in the picture shows where): that is 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 top flower and the bottom of the pot—and stop when the round cactus feels soft and puffy. Too much stuffing makes the seams pop.
7Close the gap
Fold the last 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 pot rim and cactus top to press the tape down well.
8Squish!
Done! Squeeze your smiling potted cactus and watch it puff right back up. Want a slow-rising squishy? Prick 1 tiny pinhole in the back of the pot so air escapes slowly when you squeeze.
Free Potted Cactus 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
- The pot feels too hard. If your cactus feels stiff instead of puffy, it has too much stuffing inside. Open the gap, take some stuffing out, and tape it shut again.
- The tape wrinkles on the cactus. Stretched tape causes creases across the smooth green ribs. Use shorter strips of tape and lay them on flat without pulling.
- An edge splits near the rim. The dip where the green cactus meets the terracotta pot rim takes extra pressure when squeezed. Put a new short strip of clear tape across the edge, overlapping the old ones.
- Smudged rosy cheeks or flower. Let markers dry fully before taping so the pink blossom and face stay crisp. Printer ink is fine to tape right away.
Questions
Can I draw a custom paper squishy face or emoji expression?
Yes! Print the blank outline or coloring page version to draw your own cute paper squishy face on the green cactus before taping. You can give your plant winking eyes, silly emoji expressions, or extra flowers.
Can I use glue instead of tape for this emoji paper squishy craft?
Not for the edges. Glue does not stick to tape-covered paper, so the seams would open when squeezed. The snipped tape border folded over the edge holds best.
What paper and stuffing work best?
Use plain printer paper (80–100 gsm / 20–24 lb), as cardstock makes the cactus stiff so it will not squish as nicely. Stuff it with plastic grocery bags (crinkly and light), cotton balls or fiberfill (soft), or small pieces of memory foam for a slow-rising squishy.
Can I make the potted cactus squishy bigger?
Yes. At 100% scale it measures about 3.5 × 4.1 in (8.8 × 10.4 cm), or you can print the page at a larger scale like 120%. Print the front and the back together on the same sheet so they match.
Can I make these with a class or a group?
Yes! Print 1 sheet per person and cut tape strips in advance. Kids can color the cactus coloring page while you help with taping; plan about 30 minutes.
More paper squishies to make
Pin this tutorial
Save it to your craft board so you can find the free template again.