- Easy
- 20–30 minutes
- No glue
- about 3.6 × 3.9 in (9.1 × 9.9 cm)
With its bright red berry body, yellow seeds, leafy green top, and a tiny pink heart by its smiling face, this puffy fruit is so satisfying to squeeze. Grab our free strawberry paper squishy template to make your own! The printable PDF comes in US Letter and A4 sizes with 3 versions: full color, a black-and-white coloring page, and a blank outline. Pair it with our watermelon paper squishy for a sweet summer basket.
What you need
How to make it, step by step
1Print the template
Print your strawberry template at 100% scale on plain printer paper with “fit to page” turned off. Check the scale line in the top corner to make sure it measures exactly 2 inches (50 mm on A4). If you chose the coloring page, color the berry, seeds, and leaves now—try pink or white for a fun twist—and let marker ink dry completely.
2Tape the pieces
Lay strips of wide clear packing tape over the front and back strawberry shapes only, not the entire sheet. Smooth each strip down from the center outward without pulling, because stretched tape will wrinkle later. This glossy coat makes your paper berry strong, shiny, and extra squishy.
3Cut out both pieces
Cut out the front and back berry shapes right along the solid outer line. Take your time curving around the bumpy green leaves at the top and down to the rounded bottom tip, making sure to keep the small white border all the way around.
4Add a tape border to the back
Place the back piece printed side down on 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 into the tape border every 2 cm (1 inch) right up to the paper around the leafy top curves and berry sides. These little flaps will hold your squishy together.
5Join front and back
Line up the front strawberry on top of the back with the white unprinted sides together. Fold the sticky tape flaps over the front edge one by one and press them down around the leaves and curved sides. Leave a 3.5 cm (1½ in) gap open on the side—right where the pink line in the picture shows—for your stuffing.
6Stuff it
Tear plastic bags, cotton, or fiberfill into small pieces and push them in through the gap. Fill the far corners first—the narrow bottom tip of the strawberry and the leafy top curves—and stop when the berry feels soft and puffy. Too much stuffing makes the seams pop.
7Close the gap
Fold the last tape flaps neatly over the open side of the berry and tape the gap shut with an extra strip of clear tape. Run your finger firmly along all edges, from the bumpy green leaves down to the bottom point, to press the tape down well.
8Squish!
Done! Your finished berry measures about 3.6 × 3.9 in (9.1 × 9.9 cm) and is ready to play with. Squeeze your kawaii strawberry and watch it puff right back up. Want a slow-rising squishy? Prick one tiny pinhole in the back so air escapes slowly.
Free Strawberry 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 berry feels too hard. If the rounded strawberry belly won’t squish down easily, it has too much stuffing inside. Gently open the side gap, take some filling out, and tape the edge shut again.
- Wrinkles across the cute face. Wrinkles happen when wide packing tape gets pulled while you lay it down over the red berry print. Use shorter strips and lay them on smoothly without pulling.
- A seam pops near the leaves. The curves around the green leafy top take a lot of pressure when you squeeze the berry. Put a new short strip of clear tape right across the split edge, overlapping the old ones.
- Red or green marker smeared. Bright red and green marker ink needs a moment to dry on plain paper before you add tape. Let your markers dry fully before taping; printer ink is fine right away.
Questions
How do I make a fruit paper squishy set?
Print a few different fruit templates on plain 80–100 gsm (20–24 lb) printer paper so they all have the same soft feel. This berry looks adorable next to an avocado paper squishy in a play basket.
Can I use glue instead of tape to seal the strawberry?
Not for the edges. Glue doesn’t stick to tape-covered paper, so the berry seams would open right up. The snipped tape border folded over the edge holds best.
What paper works best for a strawberry paper squishy?
Plain printer paper (80–100 gsm / 20–24 lb) works best. Cardstock makes the curved berry edges stiff and it won’t squish as nicely.
What can I stuff my strawberry squishy with?
You can use plastic grocery bags for a crinkly and light feel, cotton balls or fiberfill for a soft pillow, or small pieces of memory foam for a slow-rising squishy.
Can I make this strawberry squishy with a class or group?
Yes! Print one sheet per person and cut the tape strips in advance. Kids can color the strawberry coloring page while you help with taping—plan about 30 minutes.
More paper squishies to make
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