DIY Halloween Paper Squishies for Kids

Squishies are everywhere right now — and kids love them.

The good news? You don’t need a special kit to make your own Halloween versions at home. With paper, markers, tape, and a little soft stuffing, kids can create pumpkins, ghosts, bats, friendly monsters, and all kinds of silly spooky characters.

This easy Halloween craft is inexpensive, screen-free, and wonderfully customizable. Best of all, each child can design a squishy that is completely their own.

What Is a Paper Squishy?

A paper squishy is a handmade stuffed paper shape that has been covered with clear tape to make it smoother and more durable.

Once stuffed, it becomes soft and squeezable — almost like a homemade little pillow or fidget toy.

For Halloween, the possibilities are endless.

Kids can make:

• Smiling jack-o'-lanterns

• Friendly ghosts

• Silly bats

• Colorful monsters

• Black cats

• Candy corn characters

• Witch hats

• Spiders

• Frankenstein-inspired faces

There really isn’t a wrong way to make one.

Supplies

You probably already have most of what you need:

• White paper or lightweight cardstock

• Crayons, markers, or colored pencils

• Child-safe scissors

• Clear packing tape

• Cotton balls, facial tissue, or other soft craft stuffing

• Pencil

• Optional googly eyes

• Optional Halloween stickers

Adult supervision is recommended when using scissors and packing tape, especially for younger children.

Step 1: Choose Your Halloween Character

Start by deciding what kind of squishy you want to make.

A pumpkin or ghost is especially easy for younger children because the shapes are simple.

Older kids may want to try something more detailed, such as a bat, monster, black cat, or spooky piece of candy.

Draw the shape on a piece of paper.

Then place another sheet underneath it so you can cut two matching pieces — one for the front and one for the back.

Step 2: Design Your Squishy

Now comes the best part: giving your Halloween character some personality.

Color the front and back pieces before assembling them.

Add:

• Big silly eyes

• Tiny fangs

• Rosy cheeks

• Freckles

• Eyebrows

• Stripes

• Polka dots

• Stars

• Spiderwebs

• Funny mouths

A pumpkin doesn’t have to be orange, either. Try a purple pumpkin, a rainbow ghost, or a bright green bat.

Design Your Own Face

Encourage kids to experiment with different expressions.

Can you make a:

Happy pumpkin?

Surprised ghost?

Sleepy bat?

Grumpy monster?

Silly vampire?

Children can even draw several possible faces on scrap paper first and choose their favorite.

This turns a simple craft into a fun exercise in creativity and emotional expression.

Step 3: Cover the Paper With Tape

Cover the decorated side of each paper shape with strips of clear packing tape.

Slightly overlap the tape strips so the entire surface is protected.

Then flip the pieces over and cover the other sides as well.

The clear tape helps strengthen the paper and gives the finished squishy a smoother surface.

Parents may want to help younger children with this step.

Step 4: Put the Two Pieces Together

Place the two matching shapes together with the decorated sides facing outward.

Tape around the edges, joining the front and back together.

Leave a small opening of about 2–3 inches.

You’ll use this opening to add the stuffing.

Step 5: Add the Squish

Gently push cotton balls, tissue, or soft craft stuffing through the opening.

Add a little at a time.

The goal is to make the squishy soft and slightly puffy without stuffing it so tightly that the seams pull apart.

Try squeezing it as you go.

Need more squish? Add a little more stuffing.

Too firm? Take some out.

Step 6: Seal It Up

Once your squishy feels just right, seal the remaining opening with clear tape.

Press all the edges firmly and check for any gaps.

Your Halloween paper squishy is ready!

Make a Whole Halloween Squishy Family

One is fun.

A whole collection is even better.

Kids can create a Halloween squishy family with different personalities:

• Pumpkin Pete

• Giggles the Ghost

• Benny the Bat

• Wanda the Witch

• Frankie the Friendly Monster

• Midnight the Cat

Make them tiny, oversized, round, tall, silly, spooky, or completely unexpected.

Kids can even create stories about their characters when craft time is finished.

Easy Ideas for Ages 3–5

For younger crafters, keep the shapes simple.

Try:

• Pumpkins

• Ghosts

• Candy corn

• Round monsters

An adult can draw and cut the two matching shapes ahead of time while children concentrate on coloring and decorating.

Big eyes, funny mouths, stickers, and simple patterns work especially well for this age group.

Challenge Ideas for Ages 6–8

Older children can take the project a step further.

Challenge them to:

• Create their own original monster

• Add patterned clothing or accessories

• Make a reversible squishy with a different expression on each side

• Design a miniature squishy collection

• Create characters and write a short Halloween story about them

• Make matching squishies for friends or siblings

You can even turn it into a family design contest: funniest face, silliest monster, most colorful ghost, or most unusual Halloween character.

Turn It Into an Afternoon of Creative Play

One of our favorite things about crafts like this is that the creativity doesn’t have to stop once the project is finished.

Children can use their new characters for:

• Pretend play

• Storytelling

• Halloween decorations

• A homemade puppet show

• A seasonal reading buddy

• A little desk or bedroom decoration

Put a basket of finished squishies near your family’s Halloween books and you’ve created an instant cozy October activity corner.

Want an Extra-Squishy Version?

For kids who love that softer, denser squishy feeling, you can make a cornstarch sensory version too.

Instead of placing loose cornstarch directly inside the paper squishy, keep the powder contained in a small, securely sealed plastic pouch.

What You’ll Need

• A small sealable plastic pouch

• Cornstarch

• Clear packing tape

• Your prepared paper squishy shell

How to Make It

1. Add a small amount of cornstarch to the plastic pouch. Leave plenty of empty space so the pouch can move and squish easily.

2. Gently press out excess air before sealing.

3. Close the pouch securely.

4. Reinforce the sealed edge with clear packing tape.

5. For extra protection, you can place the sealed pouch inside a second small pouch and seal that one as well.

6. Slide the cornstarch pouch inside your paper squishy before closing the final opening.

7. Seal the paper squishy completely with packing tape.

Now give it a gentle squeeze. The cornstarch-filled center creates a different sensory feel from cotton stuffing — soft, moldable, and extra satisfying to squish.

A Quick Safety Note

An adult should prepare and seal the cornstarch pouch, especially for younger children. Check the squishy occasionally for tears or leaks and discard it if the inner pouch becomes damaged.

Because this version contains a fine powder inside, it is best for children who are old enough not to chew, puncture, or put the squishy in their mouths.

For younger crafters, the cotton or soft-stuffing version is still the simplest choice.

Simple Supplies. Big Imagination.

Halloween crafts don’t have to be complicated to be memorable.

A few pieces of paper, some markers, tape, and a little stuffing are all kids need to turn their own ideas into something they can hold, squeeze, and play with.

So gather the supplies, choose your character, and see just how silly — or spooky — your Halloween squishy can become.

Create. Play. Learn.

Little Dreamers Club