How to Make your Own Pinata

How to Make your Own Pinata How to Make your Own Pinata Any Mexican celebration is incomplete without a pinata. Traditionally, pinatas were star shaped colorful objects filled with candies, sweets, fruits and even toys. Today, pinatas are popular as a game at kids’ birthday parties and other special events and fiestas. They come in all type of shapes, including animals, plants and flowers. If it’s a theme-based party, like say an Easter celebration, you can have an Easter egg as a pinata and fill it with chocolate eggs.

The concept of pinata is that they are hung from a tree branch or ceiling and children are blindfolded and take turns swinging at the pinata. Finally, the pinata is hit hard enough and it breaks dispersing its contents. Kids then grab the toys and candies that spill out from the pinata. Pinatas are available at any party store but you can easily make your own pinata at home and decorate it as bright and colorful as you want it to look. Follow these instructions to learn how to make your own pinata.

Things you will need:

• Balloons
• Newspapers
• Water and Flour to make the glue
• Scissors
• Masking tape
• Paint
• Crepe paper
• String
• Candies and small toys to fill the pinata

Method:

This project generally tends to become messy due to glue and newspaper strips. So be sure to cover your work surface well before you start work. To protect your worktable, first place a newspaper and then set a wax paper on top of it.
Blow a large balloon and tie the end to close it. A round balloon will work best. You can add more shapes, legs, tails, snouts and hats made out of cardboard or newspaper. Tape the shapes with masking tape.
Now make your paper mache paste. In a cooking bowl, mix 1 part flour with 2 parts water. Blend the mixture properly and heat on medium flame for about 5 minutes. Remove from stove when the paste just begins to thicken. Take care not to heat the mixture for too long or the paste may become very thick and will not work properly. Pour the paste into a container and store it airtight.
Cut newspapers into several small strips that are about 1-inch wide and 6-8 inches long. Dip these strips into the glue you just prepared to make paper mache. Paste these strips all over the balloon until the balloon is completely covered with paper mache. Leave a small hole at the end where the balloon is tied. This will allow you to remove the balloon and fill the pinata.
Let the first layer of paper mache dry completely. Now add two more layers of paper mache onto the balloon, allowing each layer to dry completely before adding the next layer. Once the pinata is completely dry and stiff, pop the balloon and remove it though the small uncovered hole.
You can now go about decorating the pinata. Paint your pinata in bright colors and designs. Once the paint dries, you can hang colored paper streamers from the sides and the bottom. You can also wrap crepe paper around your pinata. Feathers, glitter and artificial flowers are also great options to decorate the pinata.
To tie the pinata, punch two small holes in the top near the bigger hole and thread a large piece of string or yarn through the two holes. Cover the holes with masking tape. Fill up your pinata with candies, toys, glitter and other attractive gifts through the opening at the top.
Hang your pinata from the ceiling and have fun breaking it.