Make a Pinata: Step-by-Step Instructions

We've been making home-made pinatas in our family for years. It's a fun, hands-on craft the kids and I have enjoyed doing together. As you read through these easy-to-follow steps, feel free to add any of your own ideas and then have some quality fun time with the kids creating your own home-made pinata.

To make the pinata, you will need: one large balloon, newspaper, flour, water, a plastic mixing bowl with a lid, and a strainer.

Step 1: Inflate balloon to the size you want the pinata to be. Set in strainer.

Step 2: Tear newspaper into strip or pieces that you will be able to paste to the balloon.

Step 3: Mix 1-2 cups flour with enough water to make a pasty consistency (not too runny & not to thick).

Step 4: Dip a newspaper piece into the flour paste covering both sides, remove excess paste with fingers, place newspaper piece on balloon and smooth with fingers. Repeat this step many times until you have completely covered the balloon (flip the balloon over to put newspaper layer on bottom). Repeat all of step 4 to do a second layer.

Step 5: Put the lid on the flour paste and place it in the refrigerator to save for later. Let newspaper layers dry. You should flip the balloon over at some point to let the bottom dry better. For faster drying, set balloon in front of a fan.

Step 6: Repeat all of step 4 again to add at least 2 more layers. I recommend at least 4-6 newspaper layers to make a strong pinata.

Step 7: Refrigerate the flour paste again if you have any left. Let newspaper layers completely dry. This may require letting the balloon dry over night. Remember to flip the balloon to allow the bottom to dry and to use a fan for faster drying.

Now you will need to fill the pinata You will need: a knife (a steak knife works well), candy to put in the pinata and all the supplies you used to make the pinata

Step 1: Cut a hole through the newspaper layers somewhere in the side of the balloon. I usually cut 3 sides of a square and open the flap. Put the candy in the pinata. Close the flap.

Step 2: Use newspaper and flour paste to seal the opening closed. Put a few layers over the area where you cut the pinata open.

Step 3: Let the sealed area dry. Use a fan for quicker drying.

Now it's time to decorate your pinata. You can choose to paint your pinata or cover it with colored streamers.

To paint your pinata, you will need: craft paint (acrylic or washable depending on the age of the children you are doing this with), paintbrushes, a cup of water, newspaper, and a damp cleaning rag (for any mess you need to clean up while painting)

Step 1: Set the pinata (in the strainer) on some newspaper to prevent a mess.

Step 2: Paint the pinata any way you want. Get creative, there's no limit to what you can do. To paint the bottom of the pinata, just let the top dry and then flip the pinata over.

Step 3: When you're done painting, let it dry and you have a completed pinata.

If you want to cover your pinata with colored streamers, you will need: colored streamers and flour paste.

You can cover the pinata with flour paste and wrap different colored streamers around it or you can decorate one area at a time by putting flour paste on that area and putting pieces of different colored streamers on it. You can get very creative with the streamers. You can crunch pieces up and paste them on. You can have areas with long streamers hanging off of the pinata. You can overlap pieces of different colored streamers. Just be creative and have fun.

Step 1: Put flour paste on pinata.

Step 2: Place streamers where you have flour paste.

Step 3: Let it dry and you have a completed pinata.

If you want to get fancy with decorating your pinata, you can use cardboard or paper cups (unwaxed) to make protruding shapes to attach to your pinata before you paint it or put streamers on it. Just use newspaper strips and flour paste to attach the cardboard shapes of paper cups and let it dry before decorating. The possibilities are endless when it comes to creating your own unique home-made pinata.