DIY piñata - how to make it from a box or papier-mâché, how to break it and what to put inside

I’m sharing an idea that the kids liked at a recent holiday. Quite by accident I saw and bought a ready-made set of light plastic toys for the holiday, which someone very caring thought of putting in one bag. After a surprise balloon explodes or a piñata breaks, the kids try to find some interesting little things on the floor among the colorful tinsel. If you come across a small piece of candy, chewing gum or an eraser, it’s a huge success. They sometimes rejoice at such a find even more than at parting with souvenirs. Well, that's how kids are made.

I always tried to include something interesting, but I had to spend a lot of time purchasing small items from the online store. I chose the simplest path - purchasing several bags of paper cuts.

Large selection of piñatas for different holidays HERE.

By the way, along with the standard paper confetti, I started throwing in several packs of themed confetti. They are more expensive, but you can buy Minions, Cars, Angry Birds, and confetti for princesses. These are fairly dense and high-quality cardboard circles-squares, which children also collect as souvenirs, calling them “chips.” I don’t know how they are going to play with them, but they are sure to collect them. In one pack, as a rule, there are three types of confetti.

There are hollow toys in which you can put holiday little things yourself, and there are ready-made piñatas with filling. Here are a couple of examples:

Treasure chest

Among Us Cube

Sets of confetti with different pictures will also be very helpful. You can find thematic images and use them for a themed holiday even if the piñata is not figured, but has the shape of a number.

We dilute thematic bags with regular light paper cuts, otherwise the piñata will be heavy and all interest will be lost. Beautiful pictures need to be found among the tinsel - that’s the whole point.

What is a piñata and how to make it

This is the name given to a hollow toy, inside of which various sweets are placed. It is made using papier-mâché technique. Nuts and candies, small toys or even notes with wishes can also be used as surprise filling. It all depends on the celebration for which the pinata game is intended. It is based on ordinary balloons or boxes covered with old newspapers or toilet paper.

History of appearance

The idea of such fun entertainment belongs to Mexico, although, according to some sources, the piñata is a prototype of Chinese lanterns. In China, New Year celebrations have always been accompanied by the presence of a large figure of a bull or cow, which is filled with five types of seeds and flowers. After breaking, its remains were burned, people kept only the ashes. It was believed that next year would be so successful. In Mexico, this fun has become an attribute only for children's parties.

What is it for?

The toy itself is hung from a tree branch or other elements on the street or in the room. The child's eyes are blindfolded with thick cloth, after which he must hit the body of the product with a bat. As a result, sweets sprinkle from inside. Children must collect them, and the one who has the most will receive a special prize. It could be a car, a doll or any other toys and sweets.

Birthday pinata, where to hang it

The ideal place to place a piñata is an outdoor tree with a grassy lawn underneath it. But, even if there is no such lawn, you can lay a rug. It’s more difficult when a child has a holiday during the cold season. To place the piñata indoors, you will need to use a hook. It is attached to the ceiling at such a height that the child can reach the toy when the time comes to break it.

If you don’t have a place at home where you could nail a hook, then you can stand on a high chair and hold the piñata by the string in your hands. Just be careful that the happy blindfolded child doesn't hit your feet with a stick.

How to make a piñata with your own hands - step-by-step instructions

The first stage in manufacturing is gluing the frame. It can be done in two ways. In the first case, a balloon and not too wide strips of newspaper are used to cover it. The second option is to make a frame from thick cardboard. This method is suitable if it is assumed that there will be a piñata in the form of some animal, cartoon character or number.

From newspaper strips

This is a classic version of making a frame for this toy. The required materials and tools for this master class are as follows:

newspaper sheets;
balloon of the desired size;
flour;
water.

Instead of a flour and water paste, you can use regular PVA glue. Instructions for making a frame include the following steps:

Inflate the balloon to the required size and tie the end.
Cut newspaper strips. The optimal length is 20 cm, the recommended width is 1-2 cm.
Attach the first layer of newspapers to the ball using ordinary water. You should not seal the latex product completely - the tied end should remain intact. Through this hole you will put candy inside.
Wait until the first layer dries, then cover the ball with strips of newspaper using paste.

From the box with your own hands

The second method of making a frame is no less original. In this case, you can give it the shape of a heart, a multi-colored star, a horse or a number. The last option is especially relevant at a birthday celebration. The instructions for making the number “1” are as follows:

On a sheet of cardboard, draw the outline of the number twice and cut out the blanks with scissors.
Make additional strips that will be the sides of the frame.
Connect the cut out elements using paper tape.

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Pinata paste

The paste must be used immediately after cooling, so it must be boiled just before starting work. It does not keep ready for long. Can be applied with a narrow paint brush. To prepare you will need:

wheat flour - ¼ tbsp.;
starch - 2 tbsp;
cool water – 1 tbsp.;
boiling water – 0.5 l.

Although this method is called cooking, the paste is prepared a little differently. The instructions for this include the following simple steps:

Combine flour with starch.
Next, pour in cold water and stir.
Add the resulting solution to boiling water, stir until smooth and cool.

Decorating a piñata

After making the frame, you need to decorate it to get a beautiful piñata. The classic decoration option is corrugated or crepe paper. Paste the toy in a circle downwards with fringe, making each strip overlap. It will take about a day to dry, after which the product is ready for decoration. Depending on the purpose, it can be supplemented with eyes, ears, a tail, and made to look like Kinder Surprise, a heart, a crocodile, Mickey Mouse or other heroes. Main features of traditional Mexican piñatas:

they are decorated with ribbons of bright colors;
the classic form is the star of Bethlehem or the horse;
It could just be a holiday decoration, i.e. There is no need to fill it with candies and break it.

For a birthday

For a children's party, you can make a piñata in the shape of the sun, a toy or an animal. The most original option for a birthday is a number. This DIY piñata is suitable for a birthday boy of any age. Adults can use photographs of past years for decoration. Although the same is suitable for a baby, even if he is only 1 year old. The traditional decoration in the form of a cone-shaped cap will be no less original.

Halloween pinata

The classic Halloween piñata is the pumpkin. To decorate it you will need corrugated paper in orange, black and green colors. Another interesting design option is to make your own piñata in the shape of a ghost. In this case, you need corrugated paper in black and white. A bat made from a papier-mâché ball will look no less frightening.

For Christmas and New Year

You can make a New Year-themed piñata with your own hands in the form of a large Christmas tree ball or the tree itself, a snowman, a Christmas stocking or a wreath. For decoration, not only green or white corrugated paper is suitable, but also multi-colored ones. If you make an accessory in the shape of a Christmas candy, you will need white and red corrugated paper for decoration.

DIY piñata - master class with photos

Do-it-yourself piñatas in the themes of various cartoons are popular today. Favorite characters delight children. Manufacturing requires almost the same set of materials. The only differences are the color of the corrugated or wrapping paper and some decoration accessories. You can simply paste over the frame with images of cartoon characters, then the toy will also be made on a specific theme.

Angry Birds

The ball makes a very original do-it-yourself piñata in the style of the birds from the game Angry Birds. For the master class you will need the following:

balloon – 1 pc.;
filling – candies, small souvenirs;
water – 1 tbsp. + 5 tbsp.;
acrylic paints – red, white, black, beige;
flour – 1/4 cup;
red satin ribbon - to attach the piñata 1 pc.;
newspaper and paper - 7-8 sheets.

The easiest way to make a red bird from Angry Birds is to paint a balloon made using the papier-mâché technique. This is done like this:

Inflate the balloon, tie it, stick strips of newspaper moistened with water over the entire surface, and let the layer dry.
Mix flour with a glass of water. Bring the rest of the liquid to a boil and then add the flour mixture to it. Cook for 3 minutes, let cool.
Next, glue several layers of strips, preferably 2-3, made of paper, using paste. Each one should take about 8 hours to dry. Leave a hole near the tip that is not sealed.
After drying, burst the ball and take it out. Make 3-4 holes around the perimeter and insert the tape. Fill the toy with filling and seal the hole.
Outline the bird's face - eyes, beak and eyebrows, as shown in the photo, color.

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Spider-Man

Corrugated and regular colored paper will be used for decoration here. In general, the following materials will be required for the master class:

balloon – 1 pc.;
filling for the piñata - at your discretion;
water – 1 tbsp. + 5 tbsp.;
flour – 1/4 cup;
ribbon or rope – 1 pc. for hanging;
black paper – 2 sheets;
newspaper - 7-8 sheets;
corrugated red paper - 10-11 sheets;
shiny paper - 1 sheet.

You can take the first stages of making a frame and cooking paste in the previous master class. The finished piñata base just needs to be decorated:

After the frame has dried, burst the ball and take it out. Make a couple of holes near the hole at the top through which to thread the ribbon.
Cut strips of corrugated paper approximately 3 cm thick. Make cuts along the entire length of each, but not all the way to the end, to create a fringe.
Cover the entire piñata with the resulting strips. Next, cut out black lines approximately 1 cm thick from black paper. Glue them onto the workpiece, as shown in the figure, in the form of a web.
Cut out spider eyes from black and shiny paper and attach them on top of the cobweb.

Cold heart

The next version of the piñata is also made very simply, almost using classical technology. For the master class you will need:

balloon – 1 pc.;
filling – candies, tinsel, small souvenirs;
water – 1 tbsp. + 5 tbsp.;
acrylic paints – white and blue;
flour – 1/4 cup;
satin ribbons – 10-12 pieces;
newspaper - 7-8 sheets;
decorations – images of characters from the cartoon “Frozen”.

Instead of newspapers, you can use paper that is sold with shoes. Instructions for making a piñata with your own hands include the following steps:

Inflate the balloon and tie the end with a long thread.
Cut the newspaper into strips approximately 3 cm wide.
Place the ball on some kind of base - a saucepan or a jar.
Place newspaper on it in a crisscross pattern, simply moistened with water. Leave to dry for 2-3 hours.
Mix flour with a glass of water and boil the rest of the liquid. Then pour in the flour mixture, cook for 3 minutes over low heat, and cool.
Cover the ball with a second layer of newspaper, dipping it into the paste. Leave the part with the tip open. Let dry and apply another 1-2 layers.
After complete drying, cut off the tip of the ball and pull it out.
Pierce the bottom of the piñata with an awl or cut through it with a stationery knife, and insert a ribbon there. Cover the hole with paper.
Fold the filling inside, make several holes near the top hole, and insert the ribbon into them several times. Cover the hole with paper.
Mix acrylic paints and paint the piñata blue.
When dry, stick on top of the cartoon characters.

Pinata transformers

This DIY piñata is made from simple cardboard. This frame can have any shape you need. The list of materials and tools includes the following:

cardboard box - 2 large pieces;
blue corrugated paper – 10-12 sheets;
white and blue paper - 5-6 sheets each;
ribbon for hanging – 1 pc.;
water – 1 tbsp. + 5 tbsp.;
acrylic paints – white and blue;
flour – 1/4 cup;
scotch;
candy for filling.

The paste can be cooked using the technology described above from flour diluted with water. The piñata itself is made with your own hands according to the following instructions:

Cut out 2 blanks from cardboard, drawing a shape approximately like the Autobot’s face in the photo.
Cut the side parts and connect all the parts with tape.
Using ready-made paste and paper, cover the workpiece with 2-3 layers, allowing each layer to dry for 6-8 hours.
On the top part, closer to the edges, make two holes where you can insert the tape. Fill with candy and seal the holes.
Decorate the front part with blue paper using double-sided tape, and the rest with corrugated fringe.
On the front side paste the face of an Autobot, cut out of white paper according to the design.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle

The blank for this piñata can be made according to the master class of the bird from Angry Birds. The only thing that will differ is the decoration, which will require:

corrugated paper - green and orange;
printed eyes and mouth for a turtle.

After gluing and drying the ball, you can begin decorating it with the specified materials according to the following simple instructions:

Make a lot of fringe strips from green paper, almost covering the entire piñata, and only 4-5 from orange paper.
Paste the latter in the middle. Use green to decorate the remaining surface of the ball.
Fill with filling and cover the hole with adhesive tape.
Make a turtle bandana bow on the side, as shown in the photo.

Pirate pinata

Another type of piñata, where the blank is a ball using the papier-mâché technique. You can make it according to the instructions in the first master class. For decoration you will need:

black corrugated paper – 10-12 sheets;
orange corrugated paper - 1 sheet;
printed image of a skull – 1 pc.;
stick – 1 pc.;
black cardboard – 1 sheet.

The design here is very simple, even a child can handle it. Having made the blank, you can start decorating according to the following instructions:

Cut fringe into strips from black corrugated paper and cover the entire ball with them.
Paste an image of a skull on top.
Attach a short cylinder made of black cardboard to the side. Insert a stick into its center, and glue several short strips of orange corrugated paper to it.

Materials for work

Before starting the master class, you will need to prepare the following materials. 1. Large corrugated cardboard box. 2. Lots of beautiful paper, corrugated or decorative, the main thing is that it is easy to cut and glue. If you decide to decorate the toy with paper flowers, then, accordingly, you will need to prepare the necessary materials in sufficiently large quantities. 3. PVA glue or hot melt glue: PVA is more economical, and hot melt glue is more convenient to use. 4. Cord or strong ribbon about 20 cm long. 5. Gift filling. Time required: the entire master class can be completed in 1 evening if you prepare everything you need in advance.

How to fill a piñata

There are many options for filling a piñata for children. The main thing is not to use fragile, breakable or sharp objects that can injure the child and others. You don’t need to fill the toy completely, but about halfway, so that there is empty space left. This way the piñata will not be too heavy, but when struck, it will begin to swing and twist.

Sweets and tinsel

The classic filling of the toy is sweets. The candies should be light and small, because they will fall on the baby’s head. It is better to choose toffees and lollipops. Chocolates can be significantly damaged during the beating process. Another filling option is confetti and tinsel. Adding small pieces of foil can make breaking the piñata more spectacular.

Toys and souvenirs

When choosing toys to fill a piñata, you should know that they should be soft and small so as not to weigh down the structure and not to injure the child after breaking the product. Figures of soldiers, small cars are suitable when the hero of the occasion is a boy. Rubber bands, bracelets, bows and hairpins - such “stuffing” will be welcome at a girl’s party.