Piñata for the Pint-sized People

Homemade piñata was a happy byproduct of a fun mess with the kids; getting crafty with recyclables. Win-Win!

• large flat cardboard
• scrap paper
• toilet paper rolls
• masking tape
• flour
• paint
• fishing line

Project planning with a draft sketch a la my 5 year old.

Outlining the shape (coloring in the lines).

Cut it out.

Use this as a guide for the second shape of the form.

These end up being the perfect width for the structure. Cut along the seam of the rolls to unravel them.

Masking tape the rolls to the shapes. Then, tape both sides together to make the form.

Boil water, add 1:1 water and flour until congealed into a thick mixture.

Cut/rip paper strips to dip into the starch mixture. Reminder that if it’s too wet, the structure may collapse and/or have a ridiculously long drying time. Once you dip the strips, squeegee the strip with your fingers to remove excess starch, lay around the form like a bandage, wrap it all over. Almost there… paper mâché dried, and ready for paint.

More messy fun! We used acrylic for this final step.

Cut a door at the top for candy install, and string fishing line through the top. (I reinforced the holding point with some hot glue.) Let it Swing! Batter’s up!