Homemade Pinata: Day 1

When I was growing up I liked any reason to celebrate (and I still do). I remember in elementary school learning about Cinco De Mayo and then insisting my mom help me throw a party for it. For a few years in a row at my insistence on the fifth of May we would have some neighbors over for tacos and a pinata. A pinata that my mom made.

I had forgotten she knew how to make them until about a month ago she helped my daughter make one for her birthday. It was a huge hit. My daughter loved helping and surprisingly did a lot of the work and even picking the treats for inside was just as fun as the breaking part. She keeps asking if we can make another so I figured, it's almost May, why not in time for a small celebration.

It takes a few days to do because it has to dry between layers so this tutorial will be in parts but you can follow along and have one made in time for your own Cinco De Mayo celebration if you want (it doesn't have to be for that, birthdays are great but they are also fun to do just because sometimes).

There are some supplies you will need on the first day and some you won't need until the end, so I will break it up for you.

Day 1 and 2:
- Newspaper
- Balloon
- String
- Flour
- Water

Day 3
- Tissue Paper
- Elmer's Glue
- Scissors
- Heavier String
- Masking Tape
- Fillings

To begin I cover my table with newspaper, but it actually cleans up pretty easily if you have a table cloth or table you usually do crafts on. Put on craft cloths or an apron, it comes out of fabric fine as well but then you just worry less.

Blow up your balloon (or if you can't tie a balloon like me have your husband do it before he leaves for work), pretty big actually helps, because a small pinata won't hold much. Tie some string around the knot so you can hang it to dry when you are finished.

Tear some newspaper into strips, I don't know exactly how much because it depends on your balloon size but today we had a few pages of ads.

The width of your strips doesn't matter too much, but some of them I ripped in half by length to make them easier to work with.

Take a large cookie sheet and pour flour on it, I used about a cup.

Then add water and mix with your hand. I just add a little water at a time until I get the consistency right. It should feel about like elmers glue. It will be a little clumpy but that's fine. 

Then taking a strip of newspaper, dip it into the flour/water mixture and then press it onto the balloon. There isn't an exact science to this, which makes it great for kids to help, because if there is too much liquid on your newspaper you just press it out and rub it around your balloon and if there isn't enough just take a little more with your fingers to stick it on. 

The papers can crisscross any way and overlap when needed. Your whole balloon will end up sticky and covered. 

When the balloon is covered hang it to dry. I hang it in my storage room, above the washer. It's usually not very drippy but I leave a towel underneath just in case. 

It will take a day or two to dry completely, which is important before adding the second layer. Check back in a couple of days for the second part of the tutorial. 

Day Two, Day Three