It’s Children’s Day in Honduras! What better way to celebrate the kodomo kid in all of us than with a couple of swings at a festive piñata! Fill with candy of your choice, invite some friends over, and enjoy!

You will need:

Newspaper (strips of approx 3″ by 3″)
Flour Paste (approx 1 part flour to 2 parts water)
PVA Glue
Large Round Balloon
Paper Fringe Garlands or colored tissue paper

Time:

Without counting the time taken to dry the piñata this whole project should take around 10 minutes each papier mache layer and then another 10-20 minutes to decorate with fringing.

Method:

– Firstly inflate a big balloon to your required size. Our big balloons inflate to 36″ (3ft) which is very large so we inflated to around 20″. 

– Make up your flour paste—one part flour to two parts water—until it becomes a consistency of double (thick) cream.

– Use nice big generous strips of newspaper to cover your balloon. Dip the paper in the paste then cover the balloon leaving a circle of 2″ wide at the base of the balloon (this is so that you can fill your piñata). No need to be neat!

– Leave to dry (in the summer it will dry in the sun very quickly, in winter I dry in a warm oven (the oven should not be too hot, ideally one that has been heated and then turned off) or alternatively next to a radiator or dehumidifier.

– When dry add a second layer of newspaper and leave to dry again. if you are making the piñata for adults, add a third layer to make it extra-strong.

– When completely dry pop and remove the balloon.

– To create a handle to hang your piñata- using a skewer or other sharp implement insert two holes one either side of your stuffing hole, insert a length of string to hang.

– Now to cover the piñata. This can be done with strips of tissue/crepe paper, cut into fringes and apply, but I have found a far quicker method and that is to use fringe garlands! This method is super quick and easy.

– To apply the fringe garlands I use PVA (it is less messy that the flour glue), Use a pencil to outline your design and then get creative!! Leave some overhang from the garland to stuff inside the piñata’s hole; It’s not too clear in this image below but if you leave a good six inches of garland hanging over the hole then once you have filled the piñata you can stuff this over-hang inside, this will seal the hole and hide it ready to hang.

-Hang the piñata from a tree (with lots of clear space around) and take turns having a go! Remember, Health and Safety!! 😉