Breaking a piñata during a party is fun not only for children, but also for adults. It involves a lot of fun and laughter, as well as interesting gifts. We invite you to find out what a piñata is, how to make it with your own hands and how to play it correctly.
What is a piñata and what does it look like?
A pinata is a painted and decorated cardboard of a certain shape, inside of which there are sweets, tinsel and gifts. Most often, it is made in the Mexican style. It differs not only in the way it opens, but also in appearance – size and shape. The toy can be in the form of a decorated ball or have a more complex shape. Everything is just your own imagination, based on the theme of the party.
Breaking a piñata is a popular Christmas custom in Mexico and other Latin American countries. This symbolizes Satan, breaking a toy means a person’s fight against evil, and sweets falling from it are a sign of God’s mercy and goodness. Nowadays, this custom is not associated with religious rites, but only with fun and celebration. There are a huge number of videos on the Internet of how a piñata is broken at various celebrations. This kind of fun leaves no one indifferent.
Often there are piñatas resembling animals, snowmen or clowns. You can find them in universal shapes, designed for both boys and girls:
- cartoon characters;
- geometric shapes (ball, box, rhombus, etc.);
- fairy-tale animals (unicorns);
- themed items (Christmas tree, heart, bottle of champagne, etc.);
- natural phenomena (rainbow, sun, clouds);
- toys, etc.
A piñata is made from cardboard and decorative elements such as construction paper, tissue paper, ribbon or glitter. You can buy it ready-made or make it yourself. Moreover, they do not require much labor and you can save a lot of money.
The shape of piñatas for adults is slightly different from those for children. It’s easy to guess what options are chosen as entertainment for bachelor and hen parties. In other cases, it is prepared in the shape of movie characters, fruits, vegetables, celebrities or politicians.
Piñatas are broken at birthdays, outdoor events and other celebrations. Attempts to get sweets are always accompanied by positive emotions, bursts of laughter and cries of joy. That’s why it’s a great idea to make the birthday party more attractive.
How to make a piñata with your own hands
Commercially available piñatas are relatively expensive, but you still have to fill them with sweets yourself. Initially, the toy was a simple clay vessel filled with sweets and small coins. Over time, it began to be made from other materials and decorated with various, often bizarre shapes. It’s easy to create such an interesting game yourself from cardboard. This will require a little time and patience.
What to put inside
Filling a piñata is a creative flight of fancy. The most important thing is that the sweets and gifts inside should not be chocolate, soft or large, i.e. those that can melt, break or get stuck in the resulting holes when hit with a stick.
A good solution are:
- hard small candies;
- chewing gum;
- hairpins;
- erasers;
- sticker sets;
- mini bars;
- confetti;
- balls from leftover tissue paper;
- pompoms and sequins;
- inflated mini-balloons.
Small gifts for all children on their birthday will not leave anyone indifferent – small keychains, mini-talismans, mini-notebooks, small pens or markers – there are a lot of options. The more colorful the toy and the more interesting the filling, the better. However, it is worth remembering that it should not turn out to be too large and heavy.
The piñata can also be filled with small gifts for partygoers. Each of them must be packaged separately and signed. In some cases, parents fill it with various surprises: sweets, small toys, gadgets and even money.
When it comes to sweets, you can choose the birthday boy’s favorite treats and also add lesser-known flavors to surprise your guests. Small toys can be adapted to the age and interests of the birthday person, such as colorful pens, small puzzles, playing cards or gadgets related to a favorite fairy tale character.
As for money, you can place bills or coins of different denominations inside. This is great entertainment for children and adults, which will remain in the memory of the birthday boy and his guests for a long time.
Manufacturing
To make a piñata for a holiday party, you will need a few necessary things that can be easily purchased at any large supermarket or office supply store.
Collect:
- cardboard;
- scissors or paper cutter;
- hot glue;
- a thread;
- decorative tissue paper or other decorations;
- pencil;
- a simple stick for breaking a piñata.
Piñatas can come in many different shapes, but if you want to make your own, it’s best to choose something simple – rainbow, cloud, sun, etc.
Diluted PVA glue can be successfully used as a binder for a piñata. Hot glue works equally well, as it becomes sticky at high temperatures and hardens when it cools. You can use glue for repairing items, making crafts, and art projects. Hand held hot glue guns are the most practical way to apply glue.
All actions must be performed step by step:
- Cut the cardboard along the folds.
- Draw the selected pattern on one part and cut it out, then cut out the same pattern on another part of the cardboard.
- From the remaining cardboard, cut out the sides, i.e., strips approximately 10 cm thick. They should have teeth, which, after bending and applying glue, connect the sides to the walls.
- Hot glue the side parts (curved parts) to one of the walls, and when the glue has cooled, connect the other part to them.
- Do not use tape for gluing – the toy cannot be too strong and indestructible – after all, children must break it, and the candies from it will fall to the ground.
- In a selected and inconspicuous place, cut out a small door through which you can add sweets and tinsel. Once filled, cover them with glue and a small strip of paper to make them invisible.
- Make a slot in the top so that you can attach the toy to the desired location.
Externally you can decorate with corrugated paper or colored foil. Cut the crepe paper into strips and glue them together to thoroughly disguise the gray texture. Fill the toy with sweets or other small items, cover the hole with colored tissue paper, and you’re all set. This can also be a craft option for a child in kindergarten.
When making a piñata, remember that you will need a stick or bat to break it. It is worth making it as attractive as the toy itself. Preparing such a tool should not be a problem – it can be easily made, for example, by wrapping a brush stick in colored tissue paper.
In some cases, the piñata is made from papier-mâché. However, this technique requires more time and effort. This stage lasts from 2 to 5 days depending on the temperature and ventilation conditions of the room. There is little point in wasting time and effort on this.
How to play piñata correctly
The point of the piñata is to hit it until it breaks – then surprises come out and everyone collects as much as they can. A stick is usually used for breaking, which can also be decorated.
There are several ways to increase the difficulty of the game for adults:
- blindfold the participants. This adds even more intrigue and excitement;
- spin a person around to make balancing difficult;
- turn off the lights and turn on loud music. Gives even more of a festive atmosphere.
The gift box can be hung anywhere. On a tree, if the celebration is on the street, under the door frame or to the ceiling. Before the game starts, the figure is slightly jiggled to make the task more difficult. Guests hit the toy until its contents fall to the ground.
You should remember the safety precautions – children should not stand near the place of play or close to the person who is hitting it.
You can have a little competition to see who can destroy their toy in the fastest time. Several people can participate in the competition, both individually and in teams. It all depends on the number of people gathered and the rules of the game that you come up with.