go to DLTK's Homepage
25 Newest  Activites
Top 10 Activities

  
[Countries and Cultures]   [Mexico]
  

DLTK's Crafts for Kids
Simple Paper Bag Pinata

This is a very simple version of a Pinata making it a suitable craft to do with large groups of children.  It's a lot less messy than the paper mache version.

The one in the photo was made by my 8 year old.  Age 3+ could make this craft.

Materials:

bulletpaper lunch bag
bulletnewspaper
bulletcandy or other treats
bulletdifferent colors of tissue paper
bulletscissors
bulletglue
bullethole punch
bulletstring

Instructions:

bulletPut candy or treats into the paper bag
 
bulletScrunch up a piece of newspaper and put it in the bag.  Repeat until the bag is full, with the newspaper about 1 inch below the top of the bag (we need the inch so we can close the bag later)
 
bulletCut strips of tissue paper 3 to 6 inches wide and long enough to wrap around the bag  (the wider you cut the strips, the quicker the craft will go)
 
bulletFringe the strips by using your scissors to cut about 1/2 way up each strip, 1 to 4 inches apart

bulletGlue the strips around the bag, starting at the BOTTOM -- only glue the uncut part, don't get any glue on the fringes.


 

bulletWhen you glue on the second strip, overlap it so it comes about to where you cut the fringe.

bullet

Repeat until you've covered the entire bag again leaving about 1 inch free at the top
 

bullet

Punch holes all the way around the top of the bag. 
 

bullet

Lace a piece of string or wool around the holes and pull tight (You may need to pull out a bit of your newspaper or add a bit extra at this point).  Tie in a loop so you can hang it
 

bullet

Cut 4 or 5 long strips of tissue paper and glue them to the bottom of the bag as streamers.
 

bullet

When all the children have made their pinatas, you can hang them up for decorations OR you can let them whack their bag with a stick until their candy falls out 
bullet

be very careful that they don't hit each other...

bullet

I use skipping ropes, to rope off a small circle inside a large circle. 

bullet

The stick (and whoever is using it) stays inside the small circle.  When the person's done using it, they have to put the stick down inside the small circle before they go back to the audience.

bullet

The audience stays outside the large circle

bullet

At most parties, remembering the rules of the circles becomes as much of a game for the kids as whacking the pinata.

 

 

Printable version of these instructions