I had a friend ask me how to make a piñata crown for her daughter’s first birthday. Well if she wanted a piñata that was round the easiest way to do that is with a balloon, but this was going to be a bit harder to get the shape of a crown. So this is what I came up with for her.
First the materials you will need are:
Cardboard
Scissors
Sharp knife
Newspaper (lots of it)
Glue/flour and water works well too (you will need lots of it)
Plastic bag such as a garbage bag or grocery sack
Ribbon
Tissue paper to cover the piñata
Bakers rack
This is how you are going to make the princess crown piñata.
For a crown I would use card board taped together in the shape of the crown and make it 3-d so you can stuff candy in it.
Next wrap a garbage bag or plastic grocery bag around it (because if you use glue, the glue will “stick” to whatever you’re covering and you’re going to want to remove the cardboard so kids can break it).
Cut newspaper into 1 inch wide strips (as long as you want-however if kids are helping, shorter lengths are easier for them to work with).
Pour a large container (or two depending on how big your crown is) of glue into a paper bowl.
Have the kids dip the newspaper strips into the glue, use their fingers to wipe the excess off as they pick it up out of the bowl, then place it onto the crown. Cover completely with newspaper/glue.
Place the crown on a baking rack over newspaper to dry overnight (if it’s excessively wet you may need to let it set 2 days until its hard).
Cut the bottom of the crown out with a sharp knife. Remove all cardboard.
Fill with candy or prizes.
Tape the cardboard bottom back on (strong enough to hold the prize inside but loose enough for your daughter to pull open-i use scotch tape and it works great).
Glue shiny ribbon to the bottom cardboard piece of the crown.
take tissue paper and crunch it up and then glue it onto the crown and cover it completely so you don’t see any newspaper. Allow it to dry. And then take construction or wrapping paper and cover the bottom cardboard but leave a hole so the ribbon can hang down.
The reason for the ribbon is because a 1 year old won’t be able to hit the pinata with a stick or anything – it is easier for them to pull things so they can pull on the ribbon and the prize will fall out for them.you’re covering and you’re going to want to remove the cardboard so kids can break the piñata.
Pour a large container (or two depending on the size of your crown) of glue into a paper bowl.
Have the kids dip the newspaper strips into the glue, use their fingers to wipe the excess glue off as they pick it up out of the bowl then place it onto the crown. Cover completely with this newspaper and glue. You may want to make 2 or 3 layers.
Place the crown on a baking rack over newspaper to dry overnight. If it is excessively wet you may need to let it set for 2 days until it gets hard.
Cut the bottom of the crown out with a sharp knife and remove all the cardboard from inside. The newspaper glue that has hardened should stay holding the shape of the crown for you without the cardboard being in it.
Fill with candy or prizes.
Tape the cardboard bottom back on. Tape it strong enough to hold in the prizes but easy enough to pull down and open. I use scotch tape for this and it seems to work well.
Glue shiny ribbon to the bottom of the cardboard piece of the crown.
Take tissue paper and scrunch it up and the glue it onto the crown. Make sure to cover it completely so you don’t see any newspaper.
Allow it to dry.
Take construction paper or wrapping paper that matches the color of the crown and glue it to the bottom of the crown to cover up the cardboard, but leave a hole so the ribbon can dangle down.
The reason for the ribbon is that a one year old won’t be able to hit the piñata with a stick or something, it is easier for them to pull things so they can pull on the ribbon and the prizes will fall out and everyone will run in to get them and be just as happy.
However since the top part is not cardboard you could also have older kids take turns trying to break it open. The more layers of newspaper/glue you put on it the stronger it will be and harder to hit open with a bat or stick.
