How to Make a Papier-Mâché Piñata Over a Balloon

What do you need for a balloon papier-mâché piñata?

The basic kit is a latex balloon, newspaper, paste, strong cord for the hanger and tissue or crepe paper for decorating. The balloon sets the size:

• 12 in (30 cm) balloon: a small to medium piñata and a good first project.
• 16–18 in (40–45 cm) balloon: a medium-large piñata for a typical birthday group.
• 24 in (60 cm) or larger: a big piñata that needs an extra layer, more paste and noticeably longer drying.

Inflate the balloon a little below its maximum so it doesn't burst as the room warms. Newsprint is the classic paper because it tears cleanly and breaks predictably; kraft paper and paper bags are much tougher, so use fewer layers if you switch. Anyone with a latex allergy should not handle the balloon; a cardboard piñata is a latex-free alternative.

What is the best paper mache paste for a piñata?

Any of these pastes builds a good shell. Each flour recipe makes roughly 2–3 cups (500–700 ml), usually enough for two or three layers on a 12 in balloon.

• No-cook flour paste (fastest): whisk 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour into 1 to 1½ cups (240–360 ml) water with 1 tablespoon salt until smooth and about as thick as thin pancake batter.
• Cooked flour paste, or engrudo (smoothest): whisk ½ cup (60 g) flour into 1 cup (240 ml) cold water. Bring 2 more cups (480 ml) of water to a boil, stir in the flour mixture and simmer, stirring, for 2–3 minutes until it thickens and looks slightly translucent. Cool it completely before use, and thin it with warm water if it sets too thick. An adult should handle the stove.
• Glue and water (wheat-free): mix about 2 parts white school glue with 1 part water. It resists humidity and mold better than flour paste, but it costs more and dries harder, so use it for one layer or for display piñatas rather than every layer of a strike piñata.

Cover leftover flour paste and keep it in the refrigerator for a day or two; throw it out if it smells sour. For a full beginner walkthrough, start with how to make a piñata step by step.

How many layers of papier-mâché does a piñata need?

For a piñata that children will hit, three layers of newsprint is a reliable starting point. Use two layers for small children who swing gently, and four for older kids and adults or for balloons 24 in (60 cm) and up.

• Lay each layer in a different direction, or alternate plain newsprint with colored pages, so bare spots are easy to see.
• Add one extra layer only over the top quarter, around the hanger, where the load is.
• Resist the urge to keep adding layers. An over-built piñata can take many hard swings without opening, which frustrates children and invites wilder swinging.

How long does papier-mâché take to dry?

Each layer has to dry all the way through before the next goes on. Times depend on temperature, humidity and airflow; these are typical ranges, not guarantees:

Moving air helps most: run a fan on low and turn the balloon every few hours. Keep it out of direct sun and away from heaters. Heat expands the balloon and can crack or warp the shell, and a heater is a fire risk. The shell is ready when it is light, stiff and evenly colored, with no cool or soft spots. A damp shell sealed up with fringe and candy can grow mold.

How do you make the points for a star piñata?

1. Roll poster board or thin card into a cone and tape the seam. For a shell made on a 12 in balloon, cones about 8–10 in (20–25 cm) long with a 4–5 in (10–12 cm) base look balanced.
2. Trim the base so it sits flat against the curve of the shell.
3. Snip around the base every ½ in (1 cm), about ½ in deep, and fold the tabs outward.
4. Tape or glue the tabs to the dry shell, then cover each joint with two layers of papier-mâché strips and let them dry.
5. Fringe each cone and add a tissue-paper tassel at the tip.

Space the cones evenly so the piñata hangs level. Many makers set them in a ring, like the rays of a star, with the hanger between the two top points. Five points is common and seven is traditional. Leave the cones empty; the treats go in the center.

Where should you leave the filling hole and hanger?

Leave a circle about 3 in (8 cm) across uncovered around the balloon's knot. Once the balloon is out, trim it to a 3–4 in (8–10 cm) opening for filling, and close it later with a taped cardboard patch.

The strongest hanger is built in. After the first layer dries, lay two 2 ft (60 cm) cords in an X across the top, a quarter turn from the knot, knot their middles into a loop, tape the ends down the sides and cover them with the remaining layers. To add a hanger to a finished shell, punch two holes 2 in (5 cm) apart at the top. Thread both cord ends in through the holes, pull them out through the filling hole, knot them through a small cardboard rectangle and draw it back up flat against the inside. Tape over the holes.

Why does a traditional piñata have seven points?

Piñatas are closely tied to Mexico, where they appear at birthdays and at the posadas, the nine nights of celebrations before Christmas. The custom is usually said to have arrived with Spanish missionaries in the 1500s, who used it in religious teaching, and some historians also point to similar pre-Hispanic ceremonies. European versions are often linked to the Italian word pignatta, a clay pot.

In the traditional interpretation, the seven points stand for the seven deadly sins, the blindfold for faith, and the treats that fall out for the reward of resisting temptation. Classic piñatas were built around an olla de barro; papier-mâché and cardboard are the usual choices today. All Pinatas has more on traditional star piñatas.