Want to make sure your guests have a smashing time at your next party? Then get a pinata! A piñata is always a popular party game for people of every age. And whatever your theme, plan ahead and you will be sure to find a pinata to either make or buy that captures your party theme perfectly!
Part of the fun of having a pinata is that they also make a great decoration. A well-chosen pinata can be the perfect addition to your party decor. Whatever your event or party theme make sure you check out our party website as we have almost 100 options for you to choose from. Alternatively if you are feeling a little crafty there are loads of videos online which show you how to make your own pinata. Just make sure you make it ahead of time so it has time to dry.
When deciding which pinata to choose, make sure you consider the age of your party guests. Most pinatas are the sort which you need to hit with a stick to break. However, for very young children you may prefer to hunt around to find (or make) a pinata which comes with a pull string (which avoids any risk of accidents).
An essential part of the pinata preparation is planning its filling. Wrapped sweets are the obvious choice, but you can also include other lightweight treasures – confetti, chocolate coins, mini bubbles, small trinkets, blow-outs, or medals. The amount of candies you’ll fill up in the piñata depends on the number of guests you’re expecting for the party and also the size of your pinata. Make sure you use sweets that come in wrappers as the pinata contents will be landing on the ground.
A typical (medium-sized) pinata that you buy in a shop can hold a maximum of about a kilo of filling – that is about 100 sweets. Some of the smaller piñatas can hold only confetti and sweets and nothing else. But there are sturdier and larger piñatas that you can either buy or make which will hold more weight (closer to 1.5 kg) and a larger variety of treasures. As discussed below we suggest keeping some loot at hand to share with the smaller kids who may not get beaten to the loot by the faster, bigger kids.
How to hang a pinata
To hang a pinata securely, it is necessary to have a good quality rope and solid support.
Here are a few suggestions for the best places to hang a pinata:
You can hang the piñata from a stout tree branch providing it is strong enough to support the weight of the piñata. Make sure that there is plenty of free space below the tree for your party guests to take a hit freely.
If you have two trees in your yard, you can tie a rope between the trees and then hang the pinata from the centre. Keep in mind that the pinata must be high enough so that it is challenging enough for the players.
Don’t have a suitable tree? Hang your pinata from your basketball hoop.
If there is no suitable spot outdoors, look for wood or steel support beams in the attic or a pergola. Just make sure there is enough room for everyone to gather and swing a stick without the risk of hitting or breaking anything or anyone.
The piñata is a fun party game that both kids and adults enjoy. A traditional piñata is hung at a certain height with players taking turns to hit the piñata with a stick or pinata buster until it breaks open. Then everyone races to collect the sweets and other treats that fall out onto the ground below. To avoid accidents and ensure the game is played fairly it’s a good idea to have an adult supervise the game.
video by the Bowie family via YouTube
1. Before the game begins, give a party favour bag to each kid, so that they’re ready to collect the goodies in their respective sacks. Helpful hint: having supervised numerous pinata games over the years we suggest keeping a stack of goodies to share with the smaller kids at the end of the game (as this tends to be a game where the biggest and fastest kids manage to scoop up most of the loot). This way, nobody will be disappointed (and tears can be avoided).
2. Time to line up the players. As the supervising adult you can decide who goes in what order. Generally, it is a good idea to let the youngest kids go first so that everyone gets a chance to have a hit. (Be warned - some of the older kids can break a pinata open surprisingly fast).
3. When it is their turn, each player (except very young kids) should be blindfolded, be spun around three times, and then have three turns at hitting the pinata with the stick. To avoid accidents make sure the other players keep well clear - at least 4.5 metres from the player with the stick.
After each player has had three turns, if the piñata is still unbroken, start the game again but with only two turns per player this time. At the end of this round, if the piñata still remains unbroken, offer one turn per player.
4. You can make the game more challenging for older players by having someone volunteer to control the rope of the piñata. Lowering and raising the pinata while someone is trying to take their hit will make the game significantly harder for the experienced pinata players - and provide a lot of laughs for the audience.
5. Once the piñata is broken open, ask the crowd to wait until you count to 10 before they rush to the spot to collect their goodies. This gives enough time for the last player to remove the blindfold and drop the stick so as to not hit anyone accidentally. (Be prepared however that the crowd probably won’t wait for you to finish counting).
And there you have it. Wishing you a smashing time at your next party.
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