Hobbies And Interests
Things You'll Need
Instructions
Make a papier-mâché paste by combining ½ cup of flour with 2 cups of cold water. Add the mixture to 2 cups of boiling water in a saucepan. Stir gently to remove all of the lumps. To preserve the paste for later use, pour 1 tbsp. salt into the mixture. The paste will thicken as it cools.
Blow up the balloon. Be sure it is at least 14 inches in diameter. A round balloon works best for all characters. Be sure to tie the end so the balloon stays inflated.
Cover the entire balloon with strips of newspaper that are three-quarters of an inch wide. Dip a strip of newspaper into the paste, and smooth the strip onto the balloon. Repeat until most of the balloon is covered. Leave two small holes about a half-inch in diameter about 1 inch apart at the top for balloon-popping and hanging purposes. Allow the strips to dry completely, and add a second layer. Allow the second layer to harden.
Pop the balloon with a pin, and cut out a three-sided flap about the size of a fist on one side of the papier-mâché structure with scissors. Remove the remains of the balloon from this opening. Use this opening to put the treats inside the piñata before setting up for the party.
Look through a coloring book featuring your child's favorite cartoon character, and find pictures depicting the best facial features of the character. Enlarge the images to where the eyes, nose and mouth fill the piñata. Attach them to a piece of poster board with glue, cut each feature (eyes, ears, nose) out and set aside.
Paint the entire piñata the same color as the character's face. For example, if your character is Dora the Explorer, paint the piñata tan brown. If the piñata is SpongeBob SquarePants, paint it a bright yellow. If it is Blue from "Blue's Clues," paint it light blue. Apply two coats of poster paint so the newspaper will not show through. For smoother coverage, let the first coat dry before adding the second.
Glue the character's features (eyes, nose, mouth) onto the painted piñata, and let them dry completely.
Choose a medium-point marker that matches the character's colors. For instance, if your character is Dora, use a brown marker. If it is SpongeBob, use a black marker. If it is Blue, use a dark blue marker. Draw over the line art from the coloring book to enhance the character's features.
Add more characteristics to the cartoon character once the basics are in place. For example, if your character is Dora, paint black hair on the piñata. If it is SpongeBob, add large gray sponge-hole circles to his body. If it is Blue, paint on his darker-blue spots. Two layers of paint should provide adequate opacity.
Add features such as ears, legs or arms to your cartoon character piñata using colorful construction paper. Cut the features to the proper proportions, and glue them to a piece of poster board so they have support. Cut a piece of construction paper for the front and one for the back. Leave an extra half-inch at the bottom of the feature so you can make a flap to attach to the piñata.
Thread string through the holes at the top of the piñata so you can tie and hang it.
Fill the piñata with goodies and treats (money, candy, anything you feel is appropriate as a small party favor for guests).