These mini pineapple pinatas came out super cute. Plus, the method I used to make them is super easy. You are going to love it!
There are many ways to make a piñata. You can make the base out of cardboard, papier-mache, and even clay. Clay is the old school way, and I don’t recommend it, especially if you’re planning to have kids break it with a bat!
After your base is complete, you have to decorate your piñata. This part can be fun, but sometimes it’s very time-consuming, especially if you try to make a pattern or have a large piñata. I usually use streamers or tinsel to decorate my pinatas, but sometimes I also like to skip those materials and paint right over the papier-mache.
This post is about making mini pineapple pinatas and a simple method I use to make piñatas quickly.
Pineapple Pinata
When you make papier-mache pinatas, some instructions call for water and flour to adhere the paper together. The flour leaves a yellow hue, and it’s very grainy. To make things easier, we will use school glue and water for this project. There’s no hue and no grainy flour left over, and even better, we don’t have to cover the piñata with any paper or tinsel, yay!
Cut or rip the white and yellow pieces of paper into small strips (about 1.5-inch by 2-inch strips).
Place the balloon on top of the ramekin.
Then, begin to cover the balloon with the white strips of paper. Dip one strip at a time and remove all excess liquid by running the paper between your fingers. Be sure to leave a 2-inch opening on top (where you tie the knot).
Once the balloon is covered with the white paper, start to cover it with the yellow strips. Don’t worry about smoothing out the yellow paper. The little creases make the little pineapple more realistic. Repeat as many times as needed, until all the white paper is covered.
That is all! Wait for it to dry, and then decorate it with the leaves and happy face template below.
While the Pineapple dries, download and print the pineapple leaf template. Use regular paper for the leaf and print the faces on sticker paper.
Trace the pineapple leaf on green cardstock paper. You will need three leaves per pinata. Glue together with a hot glue gun. Roll and insert them on top of the pinata (inside the 2-inch gap). See the picture below.
Print the face of the pinata on sticker paper. Cut and place on the side of the pinata.
Done! Fill the pinata with confetti, candy, and small toys. I like to make my own confetti with a punch machine like this one.
Before the pandemic, I was going to use these pinatas as decoration for a summer party. The pandemic canceled all my party plans, but I still love how these little pineapple pinatas came out. Even if there are no parties in the near future, this method is easy and fun to make party favors or a quick craft with your kiddos.
