A pinata full of lollies is a great kids' party game.


Here's a wonderfully simple craft project using papier mache, something most of us tried at school.

It's a pinata (pronounced pin-yata), a traditional Mexican party attraction, which we made in the shape of a rooster. The pinata is painted in bright colours, filled with sweets and suspended from the branch of a tree. No children's party should be without one

Children hit the pinata with sticks to break it open and the showering of sweets (as any child will verify) represents luck and good fortune.

You'll need
Balloon
Starch paste or Clag
3cm paintbrush
Newspaper
Sticky tape, scissors
Craft knife
Cardboard
Two 30cm cardboard tubes from plastic or paper lunch wrap
Coloured tape
Undercoat paints (we used White Knight Splashes range in Ming Blue, Sun Yellow, Orange, White, Black, Burgundy)
Paintbrushes
2m string or twine

Here's how
1 Tear newspaper into pieces about 5 x 3cm. Blow up balloon and mark top and bottom of the rooster's body.

2 Working on one section at a time, brush paste on to the balloon and apply the pieces of newspaper. Mache top part of the balloon this way with 4-5 layers of paper, and the bottom with 3-4 layers, avoiding area around neck of balloon. Hang in a warm spot to dry usually between 24-48 hours, depending on humidity. A fan heater or hair dryer will speed drying.

3 When completely dry, pop the balloon and remove it. Mache over the hole and allow to dry. Use a craft knife to cut an opening in the top of the body about 4 x 4cm. Cut a slit at the back to insert the tail and a hole the size of the cardboard lunch wrap tube at the front for the neck.

4 To make the head, roll sheets of newspaper into a ball about the size of a tennis ball and wrap it in masking tape. For the beak, roll half sheets of newspaper into a small, tapered cylinder 10cm long. Tape the beak firmly to the head. Use scissors to cut a hole in the base of the back of the head removing some of the paper, and insert one of the cardboard tubes. Tape firmly and mache with 4-5 layers of paper. Let dry.

5 Using the above picture as a guide, draw shapes of the tail, cock's comb and feet onto a sheet of cardboard. Cut out shapes, then cut spur from feet, cut a slit in the back of each foot and insert the spur in the slit at right angles. Tape into position. Cut second tube into 10cm lengths and glue one length to top of each foot; tape firmly. Mache all pieces with 3-4 layers of paper and leave to dry.

6 To assemble pinata, insert tail into slit and tape the join. Glue and tape the comb to top of the head, glue and tape the legs to the body, macho all joins and leave to dry.

7 Tie a loop with a strong knot in end of the string and drop through the hole in top of the pinata. Insert the neck into the front opening and pass the tube through the loop. Tape the neck into position, macho the join where neck meets body and let dry.

8 Apply a coat of undercoat to the pinata, let dry and draw the wings, eyes and other features. Paint with bright glossy colours. Fill the pinata with sweets through the hole in the top and hang it from a low tree branch.

Hints
Make the underbelly of the pinata with fewer layers of paper than for the rest of the body so it can be broken and you don't disappoint the children.

As the head and tail of the chicken are the most work intensive, attach them to the body with only one or two layers of paper and strips of coloured tape. This means that they can be salvaged for use at the next party.

Use only wrapped sweets to fill the pinata.

Source: Better Homes and Gardens October 1997