Everything you need to know about party Piñatas
Created | Updated Mar 7, 2006
• First things first, how do you say Piñata?
Piñata is a Spanish word and if you want to sound like you are ‘in the know’ at the school gates or at work, it is pronounced Pin-YAh-tah.
• What is a Piñata and where can I get one?
A Piñata is a hand made papier-mâché and cardboard model decorated with brightly coloured tissue paper, designed to be filled with sweets, small toys and treats, in fact just about anything you can fit in and that won’t get smashed when the piñata is bust apart. Made to be broken, these models are nevertheless fashioned with enormous care and come in all shapes and sizes, from traditionally shaped Stars to contemporary footballs.
The best place to get a Piñata is from a party supplies shop. The most extensive ranges of pinata styles tend to be found online from party e-tailors. The added advantage of this is you'll also usually find all the accessories, small goodies and sweets you'll need to go inside the Piñata at the same time.
• When do you use a Piñata?
Traditionally, the piñata game is played as the "highlight" of a party – at both children’s and adult’s parties. It is often used to replace more traditional games such as pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey or pass-the-parcel as the main event of the party.
• History & origins of Piñatas
The word "piñata" derives from the Spanish verb "apinar": meaning to join or bind in a bundle. Sources say that the Piñata started life simply as a painted clay pot decorated with colorful paper and filled with sweets and money and then later developed into the intricate papier-mâché figures and forms you see today. Busting a piñata at a child’s party or a festival is still very much a tradition in the Hispanic countries and has only recently reached the UK where is it proving to be a great hit with young and old alike.
In some communities, the breaking of the "piñata" is given a religious significance. The "piñata" represents the devil, tempting mankind with the promise of untold pleasure (the treats hidden inside). The blindfolded child hittting the piñata to break it open, represents the strength of the Christian faith which must destroy the evil spirit.
What we do know for sure is that a Pinata, whatever the occasion, creates a spectacular highlight and is the ultimate ice-breaker with something for everyone to enjoy!
• How to use your piñata:
So you’ve bought your piñata – what do you do with it now?
What to fill it with: You can fill your piñata with anything you like, though small, fairly light, non-breakable items such as sweets and small toys are best. You need to make sure you fill the piñata with enough goodies so that everyone taking part in the game gets a couple of goodies at least.
Fill the piñata with the goodies before your guests arrive at the party, so that treats inside will be a surprise for everyone. Before the party why not use your piñata as a decorative table centerpiece (especially if it is themed), later taking the piñata to the designated game playing area for busting.
How to get the goodies inside: All piñatas come with a round sticker that reads "TO OPEN PRESS HERE" (sometimes rather hidden beneath the tissue paper decoration). Gently press down on this spot through the tissue paper. This spot will usually give with gentle pressure. If you have any trouble opening the tab, use a sharp knife or scissors to cut a U shaped opening on this spot. Lift the flap towards you and fill the piñata via the opening.
How to suspend the model piñata: You’ll need a strong length of rope or washing line cord to attach to the reinforced loop on the piñata, plus something to hang your piñata from. For example: a branch of a tree; a hook suspended from a secure surface such as a ceiling beam (DO NOT SUSPEND FROM ANY CEILING LIGHT FIXTURE); a basketball or netball hoop; hanging from the middle of a taut washing line or between two adults each holding the end of a long rope taut with the piñata hanging in the middle of the rope.
• Playing the game
How to play the Pinata game STEP BY STEP:
There are several variations on the game, we’ve just outlined the most basic version – you of course can tailor the rules to suit the age & temperament of your guests. The main thing is to have fun!
PIÑATA GAMES MUST BE HOSTED UNDER ADULT SUPERVISION AT ALL TIMES
1) Line up all the children starting with the smallest to the tallest. Traditionally, children over 3 years old are blindfolded (If a child is very young, you won't need to blindfold him/her), then spin the ‘basher’ around a few times, give them the piñata buster stick and let them in the direction of the piñata to hit it.
2) The onlookers can shout encouragement to the ‘basher’, helping to guide them towards (or away from) the piñata – “left a bit, right a bit, forwards…”.
3) Allow each person to hit the piñata at least a couple of times before you move on to the next ‘basher’.
4) For safety reasons, make sure that while someone is hitting the piñata, everyone else is kept well away, a 15 foot radius is recommend. Also that the person has completely stopped hitting the piñata before you allow anyone to go and grab the goodies spilled on floor.
5) To make the game more fun, the piñata can be swung up and down, and other guests encouraged to misdirect the piñata ‘basher’ (if the piñata is down, tell the hitter to swing the buster higher and so on – the more laughs the better- especially when grown-ups are playing).
6) Make sure that everyone has got some sweets & treats at the end of the game to avoid tantrums and tears.
• Your party piñata checklist
1) A rope or washing line cord to hang the piñata with.
2) A place to hang your piñata. e.g. a tree branch, between two adults with a rope…
3) Piñata fillers for everyone: sweets, small toys, bouncy balls etc
4) A buster stick. (can’t play without one!)
5) A blindfold
• What else can you use a Piñata for?
Piñatas are not only popular as fun party games, they serve as colorful room decorations and party table centerpieces. They make great corporate giveaways when tied in with a theme and you can even give them as birthday presents – fill the birthday girl or boys favourite shape with small presents.
Don’t forget, an unbroken piñata can easily be repaired and kept as a memento of the party, or used as a child's room decoration.
Piñata is a Spanish word and if you want to sound like you are ‘in the know’ at the school gates or at work, it is pronounced Pin-YAh-tah.
• What is a Piñata and where can I get one?
A Piñata is a hand made papier-mâché and cardboard model decorated with brightly coloured tissue paper, designed to be filled with sweets, small toys and treats, in fact just about anything you can fit in and that won’t get smashed when the piñata is bust apart. Made to be broken, these models are nevertheless fashioned with enormous care and come in all shapes and sizes, from traditionally shaped Stars to contemporary footballs.
The best place to get a Piñata is from a party supplies shop. The most extensive ranges of pinata styles tend to be found online from party e-tailors. The added advantage of this is you'll also usually find all the accessories, small goodies and sweets you'll need to go inside the Piñata at the same time.
• When do you use a Piñata?
Traditionally, the piñata game is played as the "highlight" of a party – at both children’s and adult’s parties. It is often used to replace more traditional games such as pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey or pass-the-parcel as the main event of the party.
• History & origins of Piñatas
The word "piñata" derives from the Spanish verb "apinar": meaning to join or bind in a bundle. Sources say that the Piñata started life simply as a painted clay pot decorated with colorful paper and filled with sweets and money and then later developed into the intricate papier-mâché figures and forms you see today. Busting a piñata at a child’s party or a festival is still very much a tradition in the Hispanic countries and has only recently reached the UK where is it proving to be a great hit with young and old alike.
In some communities, the breaking of the "piñata" is given a religious significance. The "piñata" represents the devil, tempting mankind with the promise of untold pleasure (the treats hidden inside). The blindfolded child hittting the piñata to break it open, represents the strength of the Christian faith which must destroy the evil spirit.
What we do know for sure is that a Pinata, whatever the occasion, creates a spectacular highlight and is the ultimate ice-breaker with something for everyone to enjoy!
• How to use your piñata:
So you’ve bought your piñata – what do you do with it now?
What to fill it with: You can fill your piñata with anything you like, though small, fairly light, non-breakable items such as sweets and small toys are best. You need to make sure you fill the piñata with enough goodies so that everyone taking part in the game gets a couple of goodies at least.
Fill the piñata with the goodies before your guests arrive at the party, so that treats inside will be a surprise for everyone. Before the party why not use your piñata as a decorative table centerpiece (especially if it is themed), later taking the piñata to the designated game playing area for busting.
How to get the goodies inside: All piñatas come with a round sticker that reads "TO OPEN PRESS HERE" (sometimes rather hidden beneath the tissue paper decoration). Gently press down on this spot through the tissue paper. This spot will usually give with gentle pressure. If you have any trouble opening the tab, use a sharp knife or scissors to cut a U shaped opening on this spot. Lift the flap towards you and fill the piñata via the opening.
How to suspend the model piñata: You’ll need a strong length of rope or washing line cord to attach to the reinforced loop on the piñata, plus something to hang your piñata from. For example: a branch of a tree; a hook suspended from a secure surface such as a ceiling beam (DO NOT SUSPEND FROM ANY CEILING LIGHT FIXTURE); a basketball or netball hoop; hanging from the middle of a taut washing line or between two adults each holding the end of a long rope taut with the piñata hanging in the middle of the rope.
• Playing the game
How to play the Pinata game STEP BY STEP:
There are several variations on the game, we’ve just outlined the most basic version – you of course can tailor the rules to suit the age & temperament of your guests. The main thing is to have fun!
PIÑATA GAMES MUST BE HOSTED UNDER ADULT SUPERVISION AT ALL TIMES
1) Line up all the children starting with the smallest to the tallest. Traditionally, children over 3 years old are blindfolded (If a child is very young, you won't need to blindfold him/her), then spin the ‘basher’ around a few times, give them the piñata buster stick and let them in the direction of the piñata to hit it.
2) The onlookers can shout encouragement to the ‘basher’, helping to guide them towards (or away from) the piñata – “left a bit, right a bit, forwards…”.
3) Allow each person to hit the piñata at least a couple of times before you move on to the next ‘basher’.
4) For safety reasons, make sure that while someone is hitting the piñata, everyone else is kept well away, a 15 foot radius is recommend. Also that the person has completely stopped hitting the piñata before you allow anyone to go and grab the goodies spilled on floor.
5) To make the game more fun, the piñata can be swung up and down, and other guests encouraged to misdirect the piñata ‘basher’ (if the piñata is down, tell the hitter to swing the buster higher and so on – the more laughs the better- especially when grown-ups are playing).
6) Make sure that everyone has got some sweets & treats at the end of the game to avoid tantrums and tears.
• Your party piñata checklist
1) A rope or washing line cord to hang the piñata with.
2) A place to hang your piñata. e.g. a tree branch, between two adults with a rope…
3) Piñata fillers for everyone: sweets, small toys, bouncy balls etc
4) A buster stick. (can’t play without one!)
5) A blindfold
• What else can you use a Piñata for?
Piñatas are not only popular as fun party games, they serve as colorful room decorations and party table centerpieces. They make great corporate giveaways when tied in with a theme and you can even give them as birthday presents – fill the birthday girl or boys favourite shape with small presents.
Don’t forget, an unbroken piñata can easily be repaired and kept as a memento of the party, or used as a child's room decoration.
