Traditional Mexican Pinatas, or piñatas in Spanish, are thought to have originated from the Aztecs and Mayans in Mexico. Now, the Mexican tradition of making pinatas has spread worldwide, appearing in birthday parties and celebrations around the world.
Newspaper
Balloon(s)
Flour and Water
Crepe Paper, tissue paper, sticks
Scissors
Candy
Cover the table with plastic or old newspaper as this can get messy!
Prepare the paper mache paste in a large bowl. Paper mache paste is usually made with one-part flour to two parts water until you create a glue-like consistency.
Cut newspaper in strips and set aside.
Blow up your balloon or balloons, which will serve as the hollow structure inside your pinata. Optional: Spray balloon with a bit of vegetable oil to prevent it from sticking to the newspaper when you pop it. Place balloon in a bowl to help keep it stable while you are working with it.
Dip newspaper strips in the paper mache mixture and adhere to balloon in diagonal and vertical overlapping layers. Continue until balloon is completely covered by the first layer, remembering to leave a small opening in the top so that you can remove the balloon and fill the pinata later. The first layer must dry completely before continuing, let stand 24 hours.
Refrigerate leftover paper mache paste. For the second layer, repeat the same process, only this time angling newspaper strips horizontally. Let dry. For the third layer, repeat the same process with white paper rather than newspaper. The white paper makes the outside layer of the pinata easier to decorate. Let dry.
Pop the balloon (or balloons) and remove them from the opening at the top of the pinata.
Decorate your pinata with paint, crepe paper, tissue paper, or anything else you can imagine. Be creative! For a final touch, hang streamers from the pinata.
Hang your pinata in a safe place, preferably outdoors. Caution and adult supervision is advised to keep children a safe distance from the bat swinger. This is especially important when the pinata breaks, as the blinded player may still be swinging as the other children rush to collect the candy. Place a blanket or sheet underneath where the treats will fall. Line the players up to take turns swinging a bat or stick at the pinata. Blind fold the player and spin him/her a couple of times before each attempt. Allow 2 to 3 swings per player.
When the pinata breaks, each child should collect a portion of the treats. Maintain a reserve bag of candy in case some do not get their fair share.
Activities and Questions
- Look at the different maps to see the shape and location of Canada
- Find Ottawa on a map
- Peek inside the National Park book to see the numerous parks Canada has to offer
- What kind of animals and plants are there in Canada?
- How many provinces are there?
