- Age Guideline: 6 Years and Up
- Time Required: 60 minutes (Does not include drying time)
The above age and time guidelines are estimates. This project can be modified to suit other ages and may take more or less time depending on your circumstances.
Materials Needed:
- Large, Round Balloon
- Newspaper
- Paper Mache Paste
- Masking Tape
- Cardboard
- Paint
- Crepe Paper or Tissue Paper
- String or Yarn
- Scissors
Instructions:
Make sure you cover your work surface well. I usually set down newspaper first and then wax paper on top of the newspaper. This is a very messy project!
Tear several newspaper pages into strips. You will want them 1-inch wide and about 6- to 8-inches long. Set them aside.
Use a large bowl to prepare your paper mache paste (Pick a recipe here). The paste will be sticky! I would suggest using a bowl that is easy to soak and clean (glass perhaps) or even a disposable bowl.
Blow up the balloon and tie it closed. Cut two ear shapes out of cardboard and tape them to the top of the balloon. Now you are ready to start with the paper mache! (To hold your ballon while you are working on it, you might want to try to set it in a cup or bowl that is covered with plastic wrap.)
Dip the newspaper strips into the glue and spread them onto the balloon. Completely cover the balloon, leaving a small hole at the top to remove the balloon and fill the pinata. Let the first layer dry.
Add two more layers of paper mache to your balloon. Allow each layer to dry completely before putting on the next layer. Once it is dry, pop the balloon and remove it through the opening you left at the top (If you cannot get the balloon out, don't worry about it too much - No one will see it).
You can now decorate your pinata to look like a bunny. The fastest way is to paint on the details, or cut the facial features out of construction paper.
You can color and texture to your bunny by using 3-inch squares of tissue paper. Spread some glue on your pinata. Hold the 4 corners of your tissue paper square together and then stick the center of the tissue paper square onto the glue. The 4 corners should not touch the glue, they should remain sticking up. Of course, if you prefer, you can simply paint your balloon to look like a bunny head.
To hang your pinata, poke 4 small holes evenly spaced around the larger hole in the top. Thread a piece of string, yarn, or even fishing line through each hole and tie the together at the top. Tie a longer piece of string onto the these.
- See a photo of this craft completed by Amy Little.
- See a photo of this craft completed by The Napier Family.
