How to Make a Piñata From a Paper Bag

paper bag piñata

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Project Overview
  • Total Time: 2 hrs
  • Skill Level: Beginner
  • Estimated Cost: $10

A DIY paper bag piñata is fun, festive, and totally simple and fast to make. This project is perfect for celebrations of all kinds, and you might already have all of the necessary materials to create it in your home. Plus, you can easily customize both what's on the outside and the inside of the piñata to fit your party theme. The key components for customization are the exterior tissue paper colors, along with the treats included inside the bag. For a small crowd, you can use a standard paper lunch bag, and for a large crowd you can make this piñata from a paper grocery bag.

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What You'll Need

Equipment / Tools

  • Stapler
  • Scissors
  • Glue stick
  • Hole punch

Materials

  • 1 Paper lunch bag (or paper grocery bag)
  • Candy or other treats of your choosing
  • Tissue paper in various colors
  • Twine or thin rope

Instructions

  1. Fill the Bag

    Start by putting your candy or other treats in the bottom of the bag. Only fill it about halfway, or the bag will be too heavy. Over the top of the treats, add some loosely crumpled tissue paper to give the top half of the bag some shape.

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  2. Staple the Bag Shut

    Neatly fold over and crease the top of the paper bag, and then fold over and crease it once more. Then, staple the top shut.

    paper bag and stapler
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  3. Prepare the Tissue Paper for the Base

    Cut a piece of tissue paper that's about 2 inches wider on all sides than the base of the bag. Then, spread glue from the glue stick all over the tissue paper.

    paper bag and paper base
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  4. Wrap the Base in Tissue Paper

    Once the tissue paper is covered in glue, place the bag on top of it directly in the paper's center. Wrap the paper up and around the base of the bag similar to how you'd wrap a gift box.

    paper bag with wrapped base
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  5. Cut Tissue Paper Strips

    Stack a few pieces of tissue paper on top of one another so that all of the edges are aligned. Fold them in half, then in half again in the same direction, and then in half for a third time. Next, cut the folded paper into strips that are about 2 inches wide. You should end up with lots of 2-inch strips of paper folded over each other. Don't unfold them yet.

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  6. Fringe the Paper

    Use your scissors to create fringe along one edge of each folded stack of paper strips. Fringe approximately 1 inch of paper, and leave 1 inch uncut.

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  7. Add Glue to the Tissue Paper

    Unfold all of your fringed tissue paper strips. Then, spread glue along the part that doesn't have fringe of one paper strip.

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  8. Attach the Paper Strip to the Bag

    Wrap the paper strip with glue around the base of the bag. If the strip isn't long enough to wrap all the way around the bag, glue on another strip to fill in the space.

    decorating the paper bag pinata
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  9. Add More Layers of Tissue Paper With Fringe

    Continue attaching tissue paper to the bag in the same manner, overlapping layers of fringe so the uncut portion of each strip is hidden. Wrap the bag in this way until you reach the top.

    decorating the paper bag pinata
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  10. Punch Holes in the Bag

    If you're using a paper lunch bag, punch two holes in the top of the bag with your hole punch. For a larger grocery bag, punch a few extra holes.

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  11. String Up the Bag

    Cut a length of twine or thin rope, and weave it through the holes you punched in the bag. The amount of twine or rope you'll need depends on how high you'll be hanging the piñata. Then, tie up the piñata wherever you'd like. 

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  12. Have Fun

    Time to party! This piñata breaks open a little differently than a traditional one, but it's just as fun. Once the goodies come flying out, be prepared to fight for your share.

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