Making Your Own Piñata

For a children's party, make your own pinata and have your child help. Kids love busting open a pinata. When you make one at home, it won't look like all the others, you customize it to your theme, your child gets involved and learns a new craft, and you save a lot of money.

Store-bought pinatas are expensive, and you can make one for the cost of one balloon, old newspaper waiting to be re-used or recycled, a few cups of flour, and decorations that you probably already have.

There are lots of Web sites with instructions on how to make your own pinata. The key is to start about a week before the party, because it will take about 30 minutes a day for 3-to-5 days to allow for the layers to dry and decorate it.

By Britt from Boston, MA