“RUN!” That's the best sound at a birthday party, right after the THWACK of cracking open the piñata. The best birthdays ended with me busting open that piñata and showering candy everywhere! Ain't no party with out the piñata. But it's got to be a GREAT piñata. That's why I've collected over 75 of the best DIY piñata ideas that you can make! Yup, make a custom piñata to whack apart at your next party. These are the most searched and most popular pinata ideas in the world. Ready?

What is a Piñata?

It seems pretty simple, right? There is a long rich history behind the origin of the Mexican piñata and some people even think the piñata origin is in China! The piñata is vital to celebrations in Mexico, where you can find piñatas in shapes from animals to popular cartoon characters, depending on the celebration.

Who invented the Piñata?

When the Spanish missionaries brought the tradition of the piñata to North America in the 14th century they discovered the Mayans already had a similar game, involving a clay pot decorated with feathers which was hung and then broken by blindfolded players.

Pinatas were religious tools?!

The Spanish missionaries used the game as a tool for religious instruction, resulting in the popular star shaped piñata with seven points. Each point represents one of the seven deadly sins that come from breaking the Ten Commandments.

How are Piñatas made?

Piñatas are typically made from a cardboard base covered with newspaper or paper mache and then decorated with tissue paper and brightly colored glossy papers to look like animals, shapes, people, or cartoon characters.

Where to buy Piñatas

You can buy piñatas from Mexican party stores, Mexican grocery markets, and even in the party sections of major chain stores like Target and Walmart. Even 99 Cents Only Stores has mini piñatas in their party decor section!

Why DIY pinatas are the best …

While you can buy piñatas pretty much everywhere, I love a DIY piñata the best. Piñatas are really fun to make and decorate. I share LOADS of DIY pinata ideas here … but you can make even more with this awesome book:

If you love making pinatas, you can make a pinata business with them! Grab this guide to get started.

You can use piñatas as party decor, party poppers, or party favors … and then there's always the piñata game!

How do you plan the piñata game?

We all know that piñatas are party staples … but what do you actually do with them? Play the piñata game, that's what!

Here's what you need to play the piñata game:

Piñata (pull string or break apart)
Piñata stick (if using the break apart pinatas)
Fillers (toys, candies, and so on)
Blind fold
Rope to hang the piñata
Tree or place to hang the piñata from
Bags for guests to collect the goodies in after the piñata opens

There are two types of piñata:

pull string piñata
piñatas you break open

Which type of pinata is the best?

My family has always used the piñata you break open. Here's why:

The piñata game lasts longer with a “hit” piñata. With a pull piñata, the string can open on the first pull.
The kids love hitting something. I mean who doesn't love breaking stuff?! LOL
The suspense is awesome! You can see the piñata start to break apart and you never know which hit will be the one that makes it totally break.
It's more fun because the candy flies everywhere and starts to fly out as the piñata is being struck.

What to fill a piñata with

With both types of piñata, you'll need to fill them with toys, candies, and other party favors. Make sure all candy is wrapped because it will fall to the group once the piñata is opened.

Where to get a piñata stick

You can buy a piñata stick but in my experience, they usually break. Here are some household items you can use as a piñata stick for your piñata game:

broom handle
baseball bat
rake handle

How to hang a piñata

You're probably thinking that hanging a piñata is pretty simple. As a long time piñata connoisseur, I can tell you there are a lot of things to be aware of when it comes to piñata hanging!

You need a strong place to hang the piñata

Where you hang the piñata needs to be able to withstand the rope running over it and the force of the stick hitting the piñata.

Stay away from windows and other breakable items

You need at least a 12 foot diameter circle with the piñata in the center so that anyone swinging the bat does not accidentally break something. Make sure the piñata is far away from the cake and any glassware at the party.

You need an open clean area

Make sure the ground is clean so that when the candy falls, everyone can pick it up without worry. Don't place the piñata over oil stains in a garage. And don't forget to clean the dog poo up if you're playing the piñata game over grass. Avoid watering the grass the day of the piñata game so it's not too moist, which can cause slips and falls or soak through the candy wrappers.

Ideas for places to hang a pinata:

Strong tree branch
From the support beam of a patio or carport
From a hook above a garage door or large open area

Ready for some awesome DIY pinata ideas? I've collected over 75 ideas below. To help you find the perfect pinata for your party, I've separated the pinata ideas into sections. Click on the topic below to find your perfect pinata …

DIY Pinata Ideas Table of Contents:

Party Pinata Ideas

Easy Pinata Ideas – projects inspired by pinatas
DIY Mini Pinatas – super cute small pinatas!
How to make Traditional Donkey Piñata (or Horse Piñata) – these are perfect for a Mexican Independence Day Party
DIY Party Pinatas
Rainbow Pinatas

Use the buttons at the bottom of each page to go back and forth between each page. Ready?

Easy Piñata Ideas

Sure, DIY pinatas are fun. But you can make anything “pinata” style!

Check out these fun pinata style craft projects:

Piñata Greeting Cards- Smart Fun DIY
Piñata Bulletin Boards – Smart Fun DIY
Pinata Party Favor Boxes – Smart Fun DIY
DIY Llama Piñata Invitation – The Brook Haven House

DIY Mini Piñatas

Who says pinatas have to be big?

These tiny DIY pinatas pack serious fun:

DIY Traditional Donkey Piñata (or Horse Piñata)

How to make a traditional donkey or horse pinata:

DIY Party Piñata Ideas

You can also use pinatas as party decor, instead of just filling it with candy for the pinata game.

Rainbow Piñatas

Rainbow shaped or rainbow color, they DIY rainbow pinatas are super happy and fun!

DIY Mermaid Piñata

Mermaid party? You need to make a mermaid pinata!

DIY Sports Piñata Ideas

How to make a Dragon Piñata

Did you know that how to make a dragon piñata is one of the top searched ideas? These DIY dragon piñatas are super cool too:

This “Toothless” dragon pinata is awesome … there's no tutorial because I found it on a free stock image site. But you can see pretty easily how it was made. You can totally do this!

Or grab this ready-to-use dragon pinata on Amazon:

Toy Piñata Ideas

Kid love fidget spinners? These toy piñata ideas are sure to be a big “hit”!

Rocket Ship Piñata – Soda Pop Ave (the site expired)
Toy Story Birthday Party Pinata – Thrifty House
Fidget Spinner Pinata – Events To Celebrate
Fuzzy Dice Pinata Makeover – Oh Happy Day

DIY Animal Piñata Ideas

Go beyond the donkey or horse traditional pinata for these fun modern DIY animal shaped pinatas.

BONUS – check out this owl pinata by Sustain my Craft Habit

Number Piñatas

Go beyond trendy number balloons and make a number piñata! New Year’s, anyone?

Adult Party Piñata Ideas

Who says pinatas are only for kids? We grownups deserve a piñata too.

Wedding Piñata Ideas

It’s your wedding, have a pinata if you want to!

How to make a Baby Piñata for a Baby Shower

Okay, so the baby can’t actually play the pinata game. But all the grownups can!

Halloween Piñata Ideas

Kick your Halloween party up a notch with these DIY Halloween pinata ideas!

DIY Piñata Costume Ideas

Dress up like a pinata for Halloween with these DIY piñata Halloween costume ideas!

Christmas Piñatas

Christmas is a traditional holiday for pinatas … make your DIY Christmas pinatas in traditional and modern styles.

Movie Piñatas

Add a DIY movie pinata to your movie themed party!

Disney Piñatas

Love Disney? Add one these DIY Disney pinatas to your party decor!

How To Make A LEGO Piñata

LEGO blocks are easy pinatas to make … check these ideas for DIY LEGO pinatas.

Mexican Food Piñatas

Take pinatas next level by coming them with Mexican food … yasss to all of these piñata ideas!

Dessert Piñatas

These DIY dessert piñata ideas are the sweetest!

Fruit Piñatas

Tropical parties are trending this year – make a fruit shaped pinata or a whole fruit salad of fruity piñatas for your party.

Fast Food Piñatas

Show your love of fast food by beating on a pizza shaped piñata at your party! LOL

Piñata Cakes … and Piñata Food!

Pinata food is a huge trend right now. Make any of these fun dishes to serve at your next party!

Piñata Cake – Sprinkles For Breakfast
Piñata Cheeseball Recipe – Smart Fun DIY – this is a popular party recipe!!
DIY Birthday Cake Pinata

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About the Author

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Jennifer Priest

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Jennifer Priest is a 20+ year designer in the arts & crafts industry and home DIYer with a passion for creativity. An Army veteran raised on a ranch, from her experience, she shares smart DIY projects that save money and fun craft ideas that anyone can make. Besides blogging, Jennifer is a Master Practitioner and Trainer of NLP, Hypnosis, and MER, and coaches other online entrepreneurs on money mindset, business, and living an intentional life. When not blogging, Jennifer is having adventures in the wilderness, on road trips, playing with her cats, and making paleo food.

5 Comments

Emily says:

November 9, 2018 at 8:02 am

This is awesome!!!! Thank you for including so many beautiful and fun tutorials in this round up!

1. Jennifer Priest says:
  
  November 11, 2018 at 7:14 pm
  
  Thanks for stopping by!
  
Lillianna says:

January 8, 2019 at 6:46 pm

Good ideas thank you for sharing them

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