Pinata Party

For some reason, swinging a stick around without being able to see what they are swinging at gets kids of all ages excited. Of course, trying to keep the other kids around out of harm's way is a bit of a challenge, and keeping yourself safe is not guaranteed either. But the child with the blindfold on thinks they’re about to hit the jackpot and will swing that stick as hard as they can, most likely missing everything.

Pinatas are one of the most enjoyable party activities that you can have. Whether it is for your child’s birthday or simply for some other celebration, adding a pinata to the mix will instantly make the party more fun for kids, and often for adults as well. Standing back and watching the kids try to hit something they can’t see can be quite hilarious to watch - plenty of kids fall on the floor while trying.

Even more fun is when the kids can’t seem to get the pinata open, so some dad decides they’re going to be the hero. They get up there, get spun around, and then they are swinging like a wild person, and often swinging hard as well. By the time they’re done, they probably haven’t hit the pinata and simply made a fool of themselves for everyone else in attendance to enjoy - this is classic when it happens.

Pinatas come in all shapes and sizes - you can find a pinata of almost anything you want these days. If your child is having a Barbie party, no problem. If they’re doing dinosaurs, also not a problem. Some other obscure or unusual theme? Don’t worry, a few quick searches on Amazon or Ebay will almost always find you the pinata that will make your child’s birthday complete - or just go for something generic.

In terms of what goes in the pinata, well that’s really up to you. Any type of candy is always a hit. Kids seem to think they don’t normally get any candy when a pinata is involved. Get ready to watch the kids go after the candy like they haven’t eaten in days. For younger kids we like to keep a bit of candy off to the side in case all of the older kids scoop everything up too quickly. Really any candy will do.

Little toys are also popular. Most anything small that you can find at your local dollar store is generally fine. It’s not really about what’s inside the pinata that makes it so much fun for the kids. They really just like to try breaking the pinata open and then to gather the prizes once they’re spread all over.

Beyond a pinata, you need something to hang your pinata on, and some type of stick for trying to break the pinata open. We generally like to use a basic shop broom for tying the pinata on. We’ll then use a 2x4 or something of that type to help hold the broom up. This will allow for easily moving the pinata up and down while not having to try to hold the pinata straight out the entire time - your arms start to feel it quickly if you do try this.

In terms of a stick, a broom stick that has been removed from the broom is generally what we use. You don’t want anything too big as kids will go a bit wild swinging. Make sure to keep all of the kids a good distance away from the person swinging so that you don’t have any injuries involved in your fun. Let the kids run up after the pinata is broken and collect as much candy as they can.

If you're looking for a fun activity for a birthday party or other event, then all you need is a pinata. It instantly turns a party from fun into awesome, and it won’t break the bank.