Piñatas add fun and excitement to birthday parties and
other celebrations and they are fun to make too, especially if you let
the kids get involved! You could make the activity into a learning
experience by discussing the cultural background of the craft and
looking for more information on the internet.
You might be interested to know that there is a debate about where the
piñata originates. While most people believe it descends from native
Mexicans before the arrival of the Spanish in South America, there are
others who believe that it actually comes from sixteenth century Italy
or possibly even China around the time of Marco Polo. The mystery
surrounding its origin may make the craft all the more appealing for
certain youngsters and there's a chance it may even stimulate an
interest in further reading!
Here's a simple way to make a piñata: At least two days prior to the big
event, gather all the necessary materials: a round balloon, old
newspapers torn into strips 1 inch wide and 6 inches long, school glue
poured into a plastic bowl, scissors, tape, crayons or markers, tissue
paper or construction paper, string or yarn, a craft knife and plenty of
candy and small prizes to fill the piñata.
You might want to do this project outdoors or in the garage as it is
very messy. Whether indoors or out, clean-up is made easier by working
on old newspapers spread around the workspace. A little advance
preparation will definitely save you clean-up time later. Children
should wear aprons or old shirts over their clothes.
Here comes the fun part – blow up the balloon and secure it with a knot.
Dip the newspaper strips into the bowl of glue and put them all over the
balloon in one layer. Let dry. Repeat this process twice. It takes time
for it to dry so you will need to be patient .. in fact it is best to
leave it overnight between coats of you can bear it! It’s easiest just
to make a simple round shape that the kids can decorate as their
imaginations inspire them!
Cut a hole on the top of the oval and save the cut out piece. Pop the
balloon and take it out. Cut two small holes on either side of the
opening. Thread a string through them and tie a knot in the end and
you’ll be able to hang your creation from the ceiling later.
Decorate with pieces of colorful tissue paper, construction paper and
paint. You can also try adding other things like buttons, paper egg
cartons cut up, streamers. The possibilities are limited only to what is
able to be glued securely onto the form.
Fill the piñata with goodies and tape the saved piece back over the
hole. You’re ready to play the piñata game!
Ideas For Sharing Stories
With Children
This two-part article discusses the ways in which stories and
storytelling play an important role in children's lives. Techniques are
offered for using stories to help develop children's verbal skills and
imaginations. This is part one.
Parenting Discipline - Teaching
Children Self Respect, Self Control and Empathy
For many parents, the words parenting discipline have very negative
connotations. There is the association with their own childhood and the
often unpleasant memories that thinking of discipline raises. Then there
is the association of the word discipline with ideas around corporal
punishment, with spanking, hitting and hurting children.
Who Owns The Problem; Parent or Child?
It is tempting for parents to assume ownership and responsibility for everything that goes on in the life of their child. However, when the parent jumps in too soon to solve the problem or give the answer, the child never learns to trust his own judgment and become a critical thinker.
Parenting - Making A Schedule This article on the benefits of scheduling your day as a parent
really struck home with me. It took me a while to work this out for
myself when I had young children at home, and I wish I had done so - and
benefited from the much calmer household that was the result - sooner!
Being Left Is The Definition Of A Mother
To be a successful mother you must be left. Not left handed, nor to the
left politically, but just left. This necessary abandonment comes in
gradual stages and the steps toward this goal are painful to be sure.
The Uneducated Palate
When did you learn to really enjoy food? How about experiencing taste
and textures? I think children develop a taste for food a lot sooner
than we think.
Ways of Dealing With
Separation Anxiety
All parents will remember how difficult it was to leave their children
when they were young, and some of us had to deal with unhappy children
suffering from separation anxiety, again and again and again! Veronica
shares some tips on how to make the partings easier.
Math Games
for the Active Child
To put it in a nice way, my son is rather squirmy. He doesn't like to
sit still for very long unless he's playing a video game, then it's just
amazing. So instead of constantly telling him to sit down and do his
math, we take it outside or up the stairs, literally...
