For my son Z’s 4th birthday I had this idea to make a Bob the Tomato pinata.

I remember doing a craft similar to this when I was a kid so I figured it should be a cinch. Unfortunately, it went through several different stages and repairs before the final product. However, the important thing was the kids had a great time and it all worked out in the end.

Here is what did NOT work for me
1. A regular balloon
It ended up looking more like a roma tomato because baloons are more oval. Next time I would maybe opt for a small punching ball.
2. Using a paper mache adhesive to apply the decorative tissue paper
The paste ended up softening the pinata form and collapsed in some areas making the tomato look a little rotten!
3. A string tied directly through the paper mache
The weight of the pinata was too much for the string to handle, but a little masking tape and extra glue to reinforce the rope did the trick.
Here is what did work for me!
1. An instructional video for pinatas that I found online
I looked up a few different tutorials. I used one layer of newspaper strips which may have overlapped in some areas. I have read to use up to 4 layers, but one was sturdy enough for this group of little kids. You don’t want a pinata that is impossible to bust.
2. Streamers and heavy weight paper/construction paper for decorating the pinata
You could use paint or colored paper, but to me the tissue paper looks like a traditional pinata. It is also more forgiving if you end up with a less than perfect form like I did because you can layer it in certain places.
3. Candy and fruit snacks
It takes a lot to fill a pinata, but the fruit snacks worked great because they are light weight, but take up a lot of space, and kids love them.
4. Party Favor bags
I used veggie tales silly bands as the party favor and put one inside each party bag along with a twist tie. Then I stuck a white label on each one so that guests could write their names and use their bags to gather the pinata candy.

This way each child knows which bag is theirs, every one gets something, and everyone has a place to put the candy they collect.

This post is linked up with Works For Me Wednesday over at We Are That Family. Oh, and here is a little video I made of the pinata and cakes. Our yard is usually not a bunch of dirt, but I live in Texas where we have had the opportunity to experience a drought over the past few months. Hopefully it will rain again someday!