How to Make a Monkey Piñata

Piñatas are colorful, hollow, papier-mâché sculptures of animals or other objects. Fill a piñata with candy and hang it from a tree, and kids will have a great time trying to break it open with a stick in order to reap the goodies within.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Poster Paints
• Cardboard
• Long Stick Or Broom Handle
• Masking Tape
• Wrapped Candies
• Blindfolds
• 1 Wire Clothes Hangers
• Newspaper
• 1 Empty Paper Towel Rolls
• Markers
• 2 Balloons
• 3-6 Brushes
• Thin Wires
• papier-mâché paste

Getting Started

1. Prepare a large space in your kitchen, garage or outdoors and cover it with newspaper - this is a messy project.
2. Tear long and short strips of newspaper.
3. Make papier-mâché paste as directed in the Related eHow, "How to Make Papier-Mâché Paste."
4. Blow up a balloon 10 to 12 inches in diameter.
5. Blow up a second balloon 5 to 6 inches in diameter.

Making the Monkey

6. Begin with the larger of the two balloons for the monkey's body.
7. Drag a long strip of paper through the papier-mâché paste.
8. Wipe off excess with finger.
9. Place the strip on the balloon at an angle.
10. Repeat steps 1 to 3, placing the next strip so that it slightly overlaps the first one.
11. Repeat this process until the balloon is entirely covered except for a 3-inch section at the top and a small hole in the back for the tail.
12. Apply a second layer of papier-mâché at angle opposite to the one used previously.
13. Place strips in a different direction for every layer, but allow the surface to dry between layers.
14. When the layers have dried, puncture the balloon and pull it out.
15. Construct a tail with a clothes hanger surrounded by an empty paper towel roll. The hanger will help the tail hold its form.
16. Cover with papier-mâché as directed above.
17. Secure dry tail to the base with masking tape.
18. Cover with one final coat of papier-mâché to conceal the tape.
19. Use the smaller balloon for the monkey's head, and apply paper strips in the same manner described for the base of the monkey.
20. Leave an open space of about 1 1/2 inches at the top.
21. When the layers have dried, puncture and remove the balloon.

Putting the Piñata Together and Decorating

22. Place wrapped candy in the base of the monkey.
23. Cover the opening of the smaller "head" section with short strips of papier-mâché.
24. Place the head on the base with the short strips of paper facing down.
25. Tape the two pieces together using masking tape.
26. Apply long strips of papier-mâché to secure both pieces to one another, pressing the strips neatly and securely into the space between the two sections.
27. When papier-mâché has dried, paint the base of the monkey brown.
28. Paint its head brown except for a small circular portion that will comprise the face. Paint the face a tan or cream color.
29. Draw on eyes, nose and mouth with markers or paint.
30. Cut hands, feet and ears out of cardboard, paint the pieces and paste them to the monkey.
31. Securely attach a loop of thin wire to the top of the monkey's head. The piñata will be hung by the wire loop.

Tips & Warnings

• Small children can participate in this project if supervised.
• Unwrapped candy may stick to the papier-mâché and, because it may accumulate dirt or become tainted, should not be used in a piñata.