Why it is that piñata’s are always filled with candy?

Yes, candy is really yummy and of course the kids love it – but the actual thrill of a piñata is hitting it and watching the “goodies” drop out. Why not try something different at your next kid’s birthday party! Here are some fun ideas on what to put in your party piñata.

 

Children’s piñata

 

When the piñatas open after the children take swings at it with a stick or open when the one magic string, in the mist of many, is pulled, either ways, when the magic moment happens, and the piñata busts open, the kids will swarm around the piñata claiming whatever candy and toys they can acquire.

 

Many parents choose to fill their children's piñatas with only candy. To set your child's piñata apart from the rest, try filling it with some of the goodies listed below. The children will love getting items that they can play with rather than just sugary candy.

 

Girl Stuff: Mini action figures/dolls, dolls clothes, Barbie or Polly Pockets dolls, bracelets, earrings, fingernail polish, hair barrettes, hair bows, headbands, makeup, necklaces, Polly Pockets, rings, inexpensive jewelry & accessories, bead necklaces.

 

Boy Stuff: Matchbox cars, trading cards, stickers, tattoos, bags of plastic spiders & animals, like snakes & army men, pirate coins or play money coins, plastic toy cars.

 

Other Fun items for Girls/Boys: Balloons, stickers, bouncy balls, mini bottles of bubbles, coupons for a free ice cream cone from a local shop, Euro bills, key chains, magnets, mini picture frames, playing cards, small water guns, plastic sunglasses, temporary tattoos, whistles, yo-yo’s, spinning tops, rubber ducks, little rubber snakes and spiders or any other rubber toys depending on the party theme, small plastic toys like bugs, animals or dinosaurs, stuffed or squishy toys, bath toys, finger puppets, glow sticks, Puzzles, rubix cubes, slinkies, noise clackers

 

Craft Items: Chalk, color crayons, colored pencils, colored pens, glue sticks, markers, mini notebooks, pencils, Play-Doh, stencils, small balls, trading cards, goldfish crackers, erasers, stamps, notepads/coloring books, sticky wall toys.

 

In terms of healthy snacks, I would include: Little boxes of raisins or cranberries, cereal bars, fruit snacks (little gummy fruit flavored snacks, usually in shape of animals – good for jungle theme), mini bags of cookies, mini bags of crackers such goldfish crackers, individually wrapped marshmallows, cookies wrapped in small bags, fruit leather or fruit roll-ups.

 

For an outside party: Confetti, flour, water balls.

 

The list of things to stuff your piñata with is just endless. You are only limited by the size of your budget and the size of your piñata. All you need to do is throw a bunch of these things in the piñata (it’s even better if your piñata goodies match your party theme) or allow your child to help to pick out the items for his or her piñata. Children can also help to fill the piñata.

 

Can’t you just imagine how awesome it would be if you are having a superhero party and superheroes just fell out of the piñata, or princess wands at a girls party? I bet the kids would be surprised!

 

Even if you do decide to use candy in your piñata or not I would suggest to group a few small items together and make some “piñata bags” with a personalized birthday tag or sticker that matches the party theme. Each kid gets one bag and then parents are in charge of opening it. This way parents can monitor the amount of candy that their child eats. An added bonus is that the mini piñata bag actually becomes an extension or replace the goodie bag that you pass out at the end of the party.

 

 

Adults piñata

 

Piñatas are for more than just kids. Even if your party is adults only, that's no reason not to blindfold people and watch them whack things with a stick/bat and have a great time.

 

You can have a perfect piñata for family holidays like birthday, wedding reception, bachelor party, baby shower parties, graduations, corporate events, promotional events, parents associations, school events or carnival parties. Will definitely be a blast!

 

Here are things to fill up an adult piñata with to be sure you throw the best party ever: fun photos, comfits, tiny bottle-shaped chocolates filled with various liquors, lip glosses, cool pens and pencils, travel size organic body care items, lottery scratchers, coupons, gift cards, childish toys/ snacks, plastic mini bottles, bottle openers, guitar picks, movie tickets, lottery tickets, invitations to next parties, gum, tea bags, coffee, chocolate, sugar bags, decks of cards, zigzags, glow sticks, lighters, fake tattoos, perfume samples (in their folder-cards), packets of seeds (flowers, veggies, etc), iPod shuffle, travel size bath and beauty products, USB chips, hair ties and hair clips, laser pointers, honey sticks, instant-coffee sticks, silk flowers, flour.

 

Happy stuffing and hitting your piñata!