Set Up

1. Clear your work area. Spread out 3 or 4 layers of newspapers to protect your table.
2. Gather all your materials: punch ball balloon, newspaper, scissors, flour, bowl, wire whisk, and water.
3. Collect and cut newspaper into strips about 1 inch wide. Make them as long as the narrow width of the newspaper.
4. Mix up your paste. Use 1 part flour to 1 part water and mix with a whisk.
5. Inflate a punch ball balloon and tape the ends flat.

Tips

• You can use any kind of paper if you really want, but newspaper works best. Old phone book pages are too thin and fall apart easily in the paste, regular paper and glossy newspaper ads don’t absorb water as easily and take a bit more work. I’d stick with newspaper.
• White flour works better than whole wheat. Whole wheat globs up and you have to sand it down after it dries. No fun.

The Process for making a Dragon Egg Pinata

    1.  Dip strips in paste, run through fingers to get rid of excess paste and layer on the pinata form. Make two layers of newspaper strips then allow it to dry. It takes 1-2 days to dry, depending on your local climate (humidity level) and how thick the newspaper (and paste) is. Leave an opening at the top for filling with candy.
    2.  After the pinata is dry, trim the opening to make it smooth. If you forgot to leave an opening, cut an opening. Pop balloon and remove. Then, wrap string or ribbon around the pinata making a cross over the opening. Use one long string to make the cross, not two short strings. Trust me on this. Just keep wrapping the string around the pinata to make it work.
    3.  Put another two layers of newspaper strips over the pinata and string and allow it to dry. It’s okay if some spots are not as thick as other spots. Weak spots are where the pinata will break open.

Tips

• Place the balloon in a bowl to keep it from rolling around while you work.
• Two layers of newspaper are about right. The newspaper shrinks a little as it dries and if there are weak spots in the newspaper the balloon will break through them. If there are too many layers the kids will never be able to break it open.
• Use string or ribbon or even bias tape for the pinata hangar. Avoid using yarn or elastic. If using a thin string like kite string you will want to double each string.
• The second layer of newspaper strips will dampen the first layer. Since there is no longer a balloon inside it to help it hold its shape, turn the pinata frequently as it dries to keep it from developing a flat side or hang it up to dry.
• If the pinata is still damp when the kids start hitting it, you’ll be able to beat it senseless but never break it open.