How to: Pull String Piñata

Can you believe it? Nater will be TWO in less then 2 weeks!!! We've been planning his Fire Truck Themed party for months now and have been searching high and low for a pull string Fire Truck Piñata — No Luck. Seems like ALL the fire truck piñatas I found needed to be cracked open with a bat. Not so toddler friendly.

I bought one anyway and decided to do a craft tutorial on how to turn it into a pull string piñata!! Yay for me, yay for you!

What you'll need:

1. Piñata
   
2. Lots of Curling ribbon (the type of ribbon used to tie balloons)
3. Tape
4. Tissue paper
5. Elmer's glue
6. Sponge brush
7. Box cutter

Step 1: Cut a 3 sided trap door on the bottom of the Piñata. I made my cuts about 3.5 inches long.

Step 2: Poke a small hole in the middle of your new trap door.

Step 3: Take a curling ribbon and insert through the small hole in the middle. Knot off the end that is on the outside of the Piñata. Make sure the knot is large enough that it won't pull through the hole when tugged. Close the trap door. (The other end of the ribbon should be now hanging out of the trap door)

Step 4: Start individually taping the remaining ribbon around the trap door. Make sure you have enough for each child to pull (Note: In my picture, I taped the ribbon to the door itself. After I was done, I realized it would have probably been a better idea to tape it AROUND the door and not ON IT! Ugh.

Step 5: Cut 3-4 4x4 squares of tissue paper (I used the color tissue paper that matches the bottom of my Piñata).

Step 6: Brush a thin layer of Elmer's Glue over the trap door and edges of the ribbon. Lay a square of tissue paper on top. Cover with more glue and the remaining squares of tissue paper. The last layer should be of glue to seal everything up.

Step 7: Let the glue dry. Trim the ribbon so that they are of equal length.

Tada! You've got your self a toddler friendly, treat dispensing piñata!