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How to make a Lightning McQueen piñata

How to make a Lightning McQueen piñata

The toddler turned 3 a couple of week ago and for the last couple of months has been a little obsessed with the films Cars and Cars 2. He still loves his Thomas the Tank Engine but I’d say every day he’ll spend a little more time with his collection of Cars. Thanks to Christmas and birthday presents he now has quite a collection of both. A bit like his Thomas obsession, he also has to wear Cars-themed clothing, eat and drink from Cars plates and cups and has a bedroom covered in posters of cars!

Anyway, for his birthday I wanted to make him something special and thought a Lightning McQueen piñata would be fun. I’ve since seen them in the shops at a hefty price so was glad I made my own.

How to make a Lightning McQueen piñata

I looked through our recycling bin and grabbed a couple of small cereal boxes and a cardboard tube and also purchased some red tissue paper from the local craft shop. The only other equipment I needed was sticky tape, scissors, string and a marker pen.

Lightning McQueen pinata

I cut the smaller box to size and taped it on at an angle. I then added the cardboard tube to the front and taped a piece of card at the back for a spoiler. I made four cardboard circles for wheels and taped them in place. I then covered the whole shape in more tape to ensure no pieces would come off.

At this point I cut a medium sized hole in the underneath of the car shape, filled it with sweets, and tied a long piece of string to each flap to ensure the sweets would fall out!

Lightning_McQueen_pinataI

Excuse the rubbish photographs but it came together so quickly it was hard to remember to photograph! The last stage was to cover the car in red paper, I frilled the front and back and drew on windows, headlights and all the other features I knew my son would be looking for.

Lightning McQueen pinata

He was a bit unsure when he saw it but had fun pulling the string and releasing the sweets.

A great craft to help celebrate Cinco de Mayo on the 5th May, a very colourful carnival which is marked in Mexico with singing, dancing, fireworks and fantastic food.

You may be interested in our other Disney Cars crafts:

Small world car play

How to make a Cozy Cone Motel

Aquabeads Cars 3 3D Lightning McQueen set

3 Comments

  • Reply
    Kerry
    April 28, 2013 at 4:34 pm

    oh you clever thing you! I need to start using our Recycling in more of the kids projects… That looks really fab 🙂 xx

  • Reply
    creativejewishmom/sara
    May 2, 2013 at 9:47 pm

    wow, you’re such a great mom, adorable! been wanting to make pinata’s for my kids too…..have yet to do it though! thanks for sharing on craft schooling sunday!

  • Reply
    5 essential items for a Frozen birthday party | the-gingerbread-house.co.uk
    September 2, 2014 at 9:21 pm

    […] and blue balloons to match the decorations and an amazing tiara pinata. You may remember I made a Lightning McQueen pinata for my son and I swore never again. This pinata just needs filling so I will be looking out for […]

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