This DIY Water-Balloon Piñata Is Easy and Nearly Mess-Free, and Kids Absolutely Love It

Published on July 24, 2020 at 2:40 PM

Camila Barbeito

DIYs often get a bad rap for being too difficult or complicated, such as the ubiquitous Pinterest fails — great in the photos, not so much in execution. But DIY water-balloon piñatas are different. They are easy. Like, "turn on your hose and tie a balloon on a string" easy. Ready in about 10 minutes flat, they will be a hit with your kids, your neighbors' kids, and maybe even some adults. Perfect to accompany pool days, all you need are some water balloons, an included spout for your hose, any kind of string, and a stick (could even be a broomstick). Easy, extremely cheap, and your kids will absolutely love trying their best to make the piñata explode with water, getting soaked, and doing it all over again. It's the perfect summer activity! Keep reading to see how to do it.

Gather Your Materials

All you really need here are water balloons, a spout/funnel for your hose (which is usually included with the water balloons; check before buying!), string, and a pair of scissors to cut the string at the end.

Start Getting Your Piñata Together

Attaching the funnel to your garden hose, fill your first water balloon to 3/4 capacity. Instead of tying it on its own, tie it to the string instead. Remember to leave about a two-foot distance between the end of the string and your first balloon.

Keep Filling Balloons

Once you get the hang of it, it really is so easy. Keep filling your water balloons and attaching them to the string, leaving about eight to 10 inches in between each balloon. Once you're done, cut off the string, leaving about two feet of extra string at the end.

Don't Use Too Many Balloons

You're probably safest just doing about six to eight balloons on the string at a time, and even that gets surprisingly heavy!

Hang Your Piñata

Bring the extra string you left on each side together, and use both pieces to hang up your piñata. You can use a tree branch if you have one, but anything works. We used the top of our trampoline net.

Get Ready to Swing

We used a stick we found in our garage, but even a broomstick or mop handle works here. Start throwing the punches!

Keep Swinging

The kids have so much fun with this activity. Just brace yourselves to get soaked!

Burst the Piñata!

With just a few hits, the balloons exploded all over the patio. Pretty messy, but it's mostly water — and an unforgettable experience. The kids are already asking for another round this weekend!