Toilet Paper Roll Pinatas for Cinco de Mayo

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We recently decided to have a “Mexico Day” at our house – to be honest, no particular reason, other than exploring different cultures and do something different. With Cinco de Mayo around the corner and with our love for Frida Kahlo, we thought, why not?

As part of this, we made some Toilet Paper Roll Pinatas – not just ANY TP Roll Mini Pinatats.. but Frida Kahlo Pinatas!! So easy. And with some “stole” Halloween Treats, these are practically 100% recycled! We adore making Toilet Paper Roll Crafts and love all things Frida Kahlo for Kids!

To make Toilet Paper Roll Frida Kahlo Pinatas, you will need:

  • Empty Toilet Paper Rolls – one per mini pinata
  • Recycled tissue paper (we save ours from gifts or shop packaging) in as many colours as you have
  • A pen for Frida Kahlo’s features
  • Glue stick & a little tape
  • Scissors
  • Some string for hanging
  • Sweets for filling

2 page, easy to print worksheets (ad-free) are available in my Teacher’s Pay Teacher’s store.

DIY TP Roll Frida Kahlo Mini Pinatas

How to make a Toilet Paper Roll Pinata

Frida Kahlo’s face

Drawing frida kahlo's face on TP Rolls

We started off by drawing a Frida Kahlo face on the top 1/3 of the Toilet Paper Roll. Don’t worry about making this too detailed or spending too much time on each one. We had for mini pinatas to make.. so wanted them made reasonably quickly. The hair for example is only roughly coloured in.

Frida Kahlo’s dress & the pinata tassles

Cutting out the TP Roll Pinata's tassels

Cut some strips of tissue paper that are long enough to fit around the tp roll and about 4-5cm wide. I cut several strips in one go. Four each TP Roll Frida you will need 4 strips, ideally in different colours, but not essential.

Then cut tassels into the tissue paper. Again, I cut several in one go.

Assembling the dress/ pinata

Securing the TP Roll Mini Pinatas

Cut a square piece of paper to comfortably fit around the bottom of the Toilet Paper Roll. Add glue to the bottom of the roll and then scrunch around it. This will be your base.

You can if you WISH poke a hole through the centre of the paper first and secure your pulling string. Or you can tape it on late.

Adding Frida Kahlo's tissue paper dress to your pinata

Now add glue to the tissue paper strips and layer them around the Toilet Paper Roll one after each other.

You may want to “narrow the last one” or add extra strips of tissue paper for decoration.

Making Frida Kahlo’s Tissues Paper Flowers

How to make tissue paper flowers for Frida Kahlo

Next we made some tissue paper flowers for Frida Kahlo’s iconic flower head dress. These are super easy and we have made them many times before (e.g. our Pandacorn cake or our even the Tissue paper flower bouquet).

You will need two circles the same size. Some squished up (left over) tissue paper for the centre.

Add a little glue to one circle and place the second on top.

Add glue to the second circle centre and place the squished bit in the middle. Scrunch it all up and your flower is finished.

We made one “large” flower and two smaller ones, per Toilet Paper Roll Pinata. Then glued them in place.

You can also make some tissue paper hoop earrings.

Finally the string to your Mini Pinatas

Adding your TP Roll Mini Pinata pully string

I decided not to “close” the mini pinatas at the top (you can if you wish.. but it is easier if you don’t).

Simply make 2 holes at the top (you can use a single hole punch if you want, I used sharp scissors) and tie some string.

For the pinata pully, I simply taped some string on (but knot the string first, else it will slide through the tape when you pull it.

Filling you TP Roll Pinatas with sweets and confetti

FILL WITH SWEETS and DIY confetti. The confetti wa smade using “cut offs” from the Tissue Paper left overs.

TP Roll Pinata Frida Kahlo style for Cinco the Mayo
100% recycled Frida Kahlo Mini Pinatas for Cinco de Mayo

And DONE!

What else did we do on our Mexican Day?

  • We made some Papel Picados (basically paper bunting in bright colours)
  • Had a go at this Frida Kahlo printable project
  • We listened to Mexican Music all day
  • We made delicious Chilaquiles, some chicken burritos and some churros (flan would have been more authentic, but we didn’t have the ingredients)
  • Watched some Lucha Libre (Mexican Wrestling) on YouTube, as well as a tourist information video on Mexico

I think our Mexican Day was a success! Happy Toilet Paper Roll Pinatas making!!

Looking for more Frida Kahlo Projects for Kids? Try these!

Collage of Frida Kahlo Art Projects for Kids, including self portraits, Caza Azul and flower headbands.

Looking for more fun Toilet Paper Roll Crafts for Kids?