Do you like pinatas?

[nappyaddict]

If not, why not?

If so, do you like the pull string kind or the hitting kind? Or do they usually do both? This one seems to be for both.

No, imo they're a huge waste of money. I had one of the 'pull strings' ones at ds's last party (at his request) as all the 'bashing' ones I've seen take ages to bash and in the end an adult has to help open them!! Too dangerous. The one you linked to seems to be both - though it doesn't mention the strings in the blurb. Sorry :)

If I was any good in the craft department I could make one which probably wouldn't cost too much but my art and craft skills end at stick men and finger painting!

They are awful. I've only seen the bashing kind but I have never yet seen a small child successfully open one. Usually they get bored and wander off before it's anywhere near open. The last party I attended that had a pinata had five or six grown up men bashing away at it by the end and it still took them a while to break in.

Also, the sweets and treats inside tend to be really properly rubbish. The pull string does sound slightly better (but I bet the contents are still a gigantic waste of money.

I think you have to fill them yourself?

You do fill them yourself so if they're full of crap you know who to blame Kids love them, and I think they're a great way of filling some time at a home party, but they do need to be a certain age and it's probably best not to invite the class thug and hand him a baseball bat.

How old would you say? DS is going to be 6. And what's best to fill them with?

I bought one for DD when she was about 4 - it was a unicorn. It still is a unicorn - as she would not countenance bashing it to death with a stick. It is gathering dust in her room.

6 should be ok with supervision (the kids get excited and crowd around and the basher gets excited and swings wildly so an adult between the nearest kid and the bat is a good idea!). If it's outside sweets need to be wrapped - or put a plastic sheet or blanket under it. I've only ever done sweets or the kind of small wrapped chocolate you get in multipacks like freddo frogs, but have told the kids in advance that whatever they collect gets put in the middle and shared out between everyone at the end.