So you are planning a party and you are going to have a piñata. One thing you are going to need to do is find things to fill it! You can check local party supply stores for bags of candy and toys but most of them are going to sell the low grade items that aren’t going to last that long or won’t taste good. If you are willing to hit a few different stores, you can get some incredible things to fill your party piñata without spending a lot of money.
First off, check your phone book for candy wholesalers in your area. Most of them offer bulk pricing on prepackaged candy and often times they have toy assortments that you can also purchase. Buying in bulk can save you money and you will end up with a lot of variety but you will still want to get some special items to add to the mix.
1. Nestle has a Kiddie Carnival Mix that includes SweeTarts, Sprees, Bit-O-Honey and other kid favorites; they are sold in 200 piece bags and cost about $13.00. If you want a better bargain, go with Farley’s 275 count candy mix for about $15.00 but their assortment is only $15.00 so you are getting 75 extra pieces for a few dollars more.
2. Crayon packs can be purchased for as little as .25 cents at places like Party World and Party City. You can grab ten or twelve of these and add them to the piñata as you are filling it. Most kids love crayons and if they don’t, they can trade them for others items.
3. Play money makes for a great filler item; one word of caution, never mix chocolate coins with plastic ones. Younger kids might not know or be able to tell the difference between them. The plastic gold coins are popular with pirate themed parties and can be purchased for about three dollars a bag.
4. Safe T Pops are a safe item for younger kids. They come in a variety of flavors and have a looped end so there is less of a chance of kids getting hurt. It is almost impossible to keep your eye on every child at a party so substituting these types of suckers for others with a hard stick is one way to keep everyone safe.
5. Candy Necklaces and Bracelets are always a big hit with little girls; not only do they get to wear items like the grown ups but they are edible too. Be sure to get the individually sealed necklaces and bracelets so they are in perfect condition when the piñata is broken.
6. Miniature candy bars are the perfect size for piñatas; you can wait for them to go on sale and stock up on them or check the dollar stores for the ten count packages that sell for about a dollar a pack.
7. Ten Cent Toys! Check the toy section of your local party supply store for cheap toys. These include bouncy balls, spinning tops, small water guns, whistles, plastic animals, jumping frogs, temporary tattoos, beads, bubble bottles and more. Most of them start at about ten cents so it is a great way to add some variety to your piñata without spending a ton of money.
8. Drag out your plastic Easter Eggs and use them for special items you don’t want to put inside a piñata. Write a number on a piece of paper and put it inside the egg; kids can bring the eggs to a table and match up the number to a prize. Some of the things we’ve used as prizes are coloring books, small Lego and Playmobil sets, fast food gift cards, small art kits and other things that are too large or too fragile to fit in the piñata.
9. Glow sticks can be bought in bulk and added to the piñata if you are planning a party that will last into the twilight hours. Kids can have some fun running around with them and they are non-toxic so there is never a danger of them getting hurt if one of them breaks accidentally.
10. Trading cards are an excellent item to add to a piñata! They can be bought at a variety of stores and come in a myriad of themes. Some of the most popular are “Hannah Montana”, “Neopets”, “High School Musical”, “Webkinz”, “Yu-Gi-Oh” and sport themed cards.
