Whenever you see a cereal box or other cool (clean) boxes headed for the trash, try to rescue them and give them a second life by using them for super cool craft projects such as this one. The Robot Piñata was made from old gift-wrap and all sorts of used and unwanted items that were discarded.

Here’s what you’ll need:
An empty Cereal Box
An assortment of different size Boxes
Silver Paper, Aluminum Foil or Gift Wrap (any paper is fine - just make sure you have enough to cover all the Robot parts)
Recycled Bottle Tops for eyes and mouth (or use small boxes)
Paper Towel Tubes
Glue and Tape
Scissors (use scissors with adult supervision)
String (about 40 inches)
Newspaper

Items to fill Piñata – you don’t have to go with the tradition of using candy. Instead, try putting in small toys or even coins. Or, for a unique idea, write little notes with game suggestions and place them inside. Once the piñata is whacked open, the games can be played. We suggest games like:
• Pretend you are walking in space or that you are a Robot.
• Play “Tag” like a Robot.
• Have a Robot Relay Race.

OKAY, time to make the Piñata!

Cover your work surface with some pieces of newspaper and place all your supplies in easy reach. Open the cereal box and place all of your goodies inside (or keep the Piñata as a decoration and don’t fill it). Put two holes into the box top lid towards the back and slide a piece of string 40" long through each hole and tie a knot on both sides. Knots will be on the inside of the box lid and the string will create a large loop to hang the piñata. Now tape and glue the string on both sides to secure it. Tape the lid closed and put some extra newspaper and tape around the string area and the top of the lid to keep it in place.

Take all the boxes and cover them with a few layers of newspaper. Wrap them like gifts so that they have extra layers of protection, which will prolong the fun of whacking the final Robot Piñata. Now wrap the assorted boxes and the paper towel tubes in silver paper or foil. It is also fine to wrap them in plain paper.

To assemble the Robot, glue and tape the boxes together so that you have a head (tape head towards the front so that the string to hang the Piñata will be exposed at the back of the head), torso, arms and legs. To make hands and feet, just cut out circles in cardboard and cover them with the same paper you used for the other parts of the Robot.

You can use plain paper to add details to the face. In this picture, tiny pieces of the silver gift-wrap were also added to the face and body for decoration. Glue on the bottle caps for eyes and a small box for the mouth and tape them in place until they are dry. To add a circle antenna detail, cut a piece from a paper towel tube and add it to the top or side of the Robot’s head.

When the robot is totally covered and assembled, let it dry completely - which should only take about an hour or so. In the meantime, go outside and have a parent help you look for a stick that will be used too smack open the Piñata. When the Piñata is dry, have a parent or grown-up hang the Piñata from a tree branch or a safe place that is secure. Make sure that when you play the game you take turns and that all the kids are a safe distance from the kid who is hitting the Piñata. And don’t forget the blindfold!