Cut the beige, yellow and black party streamers in lengths that are 1 inch larger than the diameter of your balloon. Set aside.
Mix an equal amount of water and decoupage glue in a long, rectangular dish.
Blow up the balloon and cover it with a very thin layer of petroleum jelly, which will help the streamers stay in place.
Set the balloon in a bucket so that you can wrap it easily with the paper streamers.
Dip the beige and yellow streamers in the glue mixture and wrap them around the balloon. Overlap the paper by approximately 2 inches as you work your way around the balloon. Create two layers of paper, but leave a 4-inch opening at the top if you desire to make a beehive pinata; you will insert the honey candy through the opening. Complete the beehive by wrapping a few black streamer strips every few inches up the hive.
Set the beehive in a safe place and let it sit for at least 24 hours to dry thoroughly.
Cover a yogurt container or old juice can with construction paper to use as a base for a small flower garden under the beehive after it dries.
Complete the beehive by popping the balloon and removing any plastic remnants. Cut an opening in the top to insert the honey candy. Hot-glue four thin straws or stirrers to the inside of the decorated yogurt container or juice can. Hot-glue straws to the bottom of the beehive. Arrange candy petals on sticks or straws inside the container to demonstrate that bees are drawn to flowers; the flowers are loaded with nectar, which serves as the bees’ main source of energy. Hot-glue some cloth "bees" on the hive or cut out your own from construction paper and apply them sparingly to the hive.
Fill the beehive pinata with honey candy.
Suspend the beehive pinata from a plastic tree, such as those in the tropical section of many party stores.
Prop the tree and beehive pinata in front of a photo montage of flowers, demonstrating bees’ natural environment. See Resources for ideas. Print the pictures; then secure them to an upright poster board with decoupage glue.
Arrange plastic bottles of honey around the scene; plastic honey "bears" from your local grocery store work well in this arrangement.
Compile a basic fact sheet on bees and place it next to the project, making it fun, visual and age-appropriate. Alternatively, create a sheet that lists bees’ favorite flowers, and title it, “Flower Spelling Bee.”
At the end of the project or demonstration, have children swat at the beehive pinata to crack it open. Take pictures beforehand, for it can “sting” you to see your fun project come to an end.