How to Make a Piggy Bank

A piggy bank can be a great way to get children accustomed to saving money at an early age. The process can also be lots of fun for them when they get to make their own bank out of a few household materials. Here are a few simple steps for making a piggy bank out of paper maché with your young saver.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Paper egg carton
• Masking tape
• Paint (any color you like for the pig's body)
• Paintbrush
• Pink pipe cleaner
• Black paint or black marker

Making the Head and Body

1. Mix 1 cup of water and 1 cup of flour together in a bowl. Stir until thin.

2. Add 4 cups of boiling water. Slowly stir as you pour.

3. Simmer the mixture for about 3 minutes and let it cool down. You will use this for your glue.

4. Cut up several 1-inch strips of newspaper and blow up your balloon.

5. Dip each strip of newspaper separately into the glue mixture and wrap each piece around the balloon. Repeat this step until you have about two or three layers around the balloon. Be sure to let each layer dry before adding another.

6. Let the covered balloon dry for a couple of days.

7. Make small opening so you can pop the balloon and pull it out. You've just created the body and the head of your piggy bank.

Making the Legs and Tail

8. Pull apart five compartments of the paper egg carton.

9. Use the masking tape to attach one egg carton compartment for the nose and each leg.

10. Decorate your pig with paint and let it dry for a few hours.

11. Create a little hole at the pig's end for the tail.

12. Form the pipe cleaner into a spiral shape and place into the hole.

13. Give your pig eyes with black paint or a marker.

14. Make a slot at the top of the pig's body for inserting money.