Homemade Coin Banks

Piggy bank with a few coins.

Teaching children about money is important. Children need to learn how to count money, and they also need to learn how to save money. One way a parent can educate his young child in regards to money is to help her create a coin bank. These coin banks are just like a piggy bank, but they are not in the shape of a pig. Parents can add a recycling lesson by choosing to use items around the house to make the banks, and children can be creative in the way they decorate their coin banks.

Things You'll Need

• Newspapers
• Container with a lid
• Construction paper
• Magazine pictures
• Felt
• Lace
• Stickers
• Glitter
• Craft jewels
• Paint
• Paintbrushes
• Glue
• Scissors

Instructions

Milk Carton Bank

1. Lay a few sheets of newspaper out over your workspace area. This will protect the surface from any spills.

2. Set your clean milk carton on top of the newspapers. Glue the flap on top of the milk carton shut.

3. Use a pair of scissors to cut a small rectangular opening in the slanted part of the top of the milk carton. It must be big enough for your largest coin to fit through.

4. Decorate the coin bank by cutting shapes out of construction paper and gluing them to the milk carton. You could also apply stickers.

5. Add glitter to the coin bank by placing dabs of glue around the carton and then sprinkling glitter over them.

6. Use a paintbrush and some paint to paint your name on the coin bank.

7. Wait for the glue to dry before you use the bank.

Plastic Container Bank

1. Lay a few sheets of newspaper out over your workspace area.

2. Clean out whatever plastic container you plan to use. Pretzel canisters, soda bottles, coffee jars and milk jugs all make good coin banks.

3. Cut out a small rectangle from the top of your plastic container.

4. Decorate your plastic coin bank. You can cut your favorite pictures out of a magazine or make your own drawings and glue them to the container. Be creative and make the coin bank unique like you.

5. Add lace, glitter or craft jewels to your coin bank. You can use glue or some craft jewels come with a sticky backing that you can peel off.

6. Paint your name on the top of the coin bank. This is a good idea if you have any brothers or sisters in your home.

7. Let the glue and the paint dry.

Tips & Warnings

• If regular glue isn't strong enough, use a hot glue gun.

• Small children may need help cutting out a slit for the coins.

References

• A Place of Our Own: Homemade Piggy Banks
• Family Education: Homemade Piggy Banks