How to Design a Piggy Bank
Every kid loves a piggy bank in which to collect those lucky coins. Designing and making their own piggy banks out of papier-mâché provides opportunities for learning about economics, art, and the environment. Your children can learn the value of money as they drop their pennies in their bank and learn about green living as they use recycled materials in their project.
Things You'll Need
- Empty cylinder cardboard salt container
- Newspaper
- Masking tape
- Flour
- Water
- Shallow bowl
- Paint
- Craft knife
- Butter knife
- Art supplies
Instructions
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1
Lay the cardboard salt container on its side. This is the body of your piggy bank. Cut a coin slot into the middle of one side using the craft knife. Make the slot large enough to allow a quarter to pass through, remembering that two layers of papier-mâché will be layered around it.
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2
Make the legs of your piggy bank by bunching newspaper into thick cylinders and then wrapping them in masking tape. Tape additional balled paper around the legs to give them a realistic shape. Tape the legs to the cardboard container body. Adjust the shape of the legs until the piggy bank stands on a flat surface without wobbling.
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3
Tape additional newspaper to the back of the cardboard container to fill out the backside of the pig. Form a curlicue with paper and tape in place to form a tail shape.
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4
Form your piggy bank's head out of balled newspaper. Tape a small, flat ball of newspaper to the front for the snout. Attach the head to the front of the salt container with more tape.
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5
Cut the rest of the newspaper into 1" x 3" strips. In a shallow bowl, mix the water and flour until you have a thin paste, about the consistency of pancake batter.
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6
Dip a newspaper strip into the paste, draw it through your fingers to remove excess, and then layer it over your piggy bank. Repeat until your bank is covered with one layer of papier-mâché, the edges of each strip overlapping slightly. Carefully press the ends of strips into the coin slot, using a butter knife to reach inside if necessary. Allow to dry completely.
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7
Apply a second layer of papier-mâché in the same manner as the first layer. Allow the piggy bank to dry overnight.
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8
Paint the piggy bank and decorate as desired with glitter, stickers, markers, crayons, and other art supplies.
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References
- Photo Credit piggy bank image by pershing from Fotolia.com
