5 DIY Ideas for Piggy Banks
Check out these fun and cute ideas for piggy banks. Each one is made from recycled materials you probably already have lying around.
Why MAKE a Piggy Bank
Okay, okay, hear me out. I know you can click add to cart at lightning speed. It will be at your door in two days (or sooner). So why should little ones make a piggy bank instead if buying one is so easy?
Preschoolers are sponges. They take in how adults talk and act. They mimic actions they see (and things they hear 😬).
When they realize they could benefit from a piggy bank, this is the perfect time to show your little one that not everything has to be bought. They can solve their problem by creating something with their own two hands!
We have five DIY ideas for piggy banks to get your little one’s mind rolling about ways to turn recyclables into useful piggy banks.
Not only will their need be filled, but they will also have the pride in choosing one of the ideas for piggy banks and making it their own.
5 Ideas for Piggy Banks Using Recycled Materials
**For all these ideas for piggy banks, you’ll want to start with containers already cleaned out. Also, an adult will need a knife or sharp scissors. **
Soda Bottle Piggy Bank
Utilize a two-liter soda bottle and turn it into a soda bottle PIG piggy bank. Grab two googly eyes and place them on the slanted plastic between the cap and where the bottle bumps out to the full size. The eyes should be a bit apart.
Cut out little pink ears from paper and tape them above the eyes.
Add a pink chenille stem tail by curling it around your finger and sliding it off. Tape the curly-Q tail to the back of the bottle.
Cut a slit on the top of the bottle for a place to add money.
Milk Jug Piggy Bank
The top of the milk jug may be big enough to fit most coins. Fifty-cent pieces may not fit, but the other ones should. It’s up to you if you would like to cut a slit on the milk jug or not.
If you do choose to add a slit, stand the milk jug up and add a slit near the top.
Try decorating the milk jug with paint and glitter! Add the glitter while the paint is still wet, and it will stick without glue.
Glitter is optional (but fun).
Your little one may want to paint their piggy bank with many colors. Let them turn it into whatever their heart desires.
Piggy Bank Made from a Container
Literally, ANY container will work for this piggy bank idea. We chose to use a greek yogurt container.
Decide if your little one will want to open and shut the lid or if they would like a little slit to put their money through.
You may want to consider taping the lid on if you won’t be opening it frequently so that your little one doesn’t dump their money out each time they hold their piggy bank.
Wrap your container with construction paper and decorate it to your heart’s content. Stickers, stamps, and markers all work great!
Box Upcycled Piggy Bank
Find the flattened box in the bottom of the recycling bin and get ready to give it new life. Tape up the bottom and the top so that the box is 3D once again.
Wrap the box with colorful paper.
Cut a slit on the top.
Decorate the box as much (or as little) as your little one wants, and label it with your little one’s name!
Glass Jar Piggy Bank
Possibly the easiest of the ideas for piggy banks is a glass jar piggy bank. Use the pasta sauce jar you can’t get the tomato smell from for this idea😉.
Using a glue stick, place glue on a section of the glass. Add small bits of tissue paper to the glued spot. Your little one can decide whether to do a pattern or let the tissue pieces be a bit abstract.
If they want to get quite fancy, they can cut out shapes (or letters) from the tissue paper.
Continue adding glue to the jar and placing the tissue paper on top of the glue until the jar is covered in tissue paper.
We left the bottom bare so littles could peek in to see how much money was in there without opening the lid.
Recycled Materials Piggy Banks
Rummage through your recycling bin to find the perfect vessel to turn into a piggy bank. These ideas for piggy banks are only the beginning. The beauty of this craft is that your little one can turn the ideas from the blog into their own creations.
