Bottle Piggy Bank – Help Kids Save

Depending on the year, it’s around this time where I start a $2 coin bottle to save a little extra cash for Christmas.  This concept could also work for kids, giving them a tangible way to see the money grow.

This cute project converts an empty bottle into a piggy bank. I used a 375 ml bottle, and by my (very) rough calculations, filling it with $2 (Australian) coins will amount to over $500.  Of course, any coins could be used, but larger money won’t fit out of the bottle lid – the nose (which can be an incentive to save in itself because you will have to cut the bottle to get the money out).

Materials

• Empty 375 ml plastic bottle
  • Note: You can use a larger bottle (like a 600ml) and cut a middle section out in the middle and re-join it with strong tape.
• Coloured cardboard
• Google eyes
• Pipe Cleaner
• 4 spools (what we used), beads, soft drink lids or something like it for the legs
• Craft Glue
• Other: Permanet marker for nose dots, 2 rubber bands to help cardboard when drying, craft knife for coin slot.

1. Cut cardboard to size so it fits around the middle of the bottle (before the top and bottom ends start sloping).

2. Put craft glue all over the back of the board and stick to bottle. Place 2 rubber bands over the top while the glue to drying. 

3. Draw in the nostrils on the lid.

4. Cut out two ear shapes, fold a small section at the base so it’s easy to glue in place on the bottle.

5. Glue two google eyes on.

6. Curl a pipe cleaner around finger or pen. Make a small puncture in the base of the bottle and insert the tail in. (I did this part for the kids).

7. The only thing left to do is the coin slot at the top. This really needs to be done with a craft knife (by an adult). It’s not hard, but it can be a bit of a hazard.

One of my daughter’s made a unicorn instead of a pig.