Build a paper mache piggy bank

Construct and decorate your very own paper mache piggy bank. Here's how.

What you need:

• Paper mache glue
• balloon for each piggy bank
• newspaper/brown paper
• egg carton
• masking tape
• tempera paint or pink tissue paper
• pink felt
• stick-on craft eyes (optional)
• pipe cleaner
• sharpe knife
• black marker

Number of players:

Activity:

Blow up a balloon for each piggy bank you want to make.

Have your child tear some newspaper and/or brown paper into 5cm widths (length doesn't matter) .
 
Dip each strip of paper in the paper mache glue mixture and wrap the strip around the balloon.

Repeat until the balloon is covered in paper strips and leave it to dry overnight. Repeat with two more layers of paper strips, leaving the paper mache to dry between each layer.

Let the paper mache balloon dry for a few days. When it is dry, you can pop the balloon with the sharp knife and remove it from the inside. This will be the body and head of the pig.

After the paper mache is completely dry, it's time to add the legs and the snout.

Separate five egg carton sections (one for each leg and the snout) and attach these to the paper mache body using masking tape.

Get your kids to colour their pig with either tempera paint or coat it with pink tissue paper.

For the tissue paper coating, first tear or cut the tissue paper into small pieces and then cover the pig with a very thin layer of the paper mache glue mixture (using your fingers is the easiest way). Next, put the tissue paper pieces on the pig (you may need to add a little more glue occasionally) until you have a nice pink coat for the pig. Let the pig dry completely (at least overnight).

Ears: Use bits of folded pink felt to fashion ears for your pig and glue these on.

The tail: Using a sharp knife, make a small hole at the tail end of the pig body. Insert a pipe cleaner into the hole, then shape the pipe cleaner into a spiral.

Eyes: Either draw eyes on with a marker or glue on plastic googly eyes.

Nostrils: Draw two nostrils on the snout with a marker.

Money slot: Along the top of the pig's body, carefully cut a slot large enough to fit any coin

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