Homemade Piggy Banks

Materials:

• Egg cartons
• small boxes
• milk carton
• cardboard tubes
• kraft or construction paper
• art supplies
• tape
• nontoxic glue

Why does a piggy bank have to look like a pig? It doesn't. Here are some alternate banks you can make at home.

Mailbox Bank. Have your kids start with an empty milk carton taped shut at the top, with a flap cut in the slanted portion. Glue half circles of cardboard at the tops of the sides, then add a third piece of cardboard curving partway over the circles to form the top. They can finish it by covering it with blue and red paper.

Frog Bank. Supply your kids with a small box (such as a pound sugar box). Have them cover it with green construction paper. Lay the box flat. Your child can now cut out four legs from the construction paper and glue them onto the sides and front. Now, remove two compartments from an egg carton for your child to first paint green, then glue onto the top near one end of the box. Cut a slot in front of the eyes to receive coins. Your child can then use a marker to incorporate the slot into a big happy smile that says, "Feed me!"

RRRRibbit!

More on: Arts & Crafts Activities for Kids: Project Ideas

Excerpted from:

© 2005 by Steve and Ruth Bennett. Excerpted from 365 Unplugged Family Fun Activities with permission of its publisher, Perseus Books Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

To order this book visit perseusbooksgroup.com.