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Papier-Mâché Piggy Bank

Using an egg carton and a balloon, your child can make a papier-mâché piggy bank.
By: Trish Kuffner, author of The Children's Busy Book

Papier-Mâché Piggy Bank


Materials

  • 1/4 cup flour
  • Glue
  • 6 cups water
  • Pipe cleaner
  • Shallow pan
  • Paintbrush
  • Several sheets of newspaper
  • Pink paint
  • Balloon
  • Black paint or marker
  • Scissors
  • Utility knife
  • Empty paper egg carton

Directions

  1. Let your child mix the flour with 1 cup of water.
  2. Add the mixture to 5 cups of boiling water.
  3. Gently boil and stir the paste for 3 minutes.
  4. Let it cool, then pour it into a shallow pan.
  5. Tear the newspaper into squares or strips, then inflate and tie the balloon.
  6. Have your child dip the squares or strips of paper into the paste, then place them on the balloon, making sure their edges overlap.
  7. Cover the balloon with many layers of pasty paper and let it dry for a day or two.
  8. Cut 6 sections from the egg carton. Glue 1 section onto the tied end of the balloon for the pig's nose.
  9. Glue 4 sections onto the underside of the pig for its feet.
  10. Cut the remaining section in half and glue 1 piece onto each side of the pig's head for its ears.
  11. Use a curled pipe cleaner for the pig's tail.
  12. Cover the nose, feet, ears, and tail with papier-mâché and let them dry.
  13. Then paint the pig pink and add details with black paint or marker.
  14. Use a utility knife to cut a money slot in the top of the pig.

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