Crafts and slime

Papier-mâché piggy bank

Cover a balloon in layers of newspaper and paste, wait a few days for it to dry hard, then pop the balloon and turn the ball into a pig. Add a coin slot and it becomes their very own piggy bank. Messy, cheap and brilliant over a half-term week.

Ages5+

Time1.5 hr

CostFree

MessVery messy

WhereIndoors

Let's make it Get the printable

Photo: Andre Taissin on Unsplash

What you need

A balloon
Old newspaperTorn into strips about the width of two fingers
PasteMix 1 cup of plain flour with about 1 cup of water until it's like thick cream, or use PVA glue watered down half and half
A bowl and an old table cover
An egg boxFor the snout and legs
Thin cardA cereal box works, for the ears
Strong glue or masking tape
Paint and brushes

Wait until it's bone dry before popping, or it will collapse. Only grown-ups should use a craft knife for the slot. Avoid wallpaper paste, as some types contain fungicide.

Let's go

Cover the table, blow up the balloon and tie the end.
Dip a strip of newspaper in the paste, slide it between two fingers to wipe off the extra, then smooth it onto the balloon.
Keep going until the balloon is covered, overlapping the strips. Add at least three or four layers, leaving the knot poking out.
Hang the balloon up by the knot somewhere warm and leave it for three or four days until it's completely dry and hard.
Pop the balloon and pull it out through the hole by the knot.
Cut four cups from the egg box for legs and one for the snout, and glue or tape them on. Cut two triangle ears from card and stick them on top.
Paint your pig all over. Pink, spotty, stripy or rainbow. Once it's dry, add eyes and nostrils.
For a piggy bank, a grown-up can cut a coin slot in the top with a craft knife.

Real talk

Do a few layers a day across the week. It gives everyone something to look forward to.
A layer of plain white paper last makes painting much easier, as the newsprint won't show through.
Swap the pig for a ladybird, a pumpkin, a planet or a hot air balloon. Same method, different paint.

Saving up for something?

Farm parks with pig races and piglet petting make a great reward once the piggy bank is full.

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