Papier-Mâché Piggy Bank

Grade Levels: K - 6

Extend your Charlotte's Web Unit with this fun art activity. Make papier-mâché piggy banks that resemble Wilbur.

Materials:

• A balloon
• Newspaper
• Masking tape
• 1 cup of flour
• 1 1/2 cup of water
• 4 cups of boiling water
• Pink tempera paint (or any other color you'd like your pig to be)
• Paintbrush
• Masking tape
• A pink pipe cleaner
• A knife (a craft knife will work best)
• A paper egg carton
• Black paint or markers

Procedure:

1. Blow up a balloon.
2. Cut a bunch of 1-inch wide strips of newspaper. Put them to the side for later use.
3. Mix a cup or so of flour and 1 cup of water together in a mixing bowl. Stir it well, until the mixture is thin.
4. Stir in 4 cups of boiling water.
5. Let the mixture simmer for about 3 minutes, then leave it to cool. This will be your glue.
6. Take the strips of newspaper you've cut, dip them one at a time in the flour glue, and wrap them around the balloon.
7. Cover the balloon with about two to three layers of newspaper strips. Allow each layer to dry well before adding another.
8. After you've completely covered the balloon, let it dry for a day or two.
9. When it's completely dry, make a tiny opening so that you can pop the balloon and remove it from the inside. This will be the body and head of the pig.
10. Separate five sections of the paper egg carton.
11. Attach one egg carton section for each leg and one for the snout, using the masking tape.
12. Paint your pig. Then allow the paint to dry for several hours.
13. Make a small hole at the end of the pig for its tail.
14. Shape the pipe cleaner into a spiral and insert it into the hole.
15. Take a marker or some black paint, and give your pig eyes.
16. Cut a slot at the top of the body, where you can drop your money.