DIY Piggy Bank from a Recycled Plastic Bottle | Easy Piggy Bank Craft
Looking for a fun and creative way to turn an everyday plastic bottle into something useful? 🐷💰 This cute DIY piggy bank is an easy recycled craft that transforms a plastic bottle and a few simple craft supplies into an adorable little money box for saving coins and bills.
I love projects like this because they are inexpensive, beginner-friendly, and easy to customize. Instead of throwing away an empty plastic bottle, you can give it a second life and turn it into a fun handmade piggy bank. All you need is a clean bottle, some craft foam, glue, scissors, and a little imagination.
This recycled bottle craft is also a great project for kids. While they are making their piggy bank, you can introduce the idea of saving money and encourage them to create a small savings goal. They can decorate their own piggy bank, choose its colors, give it a name, and start adding their coins little by little.
And the best part? You don't have to make a traditional pink pig.
You can create your piggy bank in almost any color and decorate it with accessories such as crowns, bows, flowers, hearts, glasses, eyelashes, or other fun details. You could even make several different characters using the same basic technique.
This project is also perfect for classrooms, children's craft activities, family craft afternoons, school projects, or simply a rainy-day DIY activity at home. Since the materials are inexpensive and easy to find, you can make this project without needing a long shopping list.
Whether you're looking for an easy recycled craft for kids, a fun way to encourage saving, or a cute homemade gift idea, this DIY piggy bank is a simple project worth trying.
So grab an empty plastic bottle, gather your craft supplies, and let's turn it into an adorable little piggy bank! 🐷✨
✂️ Project at a Glance
| 🕒 Time | 25 Minutes |
| ⭐ Difficulty | Easy |
| 👧 Ages | 7+ Years |
| 💲 Cost | Under $3 |
| 📄 Printable Template | Yes, FREE |
| 🎉 Perfect For | Recycled craft • Preschool • Recycle fair |
❤️ Why You'll Love This Craft
✔ It's a genuinely eco-friendly project: you're giving a second life to a plastic bottle or ornament ball that would otherwise end up in a landfill.
✔ It's beginner-friendly. You don't need advanced crafting skills to make this cute piggy bank.
✔ It encourages saving because kids can use their piggy bank to start saving coins and work toward a simple savings goal.
✔ It's completely customizable, change the colors, facial features and accessories to create your own character.
✔ It's inexpensive and fun. You can make it with basic craft supplies you may already have at home.
✔ It's perfect for family time or the classroom: it's fast, safe with a little supervision, and genuinely satisfying to make with kids.
DIY Recycled Piggy Bank Craft
✂️ MATERIALS
- 1 clean, empty plastic bottle.
- Craft foam / EVA foam in your preferred colors.
- Template/pattern (optional but it´s free)
- Craft knife or utility knife, for cutting the coin slot (adult use only)
- Scissors.
- Ruler
- Craft glue
- Hot glue (for some things)
- Optional decorative accessories.
- A few coins and bills for testing.
💡PARTY TIPS
- Choose your bottle carefully before cutting it. For this piggy bank, I recommend using a 2.5-liter bottle, which is a good average size. If the bottle has a slightly narrower middle and sits securely on its own, even better! However, you can also use a smaller or larger bottle depending on what you have on hand.
- Don’t forget to wash the bottle really well. Once you’ve cut it open, make sure to dry the inside thoroughly. We definitely don’t want any bad smells—or worse, mold growing on the money inside!
- For this craft, I recommend using white craft glue or UHU glue. Since we’re working with plastic, hot glue can get very hot and may warp or melt the bottle. And we definitely don’t want to ruin our little piggy!
- Have fun personalizing your piggy however you like! As you can see, I gave mine a little crown and made her a cute fringed dress. But you can also add glasses, hair, a bow, or anything else you can think of. Get creative and make your piggy your own!
📝 STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS
1️⃣ Prepare the recycled bottle
Start by choosing a clean plastic bottle that is large enough for the piggy bank you want to make. Remove the label carefully and clean away any sticky residue left behind. Wash the bottle with soap and water, then allow it to dry completely before moving on.
Take a moment to decide how you want your piggy bank to sit. You can keep the bottle upright or place it horizontally, depending on its shape and the character you want to create.
The bottle will become the main body of your piggy bank, so make sure it is reasonably sturdy and doesn't collapse easily when you handle it.
Before adding any decorations, place the bottle on your work surface and think about where the face, ears and other details will go. Planning the layout first will help you create a balanced design and avoid having to remove pieces later.
Once you're happy with the basic shape, you're ready to start covering and decorating the bottle.
2️⃣ Assemble the Piggy Bank Body
Once your bottle is clean and ready to go, make 3 cuts: two on the bottle itself and one near the bottle opening. Just make a small cut there—don’t go too far! 😄
Next, join the bottle pieces together using white craft glue or UHU glue, and let everything dry completely before moving on.
3️⃣Cut Out the Piggy’s Pieces and Accessories
Download and print the free template, or draw the pieces freehand if you’d rather get creative and improvise!
You’ll need two white circles and two smaller black circles for the eyes, a 5 cm circle for the snout with two little dots for the nostrils, two curved triangle shapes for the ears, a long rectangle to wrap around the piggy bank, and a crown if you want to create a fancier design, like this adorable princess piggy. 👑🐷
Before gluing anything, lay all the pieces out on your work surface in the order you’ll be using them. This makes it easier to picture the final design and helps prevent any last-minute mistakes.
Want a little extra sparkle? Go for glitter foam sheets for a fun, shiny finish! ✨
4️⃣ Glue the Pieces and Accessories onto the Bottle
Start by gluing on the little ears and whichever accessory you chose. For mine, I made a tiny crown because she’s going to be an adorable princess piggy! 👑💕
Before wrapping the rectangle around the bottle, cut a coin slot that’s slightly longer and wider than the largest coin used in your country. Then, glue the rectangle around the bottle.
Glue the piggy’s snout over the bottle opening where the cap used to be, and use four bottle caps as little feet.
5️⃣ Add the Finishing Touches and Personalize Your Piggy
Check that all the pieces are securely glued down, adding a little extra glue to any loose edges if needed.
Now comes the fun part—personalize your piggy bank! You can add a tiny bow on the side, or even write your little saver’s name on the bottom with a marker or add it using vinyl.
Let everything dry completely for at least 15 minutes before handling or showing off your creation.
And that’s it! 🎉 You now have your very own upcycled piggy bank, ready to start filling up with coins and bills. 🐷💰✨
📥 DOWNLOAD THE TEMPLATES
I'm sharing the templates with you so you can download them for free and make your own desk organizer. Please note that the templates come in a ZIP folder, so you'll need to unzip the folder before you can use them.
HERE, you'll find a video showing you how to download and unzip the files without any trouble.
The templates are provided in PDF format and are ready to print.
Note: The templates included in this post are for personal use only.
❓FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)
Can I use any plastic bottle?
Yes. Different bottle sizes and shapes can work. Choose one that is clean, sturdy and large enough for your project.
Can I make this without craft foam?
Absolutely. You can use cardstock, colored paper, felt or other craft materials instead.
Can it hold bills?
Yes. Simply fold the bills before placing them through the slot.
Is this piggy bank actually sturdy and long-lasting?
Yes, as long as you use good-quality hot glue and let each piece fully set. Craft foam holds up well to everyday bumps, though as with any handmade craft, it's best to handle it gently and avoid dropping it from a height.
Is this a kid-safe craft?
Craft foam and kid-safe glue are perfectly fine for children to cut and glue under supervision; however, the hot glue gun and craft knife should always be handled by an adult to avoid burns or cuts.
Can I make other animals?
Definitely! You can use the same basic idea to create a bunny, cat, panda, bear or almost any animal you can imagine.
🎥 WATCH THE TUTORIAL ON YOUTUBE
😍 YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
This DIY piggy bank is a simple way to turn recycled materials into something practical while having fun with creativity. With a bottle, craft foam and a few basic supplies, you can make a handmade money box that is inexpensive, colorful and completely personalized.
The best part is that there are no strict rules. Change the colors, add accessories, create different expressions or turn your piggy bank into a completely different character.
This is also a great project for teaching children about saving. Give them a simple goal, let them decorate their own piggy bank and encourage them to add a few coins whenever they can.
So before you throw that empty plastic bottle away, think about what it could become!
I hope this recycled bottle piggy bank craft inspires you to create your own colorful character. 🐷💰
See you in the next creative idea! 😀💕✂️
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