Lovely handmade crafts

Handmade piggy banks with fun mechanisms! A collection of summer vacation craft ideas that will amaze even adults

10 years as a kindergarten teacher / elementary school teacher / junior and senior high school teacher / childminderkepiko
Graduated from Kunitachi College of Music, Faculty of Music (now: Department of Music Culture and Education, Early Childhood Music Education major). In elementary school, my homeroom teacher was Jun Kusaba, a game researcher. After graduating from university, I worked as a kindergarten teacher for 10 years and as an after-school childcare instructor for 7 years, then took a position as a music teacher at an international school in Singapore. In addition to music education, I engaged in activities that introduced Japanese culture, traditional games, and recreational activities, working with many children. Later, through freelance writing, planning, and editing at Shogakukan, I met many delightful adults and experienced the joy of communicating and sharing. Drawing on the perspective cultivated in the field of education and my experience as an editor, I provide practical information with an emphasis on both input and output, mainly in areas related to music and children. My hobbies include instruments, singing, handicrafts, toys, drawing, traditional games, the outdoors, and books. My special skill is spinning-top tricks.
Accompanist / Piano Instructoryuri
Accompanist pianist × piano instructor × web writer. I began piano lessons at age four and, inspired by my piano teacher, decided to pursue music. I went on to specialized music programs in high school and university, where I discovered the appeal of accompanying instrumentalists and singers. Currently, alongside teaching piano, I work mainly in my home region of Aichi as an accompanist for flute, voice, choir, and more. Through lessons, my students often introduce me to trending songs, and my hobby is trying anything on the piano—Japanese and Western pop, commercial jingles, and beyond. Since 2021, I’ve also been active as a web writer, covering music and a variety of other genres.

“Summer vacation is just around the corner, but I still haven’t decided on a craft project…” Many kids may be feeling this way.That’s why we recommend the classic craft: a handmade piggy bank!But a plain box shape is boring.If you make a piggy bank with a fun mechanism—like coins that spin, or one that walks or wobbles with movements that seem like magic—you’ll enjoy both the building process and managing your money every day after it’s done.In this article, we’ll introduce a variety of amazing piggy bank craft ideas you can make with simple materials.

Handmade piggy banks with fun mechanisms! A collection of ideas for summer break crafts that will amaze even adults (21–30)

Lockable trick piggy bank

DIY #1 Milk Carton Craft: A Piggy Bank That Locks Just by Shaking

Lockable trick piggy bank

A curious piggy bank that locks when you shake it.

Inside, there’s a mechanism combining a toilet paper roll core and a bottle cap with a marble inside; when you shake it with the side that has a drawn keyhole facing down, it locks, and when you shake it with that side facing up, it unlocks.

It looks simple, but it’s a cleverly thought-out, fun idea.

When attaching the toilet paper roll core, make sure to secure it firmly so that the cap with the marble won’t come off the wall inside even if it moves around.

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aquarium piggy bank

[Challenging] The Fish Move! Aquarium Piggy Bank [Woody Clay]

aquarium piggy bank

I’ll introduce an idea for making a piggy bank that looks like an aquarium when you rotate a plastic bottle.

First, prepare a 500 ml plastic bottle.

Wrap the bottle with cardstock and then bubble wrap in that order, and use a pen to draw several holes where fish will be visible.

Except for those holes, attach clay around the surface.

Use the clay to create coral, shells, and any decorations you like.

Once the clay dries, remove the plastic bottle, and make a single hole in the bottle that matches the size of one of the clay holes.

This will be the coin slot, which can open and close by rotating the bottle.

Draw fish on the plastic bottle with a permanent marker, and finally seal the bottle’s mouth with a fish made out of clay.

You’re done!

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A piggy bank with a wagging tail

How to Make a Tail-Wagging Piggy Bank [Paper Clay, Swan, Creative Piggy Bank]

A piggy bank with a wagging tail

An adorable piggy bank with a gently swaying tail! Start with the tail parts.

Fit a straw onto a bamboo skewer, then wrap wire around the straw so the wire sticks out to the left and right.

Cover the protruding wire with paper clay, shaping one side into a tail and the other into a paddle shape.

The key is to adjust the amount of paper clay so both sides are evenly weighted.

Once the paper clay is completely dry, attach it so the paddle part fits inside the main body made from a milk carton, and shape the exterior with paper clay however you like.

All done!

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Spinning piggy bank

https://www.tiktok.com/@silk_haru3mama/video/7514644804823682311

Why not make a fun piggy bank where the coins spin as they go in? It’s a perfect idea for a summer vacation craft.

First, slice a milk carton into rings, press the corners to flatten the center space, and make four “blades” to form a propeller.

Decorate the edges with vinyl tape, and make two large propellers and four small ones in the same way.

Skewer a large propeller on a bamboo stick, then add two small propellers on each side to create a spinning mechanism.

Insert this into a clear tube, make a coin slot in the lid, put the lid on, and you’re done.

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Sparkly plastic-bottle piggy bank

DIY #2 A Must-See for Girls! A Sparkly Piggy Bank Made from a Plastic Bottle

Sparkly plastic-bottle piggy bank

Here’s a craft idea for making a dreamy-cute piggy bank out of a plastic bottle.

First, cut the bottle about 10 cm down from the mouth, and cover the cut edge with masking tape or similar.

Don’t forget to make a slot for inserting coins.

Cut out two round pieces of cardboard to match the size of the bottle’s bottom; make one slightly smaller, then glue it on top of the larger one.

Poke a hole, pass a toothpick wrapped with a rubber band through it, and secure with tape.

Make a hole in the plastic bottle as well, thread a string with beads through the hole, tie it on the inside to secure it.

Hook the rubber band onto the beads, and if the bottom closes firmly, you’re good to go.

Finally, decorate the bottle and the cap with beads and decorative stickers, and you’re done!

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