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)

Walking piggy bank

How to Make a Walking Piggy Bank Powered by Rubber Bands ♪ [Paper Clay & Craft]

Walking piggy bank

Let’s make a toddling walking piggy bank! The main material is a paper cup.

Cut the paper cup along a line slightly closer to the bottom than the halfway point, then combine the two parts and secure them with tape.

On what will be the bottom side, make four slits and attach a battery wrapped with a rubber band.

Reinforce the slit areas with cellophane tape so the battery won’t come loose—this completes the movement mechanism.

Finally, cover it with another paper cup that has a coin slot cut into its base, add your favorite decorations, and your walking piggy bank is ready!

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A piggy bank where coins disappear

[Coin-Disappearing Piggy Bank] Make it with a milk carton! Perfect for a summer vacation independent study (craft)! DIY Coin Bank from a Milk Carton

A piggy bank where coins disappear

A mysterious piggy bank where the coin you put in disappears! The secret behind the disappearing act is a cutting mirror hidden inside the box.

A decorated sheet of construction paper is fitted inside a milk carton, and then another milk carton with a cutting mirror attached at an angle is inserted.

So when you peek through the window, it looks empty even after you put money in.

It’s a clever idea that makes good use of the properties of mirrors.

You can make it with simple materials, so it’s perfect for those “I have to turn this in in a few days…” moments! Give it a try.

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Log cabin-style piggy bank

Make it with toothpicks! Log house piggy bank [making]

Log cabin-style piggy bank

This is an idea for making a log-cabin-style piggy bank by lining up toothpicks and gluing them together.

The process isn’t difficult since it mainly involves cutting toothpicks, arranging them, and gluing, but it can be tedious because of the fine work.

Still, the finished log house will be sturdier than expected, so it’s definitely worth making! Creating a blueprint in advance helps you work without hesitation and reduces mistakes, so it’s recommended.

You could also make it using ice cream sticks or disposable chopsticks instead of toothpicks.

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Omikuji piggy bank

[Omikuji Coin Bank] Sakura’s Crafts Room 18: Let’s make it with a milk carton — perfect for a summer vacation independent research (craft) project! DIY Coin Bank from a Milk Carton

Omikuji piggy bank

Here’s an idea for a fortune-slip coin bank made from a milk carton.

Decide the size you want, cut the milk carton, and build the main body of the bank.

Make a coin slot on the top and an opening on the bottom to retrieve the money, then also make holes to insert a bamboo skewer.

Make two holes on opposite sides.

Next, from the remaining milk carton, cut out a ring 4 cm high, then squash it into a cross shape by folding the corners inward toward the center.

Staple it so it holds its shape, and fold the four ends about 1 cm in the same direction.

Thread a bamboo skewer through the center, install it inside the main body, then attach the fortune-slip component made from cardboard to the outside end of the skewer—and you’re done! If you want to decorate the body, do that before inserting the bamboo skewer.

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Sumikko Gurashi piggy bank

[Perfect for a Summer Vacation Project!] How to Make a Piggy Bank (Sumikko Gurashi)

Sumikko Gurashi piggy bank

I’ll introduce how to make a Sumikko Gurashi piggy bank out of origami.

Prepare two sheets of origami paper and one small sheet, then let’s get started.

Use the small origami paper to make the 5-yen coin part.

Fold the corners toward the center, then fold the surrounding corners as well.

It will form the shape of a 5-yen coin, so draw the details with a felt-tip pen.

For the base piggy bank, fold the origami toward the center to create creases.

Following the creases, tuck the paper inward to form a square box.

Make two identical boxes; on one of them, attach the 5-yen coin and draw the face.

The key point is to change the color of the origami depending on the character.

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