Repurpose a cardboard canister into a fun homemade bank with something silly to look at on the side.
We’d been saving this nifty cardboard tea canister to make something out of for a while. I finally decided—since I only had one—that it would make a great little bank for my son to keep his pocket change in. This may be a craft older kids can do (with help from adults where the craft knife is concerned), but since my son is only five, I basically made this FOR him using some of the funnies he cut out. If you’d like to create something similar, here’s what I used:
Materials
A clean and sturdy cardboard canister (preferably with a removable lid)
Utility knife* (adults only!)
Funny papers or other paper clippings
Craft brush + Scissors
Mod Podge (matte)
I basically just used Mod Podge to adhere the paper images to the can, trying to line them up to the edges and not have to fold anything. Then I applied another thin layer on top to seal everything. After everything was dry, I carefully cut a little slot in the top of the can big enough for a folded dollar and/or change to slip into.
Now to be fair, you can’t really read most of the jokes that are on here anymore, since I layered them, but they make a fun visual anyway. I did leave a few that my son can look at and read later on. This could also be done with all different types of paper. I’m thinking a map version would be fun as well?
Of course, it’s a good idea to teach even little ones the value of saving a little money, and with the removable lid on top, there’s no annoying little piggy bank plug to deal with!
