How to Decorate Your Own Piggy Bank

It's important to teach kids about saving money from an early age. Perhaps the most traditional way for kids to save is by using a piggy bank. Decorating a piggy bank with fun, colorful art supplies will make saving money even more fun.

Step 1: Make Your Own Piggy Bank

Sure, you can purchase a store-bought piggy bank. But you can also make a piggy bank out of supplies you already have at home.

Find a hollow object that can be turned into a bank. Metal and aluminum objects such as coffee cans, soda cans, small storage boxes, and vintage lunch boxes work well as banks. You can also use cardboard objects like a shoebox or empty oatmeal container. Just be sure that no matter what you choose, you have the appropriate tools to cut into the material.

Use the right tool to cut a coin slot into the bank. If your bank is soft, you can use a knife. If your bank is made of glass or metal, then you'll need to use glass cutters or a drill.

Use that same tool to cut a hole in the bottom of the bank for when you need to remove the coins. Use a cork to plug the hole temporarily.

Step 2: Embellish Your Piggy Bank

Once you have constructed the piggy bank, there are several different options for embellishing it.


Painting the piggy bank is one of the easiest ways to transform it. If you purchased the piggy bank in a store, it is probably already glazed. Therefore, use a paintbrush to apply acrylic paint and let the paint dry between coats. You may need to help kids apply several coats of paint, since a glazed ceramic usually results in streaking. After you've applied several coats of paint to the piggy bank, spray it with a clear acrylic gloss coating to seal it.

Chalkboard Paint

If your kid can't decide on a design or specific color of paint, chalkboard paint is a versatile option. Chalkboard paint is applied like regular paint, except that kids can write on it with chalk. Chalkboard paint comes in an array of colors, and the chalk marks can be erased just like a classroom chalkboard. Simply paint the piggy bank with two coats of chalkboard paint and have kids use chalk to draw designs on it over and over again. You can use traditional white chalk or make it more colorful with multi-colored chalk.


If you want the piggy bank to look sparkly, glue beads onto it using a clear glue. The placement of the beads can be random, or you can help kids create fun patterns and shapes.


Help kids secure a stencil to the piggy bank, and then have them paint the stencil design with acrylic paint. You'll want to find a flat spot on the bank to do this, as painting a stencil onto a curve can be quite challenging. Stick with smaller stencils for better results.


Have kids cut pictures and words out of magazines. Apply a decoupage adhesive to the piggy bank and paste the magazine clippings onto it. Once all the magazine clippings are in place, seal them with one more coat of decoupage adhesive. Allow the bank to dry overnight.


Glitter is messy, but there is an alternative that won't leave trails of glue all over your home. Glitter glue has a paste-like consistency that has the same amount of sparkle as traditional glitter. It can be applied neatly with a paintbrush or built-in applicator. It's a quick way to add sparkle to your custom piggy bank.

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