One Savvy Mom ™ | NYC Area Mom Blog: Kids Craft Tutorial: How To Make Ball Mason Jar Piggy Banks For Under $5

Kids Craft Tutorial: How To Make Ball Mason Jar Piggy Banks For Under $5


I have a confession to make: I am {slightly} obsessed with Mason Jars. They just have so many uses (aside from canning) and they are perfect for craft projects! 

This past weekend my daughter and I made these super cute {incredibly affordable & simple} Ball Mason Jar Piggy banks. We made a Lion and a Pig however, you could easily make these into anything you want - a dog, a bear, a horse, a cow... whatever your creative heart desires!

What you'll need:



  • Paint brush
  • Scissors
  • Glue Gun with low temp glue sticks or Heavy Craft Glue 
  • Modge Podge Hard Coat
  • 1 Mason Jar
  • Sheets of Craft Foam (in colors of your choice - depending on which animal you are making}
  • Acrylic Paint (in colors of your choice depending on which animal you are making)
  • Googly eyes 
  • Pipe Cleaner (for tail - depending on which animal you are making)
  • 4 small wooden spools (sold in most craft stores -usually in a pack of 6-8 for $1)


How To:

  • Clean and dry your Mason jar(s) 
  • Paint the jar and the ring to the lid (remove the center of  the lid- you are going to replace this with craft foam later) and 4 wooden spools. Allow to dry and apply a second coat. 
  • After the paint has had adequate time to dry - apply a thin coat of ModgePodge Hard Coat over the paint on both the jar, the ring to the lid and 4 wooden spools . Allow to dry and apply a second coat.
  • After the Modge Podge and Paint have dried, trace the ring to the lid onto a piece of craft foam (in corresponding color depending on the animal that you are making). Cut out the craft foam and cut a small slit in the center for inserting money into the piggy bank. Use 5 small dots of heavy craft glue or low temp hot glue to affix the craft foam to the inside of the lid ring. Allow to dry and replace lid on jar.
  • Affix the 4 wooden spools ( as feet - 2 in front - 2 in back) to the bottom of the jar spacing them out by about 2 inches in the front and 2 inches in the back.
  • Affix your googly eyes and any other pieces - depending on the animal that you have chosen to make -with low temp hot glue or heavy craft glue. (We used colored sheets of craft foam to make a main for our lion and ears for our pig).
  • Create and affix the pipe cleaner tail (in your choice of color depending on the animal that you have decided to make) to the back of the jar using low temp hot glue or heavy craft glue.

You can also personalize these piggy banks by painting your child's name on the side or have your child draw their name on the side of the bank using a permanent pen.

**Craft recommended for ages 6+ - *** Parents should complete all steps of this craft that include the use of low-temp hot glue or substitute low-temp hot glue with heavy craft glue.


Happy Crafting!