So how crafty are you? What is your favorite religious craft you make using a plastic jug? Here is a craft I make with my students using a plastic jug for the Bible story “Prodigal Son”.

Introduce craft: What did the son do when he ran out of money? (He hired himself out to one of the local citizens who sent him to his farm to tend the swine.)

Materials:

64 oz. Welch’s grape juice plastic container (washed and labels removed. Tip: use some rubbing alcohol on a cotton ball to remove all residue), permanent markers, stickers, hot glue gun, scissors, (2) large googly eyes, craft foam (small pieces), colored pipe cleaners, (4) wine corks

*Tip: I got my wine corks for free at Olive Garden.

Directions:

1. Prior to making craft cut a slit on the back of the pig between the grooves (find the middle groove) using a box cutter so students can put money inside the piggy bank. Poke a small hole in the bottom of the bottle to stick tail in. Mark 4 spots with a permanent marker on the pig where the legs will be attached. Make a pattern for the ears by using the ears off the Pig Mask on a piece of cardboard. Cut the pattern out and trace several ears on different colored pieces of craft foam.

kidsartplanet.com- Pig Mask to make a template of the pig ears.

2. Have students cut out two ears. Put a small amount of hot glue on the back of the ears and have students attach the ears on the top of the pig in the first groove on the plastic bottle.

3. Put a small amount of hot glue on the back of the googly eyes. Have student attach googly eyes on the pig.

4. Put a small amount of hot glue on each of the marks where the pig’s legs are to go and have students attach the legs to the pig. The best way to secure the cork legs to the jug is to glue them on the flat part between the grooves.

5. Have student wind a pipe cleaner around their finger or pencil to make a tail shape. Place a small amount of hot glue in the pig tail hole, then have student stick the tail in the hole to attach tail.

6. If the student would like the pig to have a mouth, have them shape a smile for the pig with a piece of pipe cleaner. Place a small amount of hot glue under the nose on the pig and have student attach mouth.

7. Students can use the markers, stickers, etc. to decorate their pig any way they like.

Please leave a comment so others can get ideas for crafts.

Copyright 2011 Laura Grace

About the Author

Laura Grace

Laura Grace

Laura Grace was a special education teacher years ago and has taught CCD for 16 years. She has been a contributor at catholicmom.com since 2006, is part of the Gospel Reflections Team, and creates lesson plans for religious education and homeschooling. In 2008 Laura started her own blog, The Catholic Toolbox where she posts activities, crafts, games, worksheets, puzzles, lesson plans, classroom tips, etc. for all ages.