What you will need:
- Plastic, metal or cardboard cylinder with lid (old Pringles cans, oatmeal and formula containers work great)
- Colored constructions paper
- Newspaper and magazine clippings
- Crayons or markers
- Ruler
- Safety scissors
- Non-toxic glue, or rubber cement
- Newspaper to protect your work area
- A crafter's apron or old shirt to protect your child(ren)
Preparation: Cover the work area in old newspapers or a vinyl tablecloth so that you don't harm your furniture with any accidental spills or other creative mishaps. Gather all supplies and have them ready at the table before you get your child, or if old enough, let them help. If your child is too young to do some of the following steps, have them completed before you bring them to the table, so they won't get impatient. Then bring your child to the table, making sure to put on their craft apron or old "painter's" shirt to protect skin and clothing. An old oxford shirt put on backwards works great and kids can personalize it with paints or iron-ons.
Step1: Remove the lid from the canister and carefully cut a slice along its center. Make the slice long enough for a quarter to pass through easily. Set the lid aside.
Step2: Have your child select a background colour for their "bank" from the colored construction paper. If you have precut papers to the size of the canister, ignore Step 2, otherwise proceed to Step 2.
Step3: Help them cut the chosen paper so that it will wrap snugly around the canister with about ½ to 1 inch of overlap. Use safety scissors. A good way to get the right size is to lay the canister on its side on top of the paper. Draw a line where the top and bottom of the canister falls on the paper. Remove the canister and use a ruler to draw straight lines the length of the paper. Cut along the lines. Then wrap the paper around the canister, finding where the overlap will be. Draw a small line, then remove the canister and use the ruler to make a straight line again and cut along it with the safety scissors.
