Genie Bottle Bank ~ Craft

This quick and easy genie bottle bank will be a hit with your child. It’s so easy to make and the bright colors make this a favorite item for any child’s room, maybe even your room. The best part is it’s made from recycled items and teaches your child the importance of saving their money!

Things You’ll Need:
Tacky glue
Colored tissue paper (used works fine)
Empty bottle (glass or plastic)
Glitter
Small, old paint brush

Step 1
The first thing you need to make a genie bottle is a plastic bottle (glass will work fine also). It can be any bottle of your choosing. Empty and wash your bottles well. Remove any labels as best you can. Sixteen ounce juice bottles work great for this project.
Step 2
Next, cut or tear tissue paper in triangles, squares, diamonds or rectangles. The pastel colors do not show up as well so if you use them try to use them moderately. A wide combination of colors, shapes and sizes work best.
Step 3
The best glue to use is an all purpose glue like Aileen’s Tacky glue. Using your inexpensive paintbrush, brush on some glue in an area slightly larger than the size of the tissue paper. Carefully put the tissue paper on the glued area. Using the paintbrush, spread glue over the piece of tissue paper and on more of the bottle. Continue until the whole bottle is covered with tissue paper (be careful not to get glue on the bottom of the bottle or near the lid). Set aside to dry.
Step 4
Clean your paintbrush immediately of all glue and set aside (warm soapy water works great). Once the bottle is dry, use your paint brush to brush on clear glitter paint (this can be found at Walmart with the craft paint). Your Genie Bottle is done! Now teach your child to put some money in it every week (even pennies will add up!).

Tips & Warnings
1. This is a great project for those plastic bottles you don’t want to throw out.

2. You can save jars or bottles of varing sizes for a craft at your child’s birthday party. Have the paper cut and the bottles ready. Then let each child at the party decorate their own bottle.

3. These bottles make great banks. This would be a fun way for your child to learn about saving money!

4. Your Genie Bottle can hold other things instead of money. Fill it with marbles, beads, buttons, etc.

5. If you chose to use glass, be careful. If it falls it could break.