There is something about a pig craft that just makes everyone immediately happy. Maybe it is the pink. Maybe it is the curly tail. Maybe it is the little round snout with two nostrils staring up at you with complete cheerful confidence. Whatever it is, this paper roll pig has it in abundance — and it is made from a toilet paper roll, some pink paint, a pink pipe cleaner, and a handful of basic craft supplies.
This pig is chubby in the best possible way. The full pink painted roll body, the round snout sitting proudly on the front, the perky pointed ears peeking up from the top, the tiny trotters at the base, and that magnificent curly pink pipe cleaner tail spiraling out from the back — every single detail works together to create something that is both immediately recognizable as a pig and completely irresistible as a craft object.
It suits ages four and up with adult help on the cutting and hot glue steps. It works brilliantly as a farm animal craft, a Chinese New Year Year of the Pig project, a barnyard birthday party activity, or simply as a very pink and very cheerful addition to any child’s bedroom shelf.
Oink.
Materials:
- Empty toilet paper roll
- Bright bubblegum pink acrylic or tempera paint
- Pink construction paper or pink cardstock
- Pink pipe cleaner (one per pig)
- Two large googly eyes
- Black fine-tip permanent marker
- White craft glue or glue stick
- Hot glue gun (adult use only)
- Slightly darker pink paint or marker (for snout detail — optional)
Tools:
- Scissors
- Pencil
- Paintbrush
- Ruler
- Pencil or pen for curling pipe cleaner
Before You Start — Good to Know
Pink paint on kraft brown needs two coats. Pink is a lighter color and the warm brown of the cardboard shows through the first coat quite easily especially in the brushstroke gaps. Two smooth coats give you the clean solid bubblegum pink that makes this pig look properly pink and proud.
The snout is the star of the face. A large round snout with two bold black oval nostrils is the feature that makes everyone immediately say “pig!” the second they see it. Make the snout larger than feels comfortable — a snout that is too small looks timid. A big bold round snout looks confident and completely pig-like.
The curly pipe cleaner tail is the most delightful detail. Wrapping a pink pipe cleaner tightly around a pencil and releasing it creates the most perfect little corkscrew tail. This is the step every child wants to do themselves and it is completely safe for them to handle. Let them own this step.
Cut the trotters wide and simple. Small trotters look apologetic. Wide flat trotters with a simple notch cut in the front to suggest the hoof division look sturdy and characterful and completely farm animal appropriate.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1 — Paint the Roll Pink
Paint the entire exterior of the toilet paper roll in bright bubblegum pink. Use a wide flat brush and work in smooth even strokes all the way around the roll. Apply two full coats letting each dry completely — the first coat establishes the base and the second coat gives you the clean solid pink that makes the pig look properly vibrant. Stand the roll on scrap paper while painting and rotate to reach all sides evenly.
Step 2 — Cut the Ear Shapes
From pink construction paper cut two ear shapes — each one a pointed oval or leaf shape that comes to a gentle soft point at the top and has a slightly wider flat base. Pig ears are not perfectly symmetrical pointed triangles — they have a softer organic shape with a slight outward curve at the lower edge. Each ear should be about four centimeters tall. Cut a slightly smaller inner ear shape from slightly darker pink paper or shade the inner portion with a darker pink marker once cut to give the ear depth and dimension.
Step 3 — Cut the Round Snout
From pink construction paper — ideally slightly darker or warmer pink than the body if you have it, or the same pink — cut a large circle for the snout. This circle should be generous — about four to five centimeters in diameter, large enough to be the clear centerpiece of the pig face. Cut it as smoothly and evenly as possible. A clean round snout looks much more satisfying than an irregular one. Using your black fine-tip marker, draw two bold oval nostril shapes on the snout — positioned side by side in the lower center of the circle, slightly tilted outward at the bottom to give that classic upturned pig nose look.
Step 4 — Cut the Trotters
From pink construction paper cut four small trotter shapes — each one a wide low rectangle with a single centered notch cut into the front edge dividing it into two rounded toe sections. The notch should be about one centimeter deep and centered. Each trotter should be wide enough to sit flat at the base of the roll and extend slightly forward. Four trotters — two at the front and two at the back sides — give the pig a stable four-point base and create the most satisfying chubby standing pig silhouette.
Step 5 — Make the Curly Tail
Take one pink pipe cleaner and wrap it tightly around a pencil from one end to the other — holding the starting point against the pencil with your thumb and winding the pipe cleaner in tight even coils all the way down. Hold it on the pencil for ten seconds then slide it off gently. The pipe cleaner will spring into a satisfying tight corkscrew coil. Stretch it very slightly to open the coils fractionally — this gives the tail a looser more natural curl rather than a compressed spring look. This is the most fun step of the entire craft.
Step 6 — Attach the Ears
Using hot glue, push the flat base of each completed ear shape into the top opening of the roll — one ear on each side of the center, positioned toward the front of the roll opening rather than the very back. The ears should poke up from inside the roll, angled very slightly outward from each other like real perky pig ears. Hold each ear firmly for thirty seconds while the glue sets. The ears should stand up confidently — slightly outward-flared and clearly piggy.
Step 7 — Attach the Trotters
Before assembling anything on the roll body, hot glue the four trotters to the base of the pink painted roll. Attach two trotters at the front base — side by side, pointing slightly forward, the notched toe edge facing forward. Attach two trotters at the back sides of the base — one on each back corner, pointing slightly outward. This four-point stance gives the pig a wonderfully stable base and creates that classic chubby pig standing pose when viewed from the front. Press each trotter firmly for thirty seconds until fully set.
Step 8 — Attach the Curly Tail
Using a dot of hot glue applied to the straight end of the coiled pink pipe cleaner tail, press it firmly against the upper back of the roll — positioned about one third down from the top on the back surface, centered. Hold for thirty seconds. The curly corkscrew tail should spring outward and slightly upward from the back of the roll in a cheerful spiral. If the tail feels floppy, add a second small dot of hot glue slightly lower on the roll to anchor the coil at a second point and give it more structure.
Step 9 — Glue the Snout and Eyes
Using hot glue, press the large round pink snout circle firmly onto the center front of the roll — positioned roughly in the middle third of the roll height, centered horizontally. Hold for thirty seconds. The snout should sit proud and confident — the most prominent feature of the face. Then press two large googly eyes firmly onto the roll above the snout — one on each side, spaced widely enough to look naturally pig-like, positioned in the upper third of the roll. Press each googly eye firmly and hold for several seconds until set.
Step 10 — Final Face Details
Using your fine-tip black permanent marker, add two very small curved line eyebrow marks above each googly eye — a gentle arch that gives the pig a sweet friendly expression. Optionally add a tiny curved smile line below the snout — just a small gentle arc suggesting the pig’s mouth. These tiny additions take thirty seconds and add enormous warmth and personality to the finished face.
Your Pig Is Complete
Stand it up on its four little trotters, admire the curly tail from the back, look it in its big googly eyes, and feel genuinely proud. A toilet paper roll just became a pig. A very good pig.
Fun Variations to Try
Piglet: Use a toilet paper roll cut to two thirds height for a shorter chubbier baby pig. Make features slightly smaller and use a paler pink for a younger softer look. Pair with the full adult pig for a mother and piglet set.
Spotted pig: Paint the roll pink then add irregular oval spots in a slightly darker rose pink or light purple before the paint dries completely — blend the spot edges slightly for a soft natural spotted pig look.
Party pig: Add a tiny paper party hat cut from patterned paper or gold cardstock tucked between the ears. Add tiny confetti dot stickers scattered across the body. Instant birthday celebration pig.
Chinese New Year pig: Decorate the body with small gold paper coin shapes glued on, add a tiny red paper bow between the ears, and write a small gold lucky message on the front. Perfect Year of the Pig celebration craft.
Pig family: Three sizes using a full paper towel roll, a full toilet paper roll, and a toilet paper roll cut to half. Papa pig, mama pig, and baby piglet — the most charming farm family display imaginable.
Tips for Best Results
Two coats of pink paint minimum. Pink on brown cardboard is notorious for looking patchy after one coat — be patient and do the second coat.
Make the snout bigger than feels right. Every time. The snout is the defining feature and it needs to be bold and round and prominent. A small snout looks like an afterthought. A big snout looks like a pig.
Wrap the pipe cleaner tail very tightly around the pencil for the curliest result. Loose coils give a slack tail that uncoils over time. Tight coils hold their shape permanently.
When attaching the four trotters make sure the roll is sitting perfectly level before the hot glue sets. If one trotter is slightly too high or too low the pig will wobble and it will bother everyone who looks at it.
Display and Gift Ideas
Three paper roll pigs on a kitchen windowsill — one big, one medium, one small — with a tiny paper barn cutout behind them looks like the most cheerful farmyard scene anyone has ever put on a windowsill.
For a farm themed birthday party, set out pre-painted pink rolls with all the pieces pre-cut and let children assemble their own pig. The pipe cleaner tail curling step is the highlight that every single child will talk about.
A single pig in a small pink gift box with pink tissue paper and a card that says “This little piggy was made with love” is one of the sweetest handmade gifts possible — especially for someone who loves pigs or farm animals.
Make a whole barnyard collection — pig from this post, dog from the earlier post, frog from the previous post — and display them together on a piece of painted green cardboard with paper fencing and a small blue paper pond. Instant complete farm scene.
Final Thoughts
Pink is joyful. Curly tails are joyful. Round snouts with two nostrils are joyful. This paper roll pig is basically just a collection of joyful things assembled into one very charming object.
Make it pink. Make the snout big. Make the tail as curly as possible. Make three.
Oink oink.