How to Craft a Flying Bat

Use black card stock for its sturdiness, rather than regular construction paper.

Hand-crafted Halloween decorations not only save you money, but they are a creative activity in the home, as well as in the classroom. Crafting a flying bat that can be hung from the ceiling or dangled from the ceiling fan in a mobile pattern can make a spooky atmosphere even spookier. The tools needed to make your own flying bats can usually be found around the house, or at your local craft store.

Things You'll Need

• Black cardstock (various sizes)
• White chalk or pencil
• Scissors
• Clear tape
• Needle
• Clear fishing wire

Instructions

1. Trace the outline of a bat on black card stock with a white pencil or chalk. Trace an oval-shaped body with a rounded head and one jagged-edged wing on each side of the body.

2. Cut your traced bat outline out of the card stock with scissors, carefully moving around the edges to keep them neat.

3. Fold the wings inward, creating a creased edge on both sides of the body that imitates a sense of flight.

4. Clip a piece of clear fishing wire approximately 12 inches in length and thread it through a needle. Tie a knot in the end, then poke the needle through the bat's body just below the head.

5. Draw the fishing wire through the bat until the knotted end reaches the card stock. Tape the knot down against the body with clear tape.

6. Hang flying card stock bats from the ceiling, the tops of windows, on the front porch or from the ceiling fan in varied patterns. When hung from a ceiling fan on low power, the bats will soar through the air.

Tips & Warnings

• If you are worried about your ability to draw a bat's body, check out various online sites for printable patterns you can trace onto the card stock and cut out.

References

• Kids' Turn Central: Halloween Craft: Life-Like Flying Bat
• The Best Kids Books Site: Flying Bat Craft