Easy Recycled Batty Halloween Craft

Halloween is almost here and it is the perfect time to decorate your home with recycled crafts constructed by you or your children. Other than being helpful for our environment, recycled crafts are easy and generally inexpensive because they are made with items you already have. In the spirit of the season, we crafted a hanging bat out of a toilet paper roll to adorn our work space. We created a tutorial for you so that you can make some to spook your family and friends!

What you’ll need:
-empty toilet paper roll
-black paint
-white paint (or silver Sharpie)
-black construction paper
-black pipe cleaner
-googly eyes (if you do not have googly eyes, you could make eyes with cut out paper or drawn on with white paint/silver Sharpie)
-glue
-pencil
-paint brush
-scissors
-hole punch

Step One:
Use your black paint to completely cover the outside of your toilet paper roll. Once it is completely painted, set it aside to dry.

Step Two:
While the paint dries, trace the bat’s wings on your construction paper. This is the most difficult part; remember, the wings do not need to be perfect. Each bat will have a unique look.

Once the wings are drawn, cut them out.

Step Three:
Glue the wings onto the painted toilet paper roll. You want them to be glued on about an inch from the top.

Step Four:
Even though bats use echolocation, this bat needs to see! On the front side of your bat, glue on eyes.

Step Five:
Using your leftover construction paper, cut two small triangles for your bats ears. Glue them on the inside of your toilet paper roll, just above the eyes.

It’s looking like a bat now and is almost complete!

Step Six:
Draw on a mouth for your bat friend using your white paint (or Sharpie).

Step Seven:
Fold your pipe cleaner in half. Cut it on the fold so you have two pieces of similar size.

Step Eight:
Turn the bat around and with your hole punch, cut out two holes spaced a couple centimeters apart.

Step Nine:
Feed each pipe cleaner through a hole. Bend down and twist down so it is secure.

Your bat is finished and ready to hang!

Bookmans Ina hosts regular Craft-apaloozas featuring crafts like this one. Every Craft-apalooza is free, all-ages and family-friendly. Visit Bookmans Ina this Saturday, October 18 as we make this batty craft, just in time to decorate your home for Halloween.