Clothespin Bat Craft
This clothespin bat craft is super fun for Halloween and it’s so simple to make! Use a wooden clothespin and black cardstock to create a cute bat that really moves its wings!
Bat Clothespin Craft
Kids will go batty over this clothespin bat craft with movable wings! Pinch the clothespin open and shut to make the cardstock wings move just like a real bat.
Real bats are interesting creatures, but they’re definitely better at a distance. Thankfully these clothespin bats are the perfect mix of creepy and cute!
This is such a fun craft for Halloween, storytime, or when studying bats at school. It’s so easy to make, using supplies you probably already have!
Check out our Clothespin Bat Craft video tutorial:
*Note: Scroll down for the step-by-step photo tutorial.
Looking for more bat themed crafts? Here’s some of our favourites:
Here’s what you’ll need:
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The full printable instructions are at the end of this post, but here’s a list of products on Amazon and Target that are similar to the supplies we used:
- Bat template
- Scissors
- Black cardstock
- Wooden clothespin
- Paintbrush
- Black paint
- Glue tape
- Small red rhinestone stickers
Grab the free printable template here:
Click the link below to open the pdf template, and then print the template on regular printer paper.
>>>Free printable bat outline template<<<
We used the middle bat for this clothespin bat craft. The three bats are slightly different sizes, so you can use whichever one fits your clothespin the best.
We also have 6 other free bat outlinesto choose from that you can download and print.
Can I paint the clothespin without taking it apart?
If you don’t want to remove the spring from the clothespin, you can paint most of the clothespin black, but not all of it. Leave the inside surfaces of the clothespin that touch each other unpainted and avoid painting the metal spring. Otherwise your clothespin won’t open and close.
What if I don’t have clothespins?
If you don’t have clothespins you can use a popsicle stick, tongue depressor, small wooden or plastic spoon, or a piece of cardboard instead.
How to Make a Clothespin Bat
Materials:
- Black cardstock
- Wooden clothespin
- Black acrylic paint
- Glue tape
- 2small red rhinestone stickers
Equipment:
- Bat template (see tips section for a link)
Instructions:
Step 1: Cut out template
- Cut out a bat from our clothespin bat template (see tips section below for a link!). We used the center bat.
- Cut off the ears from the template.
Step 2: Paint clothespin
- Pull the clothespin apart, setting aside the metal spring for later.
- Hold the edge of the clothespin and paint both sides of it black.
- Once the paint has dried a bit you can paint the part of the clothespin where you were holding it before.
Step 3: Trace and cut template
- Trace the white bat template on black cardstock.
- Cut out the black bat.
- Then cut the bat in half vertically so you have two wings.
Step 4: Put bat together
- Return the metal spring onto the two wood pieces of the clothespin. To do this, place the spring between the two wood pieces. Remove one of the wood pieces and use your fingernail to pull the metal towards the front of the wood piece. Then add the other wood piece and pull the metal towards the front of the second wood piece.
- Pinch open the clothespin and add glue tape to one side of the clothespin.
- Line up the wing straight on the clothespin and attach it on top of the glue tape, about 1/4 inch below the end of the clothespin.
- Add the second wing to the clothespin bat with glue tape, lining it up with the first wing.
- Turn the bat over and add two small red rhinestone stickers close to the top of the clothespin for the bat’s eyes.
- Your clothespin bat craft is complete!
Helpful Tip:
These bats look great in a traditional black, but they’d also look super cool painted fun Halloween colours — like orange, bright green, or purple!
Or use a white paint pen or gel pen to add little fangs for an extra spooky Halloween touch.
Here’s even more bat themed craft ideas:
Our book Low-Mess Crafts for Kids is loaded with 72 fun and simple craft ideas for kids! The projects are fun, easy and most importantly low-mess, so the clean up is simple!
Where to buy:
You can purchase Low-Mess Crafts for Kids from Amazon, or wherever books are sold:
Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Books- A- Million | Indiebound | Indigo | Amazon Canada
