3 D Bats!

Hi Everybody!
This is Cindy (Kinderkay) and I have another cute idea to do with Styrofoam balls! This week my students made bats from a 2 inch Styrofoam ball and a toilet tissue roll. Here is how we did it:

Teacher Prep:Attach a 2 inch diameter Styrofoam ball to a toilet tissue roll with hot glue. One for each student.
Trace bat wings onto black fun foam with a white crayon. To make a tracing template, measure an 8 inch x 3 inch rectangle. Draw scallops along both long edges. Cut out. Use this template to trace the bat wings. Fun foam is easy for students to cut, so I usually have them cut out their own wings. But they can be pre-cut, too, if desired.

Supplies: (Per student)
1 Two Inch Styrofoam ball (I ask parents to supply this for their own child.)
1 Toilet tissue roll
2 wiggle eyes
1 small black pom-pom
Toothpicks
Black fun foam (8 Inch x 3 Inch)
Tacky glue
1/2 black Pipe Cleaner
2 inch x 4 inch strip black or brown fun fur

Here is how we did it:
Step 1 - Students paint the ball and tube with black paint. My students use Tempera paint because it is cheap! But acrylic could be used too! Also, we made our bats black, but brown paint could be used if preferred!







Step 2 - Using tacky glue and a Q-tip, students attach fake fur to the bottom (tummy) of the tissue roll. I tell my students to "paint" their glue in one long stripe from bottom to top. I have strips of fur pre-cut for them to lay on the glue stripe. They glue on fur to represent the fur of a mammal. I do not have them cover the whole body - too expensive; but it can be done if the cost is manageable for you!

Step 3 - Students now know where the bottom of the bat is, so I then ask them to turn their bat over with the fur on the bottom. Using tacky glue and a Q-tip, they glue on wiggle eyes. This can be tricky because the eyes want to fall off the Styrofoam. Tell students to count to 20 while pressing on the eye. When they remove their hands, the eye SHOULD stay on. If not, try more glue!

Step 4 - Using a small, black pom-pom, students dip one end into tacky glue and attach to head for a nose.

Step 5 - Using tacky glue, paint a stripe of glue down the top of the tissue roll. Lay the tissue roll on the bat wings. Press and hold. Then turn bat over with the wings on the bottom.

Step 6 - Using tacky glue, attach toothpicks to the underside of the wings. These are the bat's finger bones!

Step 7 - This is the tricky part and one that I usually do.... Curve 1/2 of a long black pipe cleaner into a "U" shape. Attach to the bottom of the tissue roll. Curl ends to form a hook. These are the feet.

Step 8 - Students use their black foam scraps to cut 2 triangles. These are the ears. I hot glue the ears to the tops of the head, but sometimes tacky glue will hold them on, too.

Step 9 - Let dry overnight. A pipe cleaner can be attached to the top to create a loop in which to hang the bats or fingers can be inserted inside the tube to make a bat puppet!


My students LOVE these bats and they are really cuter than these pictures show! I used a 45 minute block of time to complete them. Some children needed the whole time and others did not. They were dry the following morning and we did some fun bat flying that day! :) I put on the song "Vowel Bat" by Shari Sloane while the kids flew their bats around the room - what a kick the kids got out of this! We also flew our bats while making a bat sound "Eeee"! (in a high pitched voice) Be prepared for lots of noise! :) If you are interested in more nocturnal animal ideas, visit my TPT store. Click on the bat to get you there!