How to Make a 3D Paper Bat Wall Swarm for Halloween (Renter-Friendly)

Draw a bat template in three sizes, cut 20 to 40 bats from black cardstock, fold the wings into a V, and hang them in a curve with removable putty or painter's tape. Test one bat on your wall first.

What You'll Need

  • Black cardstock, 65 lb or heavier (10 to 15 sheets)
  • Printer paper (for the templates)
  • Removable mounting putty
  • Painter's tape or washi tape
  • Optional: white gel pen (for eyes)
  • Optional: metallic cardstock
  • Optional: string or fishing line (for bats hung from the ceiling)
  • Pencil
  • Scissors
  • Optional: ruler (to size the wingspans)
  • Optional, adults only: craft knife and cutting mat

Cardstock of 65 lb or heavier keeps the wing fold. Construction paper is thinner and doesn't hold its shape as well.

A bat swarm is 20 to 40 black paper bats stuck to the wall in a loose curve, so they look like they're flying out of a corner, a mirror, or a doorway. Each bat is folded down the middle, which lifts the wings off the wall. You draw the bat shape yourself, cut it out with scissors, and hang it with removable putty or tape.

Safety Tips

Craft knife is optional and for adults only: cut on a cutting mat, and keep the knife away from kids. Removable mounting putty can still leave marks on fresh paint and on flat (matte) paint. Test one bat in a low or hidden spot before you hang the whole swarm, especially on fresh or textured paint.

1

Draw three bat templates

Fold a sheet of printer paper in half. Starting at the fold, draw half a bat: half the body, one pointed ear, and one wing with a scalloped bottom edge. Cut along your line through both layers and open the paper to get a matching pair of wings. Make three templates this way, with wingspans of about 3 inches (small), 5 inches (medium), and 8 inches (large). If you'd rather not draw freehand, trace a bat outline from a picture onto the folded paper.

2

Trace and cut the bats

Lay a template on black cardstock, trace around it in pencil, and cut it out with scissors. Cut 20 to 40 bats in all, mostly small and medium, with only a few large ones. Scissors handle every part of this shape.

3

Fold the wings up

Fold each bat in half along the body line, with the pencil lines on the outside, and crease it. Open it back out to a V. When you hang it, the pencil side faces the wall, the body sits against it, and the wings lift toward the room. If you want eyes, add two dots with a white gel pen now.

4

Plan the flight path

Pick the spot the bats fly out from: a corner, a mirror, a doorway, or the bottom of the stairs. Mark a loose S-curve that heads out and up from there with a few scraps of painter's tape. You can also lay the bats out on the floor first to try the shape before anything goes on the wall.

5

Test one bat, then hang the rest

Before you hang the whole swarm, stick one bat in a low or hidden spot, then peel it off and check the wall. If the wall is clean, press a pea-size ball of putty, or a loop of painter's tape, onto the body only. Put the largest bats closest to your starting point. Fan the medium and small ones outward and upward along the curve, tilting each one at a slightly different angle. Keep them packed closest near the start and let them spread out toward the end. Skip glue dots and double-sided tape. They grip too hard and can pull paint off when the bats come down.

6

Take them down and store them

Peel each bat off by the body, not the wings. Dab any putty left on the wall with the putty ball until it rolls off. Store the bats flat in an envelope for next year.

Mix in a few bats cut from metallic cardstock if you want some to catch the light. For bats that dangle from the ceiling, tape a length of string or fishing line to the back of the body.

For another Halloween craft, see Easy Toilet Paper Roll Spider Craft for Halloween: https://ucandostuff.com/guide/how-to-make-spiders-from-toilet-paper-rolls