How to Make a Vampire Bat Pinata for Halloween

If you are hosting a Halloween party for kids, you should make this spectacular vampire bat pinata that you can fill with the goodies of your choice. If you don't need a pinata, you can always make this vampire bat and hang him as Halloween decoration.

Click here to see how impressive this big vampire bat pinata is! You could make one big pinata then a bunch of little bats to use for decoration and to give away as party favors.

To make your vampire bat pinata, start by blowing up a large balloon for the body and a small balloon for the head. Cover both balloons with strips of newspaper using diluted glue as your paste (dilute any white glue by mixing two parts glue to one part water). After you cover the balloons with one layer of newspaper, cover them both with a second layer (you do not have to wait for the first layer to dry).

Tie a long string around the large balloon so you will have something to hang the vampire bat with. Then cover both balloons with two more strips of newspaper follow by strips of black tissue paper or black crepe paper. Wear gloves and protect your work surface because the black dye might run and stain. Hang the balloons to dry overnight.

Cut a hole in one end of the big balloon (the hole will become the neck), remove the popped balloon, and fill the cavity with goodies like wrapped candy, small plastic toys, individual stickers, crayons, etc. Save the piece that you cut to make ears.

Cut a small hole in the bottom of the head and remove the balloon. Then place the small balloon over the hole (the neck) and attach it by draping several layers of black tissue paper over the head toward the body and around the neck, brushing with diluted glue until neck is secure.

Draw or paint a bat face and cut ears from the black paper mache piece that you saved from the previous step and glue the ears into place. Cut long wing shapes out of black poster board and glue the wings to the bat. You can add a layer of black tissue paper to the wings if you want the paper mache texture. Add string to each wing so you can also hang the wings so they do not flop around (holding the wings up makes it look like the bat is flying). See this image to use as a guide.

If you are using the vampire bat as decoration and not as a pinata, skip the step where you cut the hole and fill with candy. Just assemble it and hang it up. And don't forget to make a bunch of baby vampire bats too! They make awesome party favors to give to your Halloween party guests as they leave.

For more fun Halloween crafts, check out these articles:

Halloween Crafts: Tin Can Jack-O-Lantern Luminaries

How to Decorate Halloween Eggs

Crafts for Kids: Paint Stick Scarecrows

Source for the vampire bat pinata:

www.marthastewart.com