35 Fun Bat Activities and Crafts for Preschoolers
While many kids don’t ever get the opportunity to see real bats, they are such interesting creatures. From a fruit bat to a bumblebee bat, from bat’s wings to their keen sense of smell, there’s so much to learn! And that leads to a ton of bat themed activities.
Why learn about bats?
When you start learning about bats, you’ll see there’s so many cool things about these animals that kids will love. They’re unique among mammals in many ways from flying to using echolocation. And they’re even pretty cute!
As Halloween time comes around each year, kids will see bats around more and more. Without purposeful content to learn about bats, kids may never be exposed to bats. That’s where you come in!
35 fun bat activities for preschoolers
Halloween may be the most common time of the year to start a bat unit, but try these fun activities all year around! There are really so many fun ideas out there, but we rounded up the best 35 for you. Check out all the different ways to learn and play with these amazing creatures:
1. Bat Painting Craft
This may be one of our favorite bat crafts on the list. There’s very little prep work, and even younger children can do it with ease.
2. Hanging Bat Craft
These adorable bat crafts are super easy! All you need black construction paper, toilet paper rolls, googly eyes, pipe cleaners, and some glue.
3. Read the Book Stellaluna by Janell Cannon
This is a classic book that even I loved as a kid, and probably the most well known bat book out there. This heartwarming story about a baby that finds a family of birds while looking for her mother bat.
4. Spoon Bats
Kids will love this craft, and moms will love how simple it is. You probably even have the plastic spoons sitting around already.
Photo by thejoysharing.com
5. Simple Paper Bat Crafts
Check out this easy yet fun craft to make more bats using black paper. Sometimes it’s easiest to start with a straightforward and simple activity for younger children . This is it for bat activities!
6. Bat Sensory Bin
Sensory bins are a great way to incorporate fine motor skills, and this is an easy DIY bin with homemade black bats using black food coloring. Check out our sensory bin guide here.
7. Flying Bat Craft
These fun bat crafts allows the bats you make to fly, too! This is a craft that kids will want to keep and will love having around to fly.
8. Coffee Filter Bats
This easy bat craft uses coffee filters to give the bats a unique and fun look!
9. Free Bat Shape Printable
These free printables are great for the halloween season to use as crafts or decorations for that time of year. It may even come in handy for some of the other activities on this list as well.
10. Make a Bat Headband
Young children will love making a craft they can wear on their head. And all you need is one piece of paper!
Photo by Kids Craft Room
11. Build Lego Bats
For a little bit older children who love to build things, you can never go wrong with legos.
12. Stages of the Bat Life Cycle Sheets
In these bat life cycle worksheets, explore and learn all about how bats grow!
13. Bat Puppet
These homemade bat puppet crafts are an amazing way to role play or put on a bat puppet show.
14. Pom Pom Bats
Check out these adorable bats made from black pom poms! Children tend to love doing any activity that uses pom poms.
15. Handprint Bats
Handprint bats are the cutest craft to include in a bat unit for school or bat decorations!
16. Make a Bat Snack
Have fun making and eating this super fun bat snack. Find some chocolate pudding cups, a few oreos, and the googly eyes for some added fun.
Photo by I Heart Crafty Things
17. Clothespin Bats
While being an easy and fun craft (especially if you have extra black paint lying around), this craft is also a fun way to focus on fine motor skills.
18. Homemade Bat Cave
Check out this awesome bat cave craft that can also be used to help learn letters and numbers.
19. Free Bat Template
Here’s a simple and free bat template to add to all your halloween crafts!
20. Dress up like a Bat
This amazing DIY costume uses a black umbrella to make bat wings! Whether it’s actually for Halloween or your kids love to play dress up, this costume is easy enough to make yourself.
21. Read Fiona the Fruit Bat
This adorable children’s book is full of fun facts about bats. It was even written by a scientist who works with bats.
22. Egg Carton Bat
Try this easy and fun craft with your leftover egg cartons! This craft combines painting, scissors (if applicable), and fine motor skills.
23. Flying Bats STEM Activity
A hands on activity is always helpful for learning, from toddlers to kindergarten children. They can build their own bats and watch them fly!
24. Bats Theme Painting
This is a fun spray painting activity for young kids that can be done with a bat theme!
25. Bat Activities with Letters
Learn about bats and letters at the same time! Add this fun letter game into your bat lesson plans.
26. Bat Senses Activity
Check out these science experiments to learn about how bats see using sound waves! One of the coolest parts about bats!
27. Bat Hands-On Games
Bring on the bat games! This sight word game is a great time to practice literacy skills and have so much fun.
28. Outdoor Bat Game
Or try this outside game to learn more about how this little nocturnal animals see. This game may take some practice for preschoolers, but has simple enough rules that they will catch on.
29. Bat Counting Game
Create this cute little bats with numbers to work on math skills! Alone or added into a larger bat unit, this counting game is perfect for early math learners.
Photo by Fantastic Fun and Learning
30. Play Dough Bats
What kid doesn’t love play dough? Black play dough may not be very common to buy, but it’s easy to make yourself! Now’s the perfect time to check out our play dough guide, too.
31. Yarn Bats
Working with yarn is a great sensory activity for young learners. This fun craft can also be a wonderful opportunity to practice scissor skills.
32. Bat Truffles
For all the baking aficionados out there, these bat treats look both adorable and delicious. They look so good, we decided to add this to our very own bat activities.
33. Bat Silhouette Craft
This process art project is a great addition to halloween or fall activities. This is a great place to add in messy play with paint, and the project will still come out awesome.
34. Bat Slime
While slime is generally not a favorite among moms, it is a favorite amongst kids. If you’re up for the challenge, here’s an easy recipe for bat slime! Make at your own risk.
Photo by Little Bins for Little Hands
35. Entire Bat Lesson
From math to literacy skills, this complete lesson plan covers it all. If you’re looking for a completed bat unit to use, check this one out! Or mix and match this lesson with some of the other activities on the list.
Whether it’s Halloween or another great time for bats, remember have a good time with all the bat activities! You may not have an entire bat unit planned, but you can still try a number of these craft and activities.
For even more information on bats, check out the Bat Conservation International. They have a great website full of fun facts, a resource library, and actual locations you can go to view bats!
Let us know how the activities go!
Check out these other animal themed activities:
Moose Related Activities
Inspired by If You Give A Moose A Muffin, discover all these fun moose activities and crafts.
Jellyfish Craft
Or try out this easy and creative underwater animal craft that kids will love. Find it here.
