How to fold Origami Bats

Looking for a simple, no-mess Halloween craft that kids and parents can enjoy together? This origami bat is the perfect mix of fun, creativity, and a little bit of spooky charm! All you need is a square piece of black paper, some folding magic, and a touch of imagination to make a bat that’s ready to hang, fly, or decorate your Halloween space.

FYI- We use scissors to cut the bat’s ears. So I had to Google if it’s still considered origami! Cutting the paper isn’t considered origami: it’s called kirigami!

What You’ll Need

Black paper (origami paper works best, but any square piece will do)
White crayon or chalk (for drawing eyes and details)
Googly eyes (optional)
String or tape (if you want to hang your bat)
Scissors

How to Make Your Origami Bat

Start with a Square
If your paper isn’t already square, trim it so all sides are equal. Black origami paper gives your bat that classic Halloween look, but dark purple or gray works too!
Fold Diagonally
Fold the square in half diagonally to make a triangle. Press the crease firmly — this will be your bat’s base.
Fold the top tap
fold down the top fold about 2 inches
Make the wings
With the triangle pointing down, fold the top corners down toward the bottom point. This creates the wings. You can adjust how wide they are depending on how “winged” you want your bat to look.
Open Wings
Spread open the two triangle corners you folded down.
Bend the wings
Fold in each side about 1/2 inch to create the wings sitting behind the body.
Flip bat over
The folds of the wing are on the backside. Flip over so the body is front.
Shape the Ears
Snip down a small part of the top point to make the ears. Two tiny snips on each side of the head for little pointed ears — just like a real bat!

Add Eyes and Details
Use your white crayon, chalk, or googly eyes to give your bat a friendly (or spooky!) face. You can even draw a tiny smile or fangs for extra character.

Here are the ones my son made in class!

You can make a bunch and then just tape them up for fun decorations like we did here!

Craft Tips

Make a whole colony of bats in different sizes and hang them from the ceiling with string for a fun Halloween decoration.
Add glitter glue or metallic pens to make your bats shimmer in the light.
Try folding your bats from colored paper for a rainbow of night flyers!

This origami bat craft is simple enough for kids to try on their own, but fun for the whole family to make together. It’s perfect for a Halloween afternoon activity, a classroom craft, or even a cute party decoration.

So grab some paper and start folding — your spooky little bats are ready to take flight!

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