How to Make Oversize Outdoor Bat Decorations

After missing many of our favorite Halloween traditions due to the pandemic last year, we're ready to go all-out for the holiday. This year, skip the small pumpkin display and make a whole set of oversized bats to hang on the front of your house. These bats come together with a few simple materials (like hangers and trash bags) but they're spooky enough to display for a Halloween party, haunted house, or to welcome trick-or-treaters on Halloween night.

Make a whole set of bats in an afternoon, and pair the oversize creatures with an assortment of our popular giant spiders for the ultimate Halloween display.

How to Make Oversize Halloween Bats

Supplies Needed

• Black plastic hangers (6 per bat)
• Heavy duty black trash bags
• Zip ties, 3-inch size
• Zip ties, 8-inch size
• Pipe foam insulation, ¾-inch size cut down to 12-inch pieces
• Wire cutters
• Scissors
• Black electrical tape
• Black faux fur
• Hot glue

Step-by-Step Directions

Follow these easy how-to instructions to make your own set of oversize Halloween bats. You should be able to complete one bat in under an hour.

Step 1: Cut Hangers

These inexpensive Halloween decorations are made with an unexpected material: Hangers! To start making a bat, grab a pack of black plastic hangers ($3, Target) and use wire cutters ($16, The Home Depot) to cut the tops off six hangers.

Step 2: Attach Hangers

Once you've prepped the hangers (six per bat), it's time to assemble them into a bat form. Lay out three hangers so they resemble the shape of a wing, then use small zip ties to hold the hangers together. Use three more hangers to make the opposite wing, then repeat the process for as many bats as you'd like to make.

Step 3: Wrap Wings in Plastic

After you've assembled the wing forms, you'll wrap each one in a black plastic trash bag. Lay out large black trash bags ($16, Target) in multiple layers so you can cut several wings at one time. Lay the wing frame on top of the trash bags, then cut out and fold the plastic material over the frame and tape it into place with black electrical tape ($1, The Home Depot). Try to wrap it like a gift; the top side should be smooth and flat, with all the tape on the bottom side. Repeat until all right and left wings are wrapped.

Step 4: Make the Body

To turn your wings into a full bat shape, lay out one left wing and one right wing (right-side up) and place a piece of pipe insulation in between the wings to form the body. We used ¾-inch pipe insulation ($4, The Home Depot) cut into 12-inch pieces. Use a large zip tie to tie the wings to the tube.

Step 5: Add Fur and Hang

To finish the bat, cover the frame with black faux fur. Cut a piece of fur large enough to cover the pipe body of the bat (about 12 x 4 inches) and use hot glue to secure it in place. When the glue is dry, use Command hooks ($4, Target) to attach the bats to the outside of your home. They can be displayed outdoors, but we recommend taking them inside when it rains or snows to keep them in good shape.