Flip Flap Bats | DIY Flying Bat Craft Kit (2 bats included)

Make your own original wind-up flying Flip Flap Bats and let them fly!

Kids love making things, especially things that fly. That’s why they’ll be super excited to get their hands on these wind-up flying Flip Flap Bats Craft Kits. Each kit includes the materials needed to make two wind-up flying bats. If you’re having a Halloween event and need a fun craft that will keep kids entertained for a long time, then Flip Flap Bats are perfect for you.

Making Flip Flap Bats is easy. Simply decorate and cut out your bats, attach the body and tail wings to the plastic frames, wind them up, and watch them soar. Flip Flap Bats are similar to our DIY Flip Flap Butterfly STEAM Craft Kits and other similar wind-up flying butterfly products, but there are some major differences that let our Flip Flap Bats soar above the rest.

What are the differences between Flip Flap Bats and wind-up flying butterflies?

Wind-up flying butterflies have been around for a while, and they’re a popular way to surprise people by hiding them in books, under computers, or other places that people aren’t expecting to find them. Of course, you can do those fun pranks with Flip Flap Bats, but there’s so much more you can do.

The wing design of Flip Flap Bats is the same as some airplanes that have 2 propellers spinning in opposite directions on a single axis. They are called coaxial contra-rotating propellers, and they are great for making things fly efficiently such as our Flip Flap Bats! That means Flip Flap Bats are not only cute and fun to make, but they can also be used to teach important STEAM concepts in engineering and physics.

There’s so much you can do when you get the Flip Flap Bats Craft Kits!

✅ Decorate and make two Flip Flap Bats. If you want to make different designs, you can always download our free wind-up flying bats template and make new Flip Flap Bats anytime.

✅ Experiment with different wing shapes and angles to see which style can fly the highest

✅ Hide Flip Flap Bats in books, greeting cards, and under stuff to scare the bejeebers out of people at Halloween parties

✅ Teach students about the concepts of propellers (airplanes), rotors (helicopters), and coaxial counter-rotating propellers

✅ Did we mention scare a lot of people at Halloween parties and events?

How to make wind-up flying Flip Flap Bats

*Depending on the angle and shape of the Flip Flap Bats, they can fly in an unpredictable pattern. Be sure to wear appropriate eye protection before making and playing with Flip Flap Bats.

Flip Flap Bats are easy to make and fun to play with for all ages. After you purchase your Flip Flap Bat kit, you can enjoy the craft by doing the following:

1. Decorate and cut out the bat body and tail wings

Each kit has the body and tail wings printed on white paper. This will allow you to color your Flip Flap Bats any way you like. If you prefer to print out the wing patterns on colored craft paper, then you can download the template here (coming soon).

2. Attach the wing frame to the bat body with clear tape

Simply lay the V-shaped wing frame on the dotted lines of the bat body and secure it with clear tape.

3. Attach the tail frame to the tail wings

Place the tail frame on the tail wings so that the bottom tab of the frame overlaps with the bottom point of the tail wings. Put a small piece of clear tape on the tab and fold it around to keep the tail wings in place. Next wrap a piece of tape around each post of the tail frame to secure the tail wings to it.

4. Slide the wing frame hook into the tail frame and attach the rubber band.

Insert the hook into the top of the tail frame gently to avoid bending it. Then put the rubber band on each hook inside the tail frame. (Younger kids might need help with this step.)

5. Fold the body wings and tail wings to create a propeller effect

Holding a Flip Flap Bat in front of you, fold the top left body wing along the wing frame post away from you and fold the top right body wing along the wing frame post toward you. Then fold the left tail wing along the dotted line away from you and the right tail wing toward you.

By doing this, you create two propellers/rotors that spin in opposite directions but both push the air in the same direction. They are called coaxial contra-rotating propellers. This concept is not only super interesting, but it can be taught to kids in a simple way thanks to Flip Flap Bats.

6. Wind up the Flip Flap Bats and let them fly!

Hold the bottom tab of the tail frame and wind the bat body clockwise (if looking down at the head) about 30 – 40 times. Then holding the top and bottom, throw the bat up in the air and watch it fly like a bat out … well … you get the picture. The bats fly in a random way, so be sure to wear eye protection when playing with your Flip Flap Bats.

We are not responsible for any injuries caused by Flip Flap Bats including neck bites, transformations into vampires, or bat attacks! 🧛🦇

What’s in the wind-up flying Flip Flap Bats Craft Kits?

The wind-up flying Flip Flap Bats Craft Kits have the following:

✅ The materials required to make 2 Flip Flap Bats (2 sets of wings, 2 body frames, 2 tail frames, 4 rubber bands). *Tape and decorating supplies not included.

✅ English instructions

For more details about the product information, please click the information tab.

For what ages and English skill levels is this Steam Craft Kit suitable?

Our STEAM Craft Kits are generally suitable for kids of all ages, but we recommend that students 5 years old and younger get assistance from an adult. Always remember to wear the appropriate safety equipment when using our STEAM craft kits.

Do you have a monthly STEAM Craft Kit subscription for kids to enjoy at home?

Yes, we do! The Monthly English STEAM Adventure service is perfect for families that want to enjoy STEAM education and English education together in a fun and easy way. This is also a great way to save 10% on 12 STEAM Craft Kits.

Is there a discount for educators that want to use STEAM Craft Kits in the classroom?

For all our STEAM Craft Kits, we have the following discounts:

Order 10 – 19 kits of any STEAM Craft Kit for 10% off!

Order 20 or more kits for 20% off!

For more information, please contact us.

Don’t forget to check out these other great STEAM kits and products!

If you’re looking for other great programming and STEAM resources for EFL/ESL students in Japan, make sure to check out Flip Flap Butterflies, Glowing Black Light Slime STEAM Kit, and Egg Carton Gardens STEAM Kit.

You can also get loads more ideas for exciting STEAM/STEM crafts and activities at our partner site BINGOBONGO Learning! Just head over to their 10-Minute EFL/ESL Crafts page here.

Finally, you can read and share this post, for Flip Flap Bats in Japanese here.