Flapping paper bat
A paper bat, a bit of straw and some thread: pull the loop and its wings flap as if it were flying away.
Age : age 5+; the grown-up helps with the thread
Materials
- Thick black paper or thin black card : Paper that's too thin doesn't fold well.
- A straw : Cut to a piece about 4 cm long.
- Strong sewing thread or thin string : About 30 cm.
- Sticky tape
- Scissors, a white pencil or googly eyes
- White paper : For the little fangs.
Steps
Cut out the bat
- Fold the black sheet in half and draw half a bat against the fold: half the body, one ear, one wavy wing.
- Cut it out without unfolding, then open it up: the bat is perfectly symmetrical.
- Crease a fold on each side of the body, where the wings begin, so they move easily.
- Add the eyes (white pencil or googly eyes) and two little white fangs.
The mechanism
- Turn the bat over. Tape the piece of straw upright in the middle of the body.
- Fold the thread in half and push both ends up through the straw from the bottom: a small loop sticks out underneath, two ends come out at the top.
- Tape one end of thread to the back of the left wing, the other to the back of the right wing, halfway along.
- Hold the bat by its head and gently pull the loop down: the wings fold in. Let go: they spring back up. Faster, and it flies!
Did you know? A bat's wings are actually hands: thin skin stretched between its very long fingers. It's the only mammal that can really fly.
The same mechanism works for a bird, a butterfly or a dragon. You can also tie a thread to the top of the head to hang it up and make it fly.
If it goes wrong
- The wings don't move : Crease the fold again and leave the thread a little slack.
- The wings don't spring back : Remake it in thicker paper or double up the wings.
- The thread slips out of the straw : A wider piece of tape on each end.
Safety
- Age-appropriate scissors.
- Threads don't go round necks.