Continent: South America

Book: The Great Kapok Tree: A Tale of the Amazon Rain Forrest by Lynne Cherry, pg. 81

Age Group: Lower - Middle elementary

Background

Fruit bats spread seeds throughout rainforests and help plants regenerate.

Materials

• Old adult size brown sock
• Light brown craft foam or felt
• Electrical or masking tape
• Small googly eyes
• Three brown or black pipe cleaners
• Wire coat hanger
• Fiberfill or newspaper
• Old sheer pantyhose
• Three large safety pins
• White glue
• Scissors

Directions

1. Wrap pipe cleaners around the wire coat hanger to resemble a network of bones.
2. Cut one leg off the pantyhose. Slip the cut off leg over the hanger.
3. Poke the hook of the hanger through the middle of the pantyhose.
4. Make knots in the pantyhose to make sure it is pulled tightly across the hanger. Trim off any extra pantyhose around the knots.
5. Wrap the hook of the hanger in electrical or masking tape. 
6. Stuff the brown sock with fiberfill or newspaper until it is about the size of a baked potato.
7. Close the sock by wrapping it with a pipe cleaner. Allow a few inches of pipe cleaner to stick out for the bat’s legs.
8. Cut two 1-inch pieces of pipe cleaner and attach to the bottom of the legs to make toes.
9. Use craft foam or felt to make small, pointy ears, under eye, and nose. Attach with glue
10. Attach googly eyes to the under eye.
11. Attach the body to the wings with safety pins.
12. Hang the fruit 

Amazon Rainforest Fruit Bat Steps 1-11

Wire Coat Hanger: Steps 1-5
	Bat: Steps 6-10
Reverse of Completed Bat: Step 11