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Home » Holidays » Halloween » Spooky Bat Paper Lantern Halloween Decoration

Spooky Bat Paper Lantern Halloween Decoration

October 16, 2020 By Katie Hale Leave a Comment

Halloween lantern on table with candles
Halloween lantern on table with candles
Bat paper lantern collage
Bat paper lantern collage
Paper bat lantern on table
Paper bat lantern on table

Have you ever decorated with paper lanterns? I’ve used them at parties of all kinds, but Halloween is just the best time of year for them! They fit the look of the holiday perfectly, and in this instance, the bat paper lantern is just a little spooky. Perfect for this time of year and all of the Halloween parties. I love that these little lanterns can go inside or outside your house as part of your Halloween decorations!

Halloween lantern on table with candles

Table of Contents

  • Spooky Bat Paper Lantern Halloween Decoration
  • Where Do I Find Paper Lanterns?
  • Can I Use a Stencil for the Bats?
  • How do I Attach Bats to the Lantern?
  • How do I Hang This Lantern?
  • What Do I Use to Create the Glow in My Lantern?
  • Supplies Needed
  • How to Make Bat Paper Lanterns
  • More Fun Halloween Crafts
  • Finished Project Gallery

Spooky Bat Paper Lantern Halloween Decoration

Bats are one of the most iconic images of Halloween. I love them because they are just so simple to add to any decoration. A few little swoops of your pen or pencil and you have a bat outline that is instantly recognizable. Plus, being solid black works great for these little creatures!

In this instance, a paper lantern is the base for what might be the easiest decoration you’ll make this year. If you are hosting a party or decorating a large space, this is a great choice to add alongside my ghost paper lanterns to make a fast and easy decoration that is also affordable. Plus, you could hang some of these Halloween paper fan decorations on the walls to make the look complete!

Paper bat lantern on table

Where Do I Find Paper Lanterns?

My favorite place to get paper lanterns is online. You can buy them in bulk at such a great price, it’s so much easier this way if you are making a lot of the lanterns. Otherwise, you can usually find these in any department store near the party supplies. I’ve picked them up at Walmart, Target, Meijer, and even the dollar stores in my area. Party City is always a great place to find paper lanterns in tons of different colors and sizes.

Can I Use a Stencil for the Bats?

I am far from artistic and that means when it comes to drawing shapes, I like to use a guide. Bats are pretty simple to make, but you may want to print off a template online, or even use an SVG file to print them and just cut around the shapes. You could even use a kids coloring book and just cut out a picture of a bat. There is no set way to make the bats or an exact style you have to use. Think outside the box and use what you have on hand!

an holding paper bat lantern

How do I Attach Bats to the Lantern?

I tend to do things as simple as possible. That means I will reach for what I have on hand. For this project, that meant double-sided tape. It’s easy, affordable, and it works well for this craft.

When working with paper lanterns, one of the first things you will notice is how fragile the lanterns themselves actually are. It’s very easy to tear them if you aren’t careful. So, what you use to attach the bats has to be gentle. Staples and hot glue are one of my favorite things to use when crafting, but neither work too well with this craft.

Tape or a simple glue like craft glue or even kids Elmer’s glue is also more than sufficient for this project. Just be careful as you attach the bats so you don’t tear the lantern. It will fall apart very easily if torn.

Halloween lantern on table with candles

How do I Hang This Lantern?

Most paper lanterns come with a hook or extra string on top to easily hang them from the ceiling. If yours does not, you can easily add a length of fishing line through the metal pieces on the inside to hang it up from the ceiling. A simple tack or hook is all you need on a windowsill, ceiling, or doorway to keep this in place.

Paper lantern on blue wood

What Do I Use to Create the Glow in My Lantern?

Traditionally paper lanterns have a small candle placed inside or a wick lit so they glow and float off into the night. For this project, you’ll be using these to hang around your home or lawn as a decoration, so you won’t want to use something to catch fire.

I prefer to use a small flameless candle inside my lanterns to make them glow but keep them for using regularly. You could also use glow sticks inside your lantern for a different look. It could even make it more colorful with the bright neon colors of the glow sticks. I love the idea of using the orange or green ones on this lantern!

Halloween lantern on table with candles

Supplies Needed

  • White paper lantern
  • Black craft paper
  • Pen
  • Double sided tape
  • Scissors

Supplies for bat paper lantern

How to Make Bat Paper Lanterns

Open your paper lantern up completely and set aside.

Opening white lantern

On black craft paper, draw a bat wing shape and cut it out.

Drawing on black paper

Use this as a template and cut out multiple bats in various sizes.

Paper bats on table

Add double sided tape to the center of the bat.

Putting tape on bat

Attach the bats all over the lanterns randomly so they look like they are flying.

Adding paper bats to lantern

Hang the bat using fishing line or ribbon.

Halloween lantern on table with candles

More Fun Halloween Crafts

Get creative this year with your Halloween decorations. I’ve gathered up and created tons of great options to really add to your Halloween decor. Whether you want cute and fun or spooky, this list has a little of everything to suit your needs.

  • 35 Most Creative Themed DIY Halloween Costumes
  • Paper Strips Bats, Pumpkins and Spiders Halloween Crafts
  • Fun Jack Skellington Halloween Garland from Ping Pong Balls
  • 30 Fun Halloween Party Drink Recipes
  • DIY Old Book Floating Witch with Broom Halloween Decor

Crafting Tip

If you aren’t good at freehand drawing, you can use a template or one of these bat SVG files to create your bat cut outs. This makes it super easy if you are using a Cricut or other similar device to help cut the paper.

Yield: 1

Spooky Bat Paper Lantern Halloween Decoration

Halloween lantern on table with candles

Turn a basic paper lantern into a great Halloween decoration. This spooky bat lantern is a perfect Halloween addition with easy steps and cheap supplies.

Active Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Difficulty Easy
Estimated Cost $1

Materials

  • Paper lanterns
  • Black craft paper

Tools

  • Double-sided tape
  • Pen
  • Scissors

Instructions

  1. Open your paper lantern up completely and set aside. Opening white lantern
  2. On black craft paper, draw a bat wing shape and cut it out. 
  3. Use this as a template and cut out multiple bats in various sizes. Paper bats on table
  4. Add double sided tape to the center of the bat.
  5. Attach the bats all over the lanterns randomly so they look like they are flying.
  6. Hang the bat using fishing line or ribbon. an holding paper bat lantern

Notes

Cut your bats in different sizes to create a different look for your lantern.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

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© Katie Hale
Project Type: Decorating / Category: Halloween

Finished Project Gallery

This is such a simple and affordable decoration to add to your Halloween party or even your haunted house.

Paper bat lantern on table

Hang dozens of these on your haunted house ceiling to make it look like the bats are flying.

Halloween lantern on table with candles

Add glow sticks inside to create a different glowing look like yellow or green if desired.

an holding paper bat lantern

This is such a fun project to make! It’s especially fun for the little ones to help since they can so easily glue or tape the bats onto the lantern.

Paper lantern on blue wood

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