DC FAN FAMILY TEAM-UP BAT JETPACK INSTRUCTIONS Everyone knows that Batman and his crime-fighting family can t fly, but they do have fun gadgets to use while protecting the innocent. Gear up your little crime-fighter s imagination with this bat-themed jetpack that can be made with plastic bottles, cardboard and other things from around the house. As you ll see in the instructions, we indicate which tasks might be accomplished by your little one and others that should only be done by an adult. Please remember that the entire project and your child s use of the resulting Bat Jetpack require adult supervision at all times. Estimated Build Time (once you ve got your supplies): 3-4 hours
SUPPLY LIST: 1.) Large piece of cardboard or foam core, roughly 30 by 36 inches 2.) Pencil or Sharpie 3.) Crayons or Markers 4.) Printable Logos 5.) Two empty 2-liter bottles 6.) Ribbon, duct tape or rope for the harness 7.) Red and orange tissue paper, felt, or cloth for the jetpack flames 8.) Spray paint (blue, gray, black or your preferred color) 9.) Scissors 10.) Box cutter or craft knife 11.) Glue or tape 12.) Stapler for harness (optional) 13.) Glue gun (optional) Not pictured: -Duct Tape (optional) -Newspaper -Wing stencil
1 CUT OUT THE WINGS Print out wing stencil. D. E. Cut out the six template pieces and tape them together, something kids can help with. Arrange taped wings on cardboard or foam core. With pencil or sharpie trace the wings. Cut wings out using the box cutter or craft knife--an adult s job, keep little hands well away.
2 PREPARE THE ROCKETS Rinse out and clean the labels from the two 2-liter bottles. Kids can help.
3 SPRAY PAINT THE WINGS AND ROCKETS D. E. Go into a well-ventilated area, preferably outdoors, and spread newspaper to protect your painting surface. Place wings and bottles down on newspaper. Parents only spray from one side to the other. When the air is clear, you can ask your kid to check your work. Let dry according to instructions on spray can. Once they are dry, flip the wings and bottles over and finish spray painting, making sure all surfaces are covered with paint. Let fully dry outside.
4 MAKE THE HARNESS D. Estimate the length of material needed for your child to wear the jetpack. Place straps on wings where they will sit nicely on your child s shoulder. Attach the straps to the wings. We stapled our straps on; you can also use a glue gun or duct tape to attach them--a job for an adult.
5 MAKE THE ROCKET FLAMES D. E. Kids can help cut the orange and red flame material into 1-inch strips, and bunch them together. Fold the bunched flames in half, then twist at the fold. Adult s will need to supervise gluing the twisted end into the opening of bottle. Once in place, let dry. Repeat for other bottle.
6 ATTACHING THE ROCKETS Place bottles on wings to find the contact points between bottle and cardboard; glue the bottles onto the wings at those points. Place bottle and hold in position for 30 seconds. Kids can help hold it in place.
DCCOMICS.COM/FANFAMILY 7 DECORATE WITH LOGO DECALS Download printable logo decals. Get your kids to help with the finishing touches and really make the jet-pack their own one-of-akind crime-fighting gear. Color and cut out the decals, and attach them to jetpack with glue or tape.
ENJOY YOUR NEW ADVENTURES WITH YOUR BAT JETPACK! A. Check back next week for some new printable logos. Want to share your creative take on the Bat Jetpack? Take photos of you and your kid creating your first Fan Family Team-Up. We will be opening up a contest in several weeks where you can submit those photos. There will be some cool prizes to win and we ll be showcasing winners and runners-up in the Fan Family Team-Up Gallery. We will let you know on the blog or you can sign up for the newsletter where we will send you the contest along with special offers and discounts on DC Comics gear.