As the relentless heat wave continues battering North America, we thought we’d drum-up some family-friendly activities that are perfect for an afternoon indoors – with air conditioning on full blast. These crafts and activities are suitable for all ages and interests. Ring a bell, read a poem, play a game…there are so many ways to have some fun!
Build a Bell Tower
Summon your inner engineer to construct a freestanding bell tower using popsicle sticks. How high can you go? Challenge your friends and family to see who can create the tallest, the strongest, or the most beautiful bell tower. The sky's the limit!
Color a Bell
Set aside some time for creative expression and peaceful meditation with a coloring sheet designed by National Bell Festival artist-in-residence, Cris Clapp Logan. Each original black ink illustration is ready for you to unleash your colorful imagination.
Create a Bell
Turn your craft table into a bell foundry! Make a bell out of a paper cup, empty tin can, or small terra cotta pot. Get creative as you decorate your bell, experiment with different sizes and materials, and use your new instrument to create a resounding clamor.
Learn about the Different Parts of a Bell
Tower bells differ greatly in size, weight, and ornamentation. Even their uses and configurations may vary, from change ringing and carillons to single bells that toll the hour. But all of them, generally, are composed of the same parts. Can you identify them?
Read "The Bells" by Edgar Allan Poe
What does the sound of a bell mean to you? How does it make you feel? In "The Bells," Edgar Allan Poe relies on a rhetorical device known as a diacope (the repitition of a word or phrase) to pull the reader into ever-darker emotions and feelings about bells.
Make a Bell Necklace
Enjoy the tinkling sounds of wearable bell art! Perfect for all children, but especially the youngsters, these bell necklaces will help children practice their fine motor skills, counting, math, and music – in perfectly ring-able fashion!
Play Bell Tower Bingo
Have some fun (and a little competition!) while learning about bells and bell towers. In this game of bingo, select one square on the grid and complete the challenge printed inside. If you complete three activities in a row, column, or diagonal, you win!
Go ahead. Be proud.
Share your creations online by tagging #BellFest in your posts! We’d love to see how you got creative with your family.
