Egg Cup Bells
Cut out the egg cups from cardboard egg cartons. Place newspapers on a table and give each child several egg cups, some tempera paint and a small brush. Let the children paint their egg cups, first on the inside and then on the outside. When the paint has dried, poke pipe cleaners through the centers of the cups. Make a hook out of the top half of each pipe cleaner and roll the bottom half up inside the cup to make a bell clapper.
Variation: Before inserting the pipe cleaners, have the children dip the rims of their painted egg cups into glue, then into silver glitter.
Sound Discrimination
Let the children play with different kinds of bells (sleigh bells, dinner bells, cow bells, bird cage bells, etc.). Encourage them to listen to the unique sound each bell makes. Help them decide on a name to distinguish each bell. Then play a game with the children. Have them close their eyes while you ring one of the bells. When they open their eyes, ask them to point to and name the bell they think you just rang.
Bell Bracelets
To make each bell bracelet, string a large pipe cleaner with three to four bells and twist it into a bracelet shape. (A 1/4-inch wide ribbon can be used in place of a pipe cleaner.) Let the children play their bell bracelets by putting them on their wrists and shaking their hands up and down.
Bell Mitts
Make hand mitts out of cotton fabric or felt (or use old knit mittens). Sew two bells on the top of each mitt. Let the children play their bell mitts by putting them on and clapping their hands together.
Bells on Poles
For each child, string three or four bells together with yarn. Knot one end and let it hang free. Tie the other end to a dowel. Let the chidren play their bells by shaking their dowels or by tapping them with their hands.
Count the Rings
Number ten index cards from 1 to 10. Give each child a bell. Let the children practice ringing their bells. Then hold up one of the numbered cards. Ask the children to identify the number on the card and have them count that many as they ring their bells that many times.
Bell Ring
Hang a bell up high. Give the children beanbags (or socks rolled into balls). Then let them take turns tossing the beanbags at the bell to make it ring.
Ring the Bells
Sung to : "Row, Row, Row Your Boat"
Ring, ring, ring the bells,
Ring them all around.
Ring them loud
Then ring them soft.
Now don't make a sound.
Jingle All the Way
Sung to : "Jingle Bells"
Jingle bells, jingle bells,
Jingle all the way.
Oh, what fun it is to play
My jingle bells today.
Shake them fast, shake them slow,
Shake them loud and clear.
Oh, what fun it is to shake
My bells for all to hear.