Heart & Solstice

Going outside into the sometimes bitter cold can challenging, but having something to search for can help! 

Here’s a little incentive to bundle up and get out there: A winter bingo—print or just save the image on your phone.

Take a walk through your neighborhood, hike a park, or visit the Bell Learning Landscape. How many of these markers of Minnesota winter can you find?

Share with us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. Post a photo of you holding a completed bingo board (maybe a row, maybe the whole card!), or even a pic of one of the items you found, and tag it #BellOutside!

We’ll pick five randomly selected winners from submissions through January 3 to receive special gifts from the Bell. We can’t wait to see what you share!

Add some extra cheer to your home with your very own winter garland! String up cranberries, conifer cones, 🍊 orange slices, and more on some cotton twine or jute. If you hang your garland outdoors, you’ll have something not only beautiful but also edible for neighborhood wildlife!

Then share with us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter and tag your image with #BellOutside!

We’ll pick five randomly selected winners from submissions through January 3 to receive special gifts from the Bell. We can’t wait to see what you share!

Create a warm and cozy vibe outside your home by making your very own ice lanterns. All you need is a bowl, a cup, some water, and a tealight! You can dress up your lantern by adding berries or 🌿 greenery to the water. Try using containers that are different shapes or add some food coloring to your water to create a colorful effect.

Let winter do most of the work for you and leave your lantern mold outside overnight to freeze. Run it under a little bit of warm water in the morning and it’ll be all ready to go!

Watch our ice lantern how-to video or click the “Winter Activity Instructions” button above for the full instructions!

Share with us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter and tag it #BellOutside!

We’ll pick five randomly selected winners from submissions through January 3 to receive special gifts from the Bell. We can’t wait to see what you share!

Feeling crafty or looking to brighten your home with a bit of winter cheer? Make your very own solstice wreath! All you’ll need are branches, any other bits of nature that strike your fancy (like pinecones, berries, or seedheads), and some string or wire. You can take your wreath to the next level by securing pinecones and plant sprigs to add some color and variety.

Share!

We can’t wait to see your designs! Share your solstice wreath creation with us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter using #BellOutside—and follow the hashtag to see others’ creations and participate in other winter activities.

We’ll pick five randomly selected winners from submissions through January 3 to receive special gifts from the Bell. We can’t wait to see what you share!

Once the snow starts to fall, bundle up and head outside! Take advantage of the falling snow and dress up your yard or favorite park with your very own ⛄ snow sculptures. Grab some cups, bowls, pots, Tupperware … anything you’d like to use as a mold and get to sculpting! Can you build a fort for your next snowball fight or maybe a … snowlar system (get it!)?

Need some design ideas? Try building a loon, bear, pine cone, or fort!

Share with us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter and tag it #BellOutside!

We’ll pick five randomly selected winners from submissions through January 3 to receive special gifts from the Bell. We can’t wait to see what you share!

The Heart and Solstice celebration continues with this oldie, but goodie! Recycle your junk mail or other scraps of paper by making paper ❄️ snowflakes to hang up around your home. Bring a little winter inside, without all the cold!

Follow along with Adam as he walks you through the process in this short video and try out his snowflake design templates in the paper snowflake activity sheet.

Watch our paper snowflake how-to video or click the “Winter Activity Instructions” button above for the full instructions!

Share your snowflakes with us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter using #BellOutside—we can’t wait to see them!

We’ll pick five randomly selected winners from submissions through January 3 to receive special gifts from the Bell. We can’t wait to see what you share!

Have you made your solstice wreath or winter garland yet? Try this for decorating a 🌲 tree or shrub in your yard or neighborhood. Add things like dried orange slices or pine cones dipped in peanut butter and birdseed. You’ll have nature-safe decorations and an extra treat for birds and other wildlife that might need a winter snack. Remember to use biodegradable string like cotton twine, and not something like plastic fishing line.

Then share with us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter and tag it #BellOutside!

We’ll pick five randomly selected winners from submissions through January 3 to receive special gifts from the Bell. We can’t wait to see what you share!

Love it or hate it, ❄️ snow is pretty remarkable. Take a closer look at that white stuff and explore its many properties. 

With some snow and a few tools from around your home, you can try the snow studies in our activity packet—and come up with more of your own!

Share your snow discoveries with us on social media using #BellOutside and follow the hashtag to see what others discover and participate in other winter activities.

We’ll pick five randomly selected winners from submissions through January 3 to receive special gifts from the Bell. We can’t wait to see what you share!

Get outside! Don’t let the cold and snow keep you down! Throw on five pairs of 🧦 socks, a couple sweatshirts, your boots, and coat—don’t forget a hat and mittens!—and get your blood moving on a winter hike (or stroll … that’s fun, too).

Bundle up! Put on your warmest winter wear and head outside—coats, hats, boots, and mittens or gloves. Other clothing like earmuffs, scarves, snow pants, long socks, and hand/foot warmers are optional, and recommended.

Consider bringing along a sketch book or camera to document your journey! Or maybe your favorite field guide (a book or an app!) to help you identify things you might see!

Grab our Winter Bingo sheet as a simple way to track some of the things you find!

Get outside! Take a long walk through your neighborhood, head to a local city park, or venture to a Minnesota State Park or Scientific Natural Area. Try a favorite well-known green space you like to go to or someplace new!

Take moments to pause, take a deep breath, listen, and observe. What do you notice? Are there signs of animal life: tracks, scat, nibbled twigs? Can you hear birds? Do you notice any pops of color like lichen or berries?

Try one of these Free Identification Apps

Seek by iNaturalist
iNatualist
Merlin BirdID
Audubon BirdID

Create a winter 🌈 color wheel by combining all of your outdoor winter photos into a collage! Capture the cool shades of blue, white, and grey that fill the sky and cover the ground. Include the greens, yellows, and oranges that remain from autumn, or other bursts of color that peek out from beneath the snow.

Share your color wheels and collages with us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter by tagging @BellMuseum or using #BellOutside. Using the images you share, we’ll create a community color wheel that we will share at the end of our Heart and Solstice celebration!

We’ll pick five randomly selected winners from submissions through January 3 to receive special gifts from the Bell. We can’t wait to see what you share!