Do you remember the game of the Bell? Review the rules and history
Outdoor games are some of the favorite moments when it comes to entertaining children. For them, playing is not just a pastime, but a real opportunity for growth. Through them, correct cognitive development is allowed. and relations are improved both with the reference figure and with peers. Discover in the video below all the advantages of playing in peace!
So is the game of the Bell
La Campana has different names depending on the Italian region in which we find ourselves and the local dialect spoken: you can also hear it named as row, world, brucio, paradiso, ambo, week, sciancateddu or tririticchete (Sicily), pisincheddu (Sardinia) or pàmpano (Liguria).
It is one of the oldest games for children and adults, already known by our grandparents and which has been handed down to this day. There can be one or more participants and there is also a table version, called the button game.
Typically the Bell is a backyard game that focuses on jumping over numbered squares. Thanks to this activity, the child refines his sense of balance because by jumping, he coordinates his eyes, hands and feet at the same time, to win the challenge against his friends.
Like any pastime, there are also variations for the Bell, but essentially the development is always the same. Because of its simplicity, it is suitable for little ones who walk very well and for the whole family, so it can be performed from about 3 years old.
Would you like to take a refresher with us? Read on to discover the history of the Bell and its main rules.
See also
History
The origins of the Bell are very ancient: it would seem that the Ancient Romans had already chosen it as a test of strength and agility. It was known under the game name of the clàudus, that is of the lame (clear reference to the rule of hopping with only one foot). Not surprisingly, one of the most archaic drawings of the activity is found in Rome, on the pavement of the Roman Forum.
Its design should reproduce in a more or less truthful way an "ancient astrological belief, representing the" soul (personified by the stone) which allegorically reaches heaven through intermediate stages (the numbered boxes).
How did the Bell spread in Italy and around the world? Again thanks to the Roman Empire, which by building kilometers of paved roads, allowed the connection of the Bel Paese with the neighbors of "Europe and" Asia. It is also said that it was the Roman soldiers themselves who taught this playground game to children. of the countries under imperial protection.
We have often heard of it from grandparents or great-grandparents who played with it in the street or in the common gardens, when everyone still knew each other by name and outdoor activities were on the agenda; but the reality is that they too have learned it from previous generations.
You are now ready to refresh your memory with the rules and the route.
Path
To be able to play Campana you need:
- a large enough space on the ground;
- a chalk, white or colored;
- a rock.
In reality the necessary tools depend on the type of ground available: if the earth is beaten then a stone or a stick will be enough to engrave the path. Different story if you are on an asphalted road, because here the only option is to prefer colored or white chalks for the drawing.
The pebble will also serve as a marker, find one that is flat and that remains stationary when thrown on one of the squares.
The path to be drawn can vary, but usually consists of about ten numbered rectangular boxes. The numbering is progressive, so it starts from number one and then goes up to ten. Make the squares so that they are large enough to fit a foot and the placeholder stone. The last square can be chosen for rest area modes, where to rest and turn around; therefore it can also have a more rounded shape; sometimes the number 10 is given a different name, for example "heaven".
In the image below you can find an example of a common Bell scheme.
As you can see, some boxes have been paired in blocks of two.
How to play - the rules
The Bell is a purely summer activity, since the play space must be an open air surface, like the home garden. However, if you want to teach it to your children, you can also start inside, by moving a little. "of furniture and delimiting the route with scotch tape.
For the classic version, here is the development of the game of the Bell:
- decide who will be the first to start with the classic counts. To have maximum fun you need more players !;
- the designated player throws the stone in the first square; this mark must be landed in the area of the box and inside the lines, without any of these being touched;
- jump on one foot to reach the top of the bell, avoiding the square where the cobblestone ended up. The blocks of two squares side by side allow you to place both feet and thus to recover your balance;
- once at the top, it is possible to stop and turn around by making a half turn, and repeat the path backwards; however, respect the single foot rule for hopping;
- when you have reached the square with your marker, stop in the first one and collect the stone while maintaining balance;
- ends the path avoiding the square where the stone is located;
- passes the marker to the next player.
You lose your shift if:
- you don't keep your balance;
- along the path you have stepped on a line;
- you "forget" to go through a square and jump to the wrong square;
- you land out of the drawing.
Once your turn returns, pick up where you left off.
When all the players have made at least one round it will be the turn of the first player, who, if he has never lost his balance or broken one of the rules, will throw the stone in the second square repeating all over again. later in the numbering.
The aim of the game and the variants
The winner is the one who is the first to place their stone on all the squares, completing the round trip. Obviously without making mistakes.
You can make the Bell even more interesting and difficult by adding variations.
Some changes suggest doing this:
- make the return journey with your eyes closed, perhaps coordinating gestures to be made with your arms for each frame jump;
- change the shape of the path, going from rectangular to oval or even spiral (see the photo below);
- change the size of the boxes, alternating large ones with very small ones: your friends will have to jump on tiptoe !;
- move the numbered boxes away by creating spaces, in this way the jump to be made will be much longer;
- set a time limit to make the race even more competitive.
Now you know everything about the Bell game, you just have to go out and have fun!
