Easter Bells fly into Aberdeen

Flying Bells rather than the Easter Bunny are some of the tales local children heard about this week as they got to enjoy how Easter is celebrated in France.

Harley Randle, French teacher Isabel Hogg and Elizabeth Anderson.

Isabel Hogg from Portlethen, teaches French to local toddlers, preschool and primary-age children in and around Aberdeen.

She explained: “In my classes as well as teaching the French language, I also introduce the children to some of the many cultures and festivals of France and one of the key French Easter traditions is the Easter bells or ‘les cloches de Pâques’.

"The Thursday before Easter, church bells across France are silent and according to legend, the bells would fly to Rome to be blessed by the Pope. On their return to the French churches, the bells would pick up eggs along the way before scattering them into gardens just as our Easter Bunny would do here in the UK.”

This week Isabel and her little ones had fun with stories about the Easter bells, designed and coloured in their own Easter Bunny ears, learning the colours in French along the way, then to round off the classes, there was an exciting 'chasse aux œufs' (egg hunt), with everyone taking home 'un œuf en chocolat' (chocolate egg).

Parent Louise Anderson from Muchalls, said: “My daughter Elizabeth is 3 years old and has been coming to Isabel's sessions for around a year now. She absolutely loves her French class and has learned so much during this time. It is such a valuable skill to have and will certainly give her a head start when she starts learning at school. Classes are always fun and engaging and the Easter sessions were brilliant, I love how Isabel includes details about France in her classes, it’s so much more than just learning the language.”

Isabel’s French Club runs in several venues in and around Aberdeen, following the award-winning La Jolie Ronde Programme, classes are aimed at inspiring a passion for languages through fun songs and activities using games, songs, stories, roleplays and puppets in a positive and supportive learning environment.

Isabel added: You are never too young to start learning either, when a child is exposed to language in a pressure-free environment that’s fun, engaging and interactive, they learn and that learning then becomes a thoroughly positive experience.”