Pioneer Day Singing Time!

Years ago I dug through all the July Friend magazines and compiled all my favorite images and mini stories of pioneers to use for Primary Singing Time. I used it year after year and the kids always love it! It's a great way to review the songs for the year and learn some new pioneers songs too!

I don't have a picture of it, but I put up my big map of the United States and pinned up these images from Missouri to Utah. You can print these images on white cardstock and even laminate them if you want to use them for many years. I have the facts (listed below) written on the back of my pictures, or you could just number them and print out my guide. Adjust the facts or the songs as needed! You can have them choose the pictures in order (following the same journey that the pioneers took, with your most important songs first) or let them pick whatever picture they like in any order.

Intro:

"Does anyone know what we celebrate on July 24?? We celebrate the Pioneers! Today we have a super fun activity to learn about the pioneers and sing some songs that help us to remember and appreciate what they did for us. They took a long journey across many states so that they could enjoy freedom to worship the Lord!"

I'm looking for a reverent helper to come up and pick a picture... (I always say this and watch the kids hurry to fold their arms and sit up straight before I pick a name out of our stick jar)

From scan #1:

Pioneers with folded arms: 

The pioneers started out in Independence, Missouri. The pioneers walked all day and stopped only to eat and sleep. On Sundays they held church meetings to sing and pray. Just like the pioneers did, we can learn to be reverent. Let's sing Reverence is Love (CS #31)

Boy & girl with baskets:

The word pioneer means: one the goes before, showing others the way to follow. 

Sing Come Follow Me (HYMN #116)

Pioneer kids with song notes:

The pioneers walked 14-20 miles each day! They sang songs to help pass the time and to stay happy. 

Sing Pioneer Children (CS #214) 

We love to use hand motions for what they "did" and march when we sing "walked".

Large image of pioneers with handcarts:

It took a lot of courage to be a pioneer. It was a very difficult journey and many people died along the way. Let's learn a new song! Sing The Handcart Song (CS #220)

{I used this flipchart HERE}

From scan #2

Joseph Smith:

It all started with Joseph Smith and the restoration of the gospel. Now we belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints! 

Sing The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (CS #77)

Eternal Family in front of Temple:

Brigham Young chose the spot for the Salt Lake Temple just 4 days after they arrived. It took almost 40 years to build it! Sing I Love to See the Temple (CS #95)

Oxen:

Teams of oxen were used to pull heavy wagons. Oxen are very slow animals, but because they are stronger than horses, many pioneers used them to pull their heavy wagons. 

Sing The Holy Ghost very slowly. (CS #105)

Pioneer camp at night:

Along the trail and in the evening after the long day's walk, pioneers would often sing songs of Christ to keep their spirits up. Sing I Know That My Savior Loves Me.

Ant:

Sometimes insects, like ants invaded the pioneer's camps. Pioneers had to stomp to get the ants of their bodies!! Stomp while singing Follow the Prophet (CS #110)

Cow:

If a cow wandered away from the pioneer camps, sometimes the children your age had to search for them and bring them back to camp. Play HIDE THE COW! Golden Note Style (also called Hot & Cold game. One child goes out of the room. Another child hides the cow somewhere in the primary room. First child comes back. All children sing the song, softly if he/she is far away, loudly if he/she is close to the cow. The kids LOVE playing this and will gladly play as many times as you need them to, so pick a song they need to practice!) 

 

 

I hope this helps and is super fun for your primary kids!! If you have time, bare your testimony of Joseph Smith and your thankfulness of the pioneers who came before us, and sacrificed

so much so we could enjoy the freedoms and the restored gospel we have today.