I had gathered a few sticks and small pieces of "firewood" that were stacked in the room. It might also be fun to hunt for them. I had a pot, large spoons, some paper cut-outs of potatoes, carrots, etc., plus some extra scraps for "other things", small bowls and small spoons (we might have just pretended here too, I can't remember), a flashlight and lots of imagination. We started with a pioneer story from the friend (can't remember which one) or you could just make it up. Then we took the children on a mini-trek. We sang "Pioneer children sang as they walked", etc. When we got to our camp we "built a fire" with the sticks, then made soup in the pot. Most of the children just went along but some of the older children named things they would put in the soup like crackers, cheese, race cars, etc. We would add the pretend item to the soup as long as it was semi-appropriate. Then we pretended to "look" at the soup, stir the soup, put salt in the soup, and then "smell" the soup, we pretended we were hungry and then we "ate" the soup. It was really fun to watch the kids crowd around the pot to "smell" the soup! I suppose you could "roast" marshmallows on the pretend fire for dessert too, but we didn't. (I would use straws or popsicle sticks and not actual sticks if you did). After that we made our beds, listened to the night sounds, and looked at the stars. We turned down the lights and shone the flashlight on the ceiling for stars, then we "went to sleep". I couldn't believe how responsive they were to the "pretend trek". Some of them even closed their eyes and rested quietly for 20 seconds or so. It was a lot of fun but probably wouldn't work for every nursery.  (Idea by Karen Perry / ga07192006)

Toss rag balls through hoops.

Have the children make Pioneer butter.  You could have them shake their canisters while singing pioneer songs.  Have them eat their butter with some fresh rolls for snack.

Dramatic Play - Pioneers leaving Nauvoo and living in wagons.
 

• Talk about the pioneers being forced out of their city and taking their wagons with few possessions. Have the children pick up their chairs and pretend they are wagons. Walk around the room for a second.

• Pretended it was the evening and we were going to camp for the night. Put our chairs (wagons) in a circle.

• Dinner time: Bring a big pot, pretend food and some wooden spoons. Hide the fake food around the room. Tell the kids we need to build a fire. Pretend to hunt for wood and make a fire. Then search for food to put in the soup. They all add something to the pot, stir and then smell the soup.

• Pass out little bowls and give everyone some soup. (Bring popcorn for snack, so just call it popcorn soup). Ask who is tired from walking so far that day and who needed a drink?  Pour little cups of water.  Enjoy snack time together.

• Clean up snack and pretend to sleep under the stars. Bring some flashlights the children could shine on the ceiling to pretend they are stars. Talk about how it would be to live in a covered wagon. What if it snowed, or was cold, etc.?

Hand Print Fire Craft - scroll down the page to see it