Scripture Power Mountain

Take a piece of butcher paper and map out the Mormon trail. Then place wagon graphics along the trail - the kids can pick a wagon and sing the song that is on it. Surprise them and have it say story on a wagon - then be prepared to share a quick pioneer story - maybe one that involves a song.

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...kinda' fun!

Gull Game from Christy's Clipart

Make a seagull out of construction paper, and put it on the end of a fishing line with a strong magnet on its beak. Make little crickets out of brown or black paper, and attach paperclips to them. Have the seagulls catch the crickets! Make all the parts of a wagon out of construction paper. On the back of each part of the wagon, put a number which will correspond to a song. Have the children take turns putting the parts of the wagon together.

One year I made a seagull out of poster board (kind of like a paper airplane) but to look a bird. I put a paperclip on the beak. I made crickets out of pom pom's bodies, pipe cleaner legs, wiggly eyes, and put magnets on them. The children held the seagull and "ate" a cricket and the cricket had a number on it that coincided with a song. (Idea by Sondra in Idaho)

(Elaine Shankly) I wanted to do something for Pioneer Day that the kids would find interesting & could relate to, so I Googled "Pioneer games" and found a plethora of information. I had picked six songs to sing, so I picked six pioneer games to go with. Then I found things around my house to represent each game and brought them.  I picked a reverent child to select an object, then let them try to guess the game that went with. If they couldn't guess, I explained it, and even had some kids come up to help me demonstrate one of them. Then we sang the song. For "Hot & Cold," we actually played "Hot & Cold" with the song, hiding the button. Always a hit.  I'm not sure that it was anything I did, but they sang their little hearts out Sunday! And they were very fascinated (translation: reverent & attentive!) with the games. We kept talking about how the pioneer children didn't have Care Bears & Video Games, etc., and that these simple objects, most of which could be carried in their pockets, were all they had for fun.  And yet, several of the games are games we still play today and have fun with. 

Here are the songs I used & their corresponding games & objects:

p. 245 "Oh What Do You Do in the Summertime?"
game: Leapfrog
object: small toy frog

p. 218 "To Be a Pioneer"
game: Rolling the Hoop
object: Hula hoop & stick

p. 220 "The Handcart Song"
game: Drop the Handkerchief
object: handkerchief

p. 222 "Whenever I Think About Pioneers"
game: Marbles (a different variation than most)
object: bag of marbles

p. 252 "Lift Up Your Voice and Sing"
game: Sack Races
object: sack/laundry bag

p. 253 "Sing a Song"
game: Hot & Cold
object: button