Pioneer Primary Singing Time Ideas, Activities & Songs
Keyword Topics: lds primary songs, lds childrens songbook, lds primary song book, primary music leaders, lds primary singing time ideas, primary chorister, lds chorister, lds primary chorister, lds primary singing time, lds primary, lds primary music, lds singing time ideas, primary songs, lds primary printables, Pioneer primary singing time ideas, lds primary song, lds primary music leader
Here's a list of Pioneer-themed activities & ideas (along with a list of Pioneer Songs & Resource links, that will make preparing your Pioneer Primary Singing Time lessons a snap!
PIONEER SONGS
Covered Wagons, (Children's Songbook, 221)
Little Pioneer Children (Children's Songbook, 216)
Pioneer Children Sand as They Walked (Children's Songbook, 214)
Pioneer Children Were Quick to Obey (Children's Songbook, 215)
The Handcart Song (Children's Songbook, 220)
To Be a Pioneer (Children's Songbook, 218)
Westward Ho! (Children's Songbook, 217)
Whenever I Think about Pioneers (Children's Songbook, 222)
Pioneers Courageous (July 1997 Friend)
The Strength of a Pioneer (January 1997 Friend)
When I Hear of Pioneer children (July 2016 Liahona and Friend)
Hello and welcome to LDS Primary Printables. I'm so excited you are here! LDS Primary Printables provides Come Follow Me, Gospel Topics, Primary Events, and Primary Singing Time Resources for Families, Primary Teachers and Primary Music Leaders.
--------------------------------------------
Join the mailing list for updates, specials & freebies.
LDS PIONEER RESOURCES
Lots of links to Pioneer Stories, Activities and Media that are helpful in planning pioneer-related lessons and activities.
1. SILENT VIDEO
WHAT YOU NEED:
Pioneer Video (on mute) to show kids as singing.
EXTENSION ACTIVITY: Once kids know the song, as a "bonus" review, et the kids sing along with the video - if it's one that actually is a song video, like above When I Hear of Pioneer Children. Repeat and record the kids singing the song, mute the video and play it again as you play the recording along with the video. Ask the kids if they think they sang as well as the kids on the video. If not, repeat and sing it again (so they can get as good, or better ;), than the kids on the video).
2. RHYTHM STICKS
WHAT YOU NEED:
Rhythm Sticks for each child
HOW TO PLAY:
Make up a repeating rhythm patter (ostinato) and let kids play with the rhythm sticks as singing.
Example: Ox Cart
Use quarter note (ta) - dotted eighth-sixteenth note (teem-ki) - dotted eighth-sixteenth note (teem-ki) - quarter note (ta) rhythm [ "long--- long--short long--- long---"] repeated throughout the song.
for Jr. Primary - just tap the beat or add in one dotted eighth-sixteenth note on beat 2.
Example: Pioneer Children
Tap big beat (1-2-3, 1-2-3-), then small beat 1-2-3-, 1-2-3-) on "walked", for the rest of the song.
PI - o - neer Chil- dren, SANG as they
Walked and walked...
1 - 2 - 3 - 1 - 2 -
Partners (Sr. Primary only): Big Beat: Tap partners cross side / cross tap other side /
Small Beats - one person holds both their sticks straight, i.e. parallel to arms and other person taps one stick 3x's then the other side stick 3x's then switch.
Great repetition variation: change the speed when tapping the smaller beats - At the beginning the pioneers went a bit faster.... but sometimes the pioneers were really, really slow...
3. WALKING FEET
(Pioneer Children Sang as They Walked & Walked)
WHAT YOU NEED:
Several copies of footprints. Laminate so the footprints hold up to kids walking on them.
HOW TO PLAY:
Put footprints around the room in a path and invite several kids to walk on the path as everyone sings.
4. PIONEER CIRCLE
WHAT YOU NEED:
1-x pictures of pioneer children
1-x very short pioneer stories (taped to the back of each picture)
1-x number strips (bowl, jar or hat to put number strips in)
HOW TO PLAY:
Put the pictures of pioneer children (numbered 1-x) in a circle on the floor. Invite as many children as you have pictures to come and walk in a circle as everyone sings. Once the song phrase (or song) is sung, stop and draw (or let another child) a number. Whichever number is drawn, take that story off the back and let that child hold up their picture while you read the story.
5. WAGON WHEEL SPIN
(Use to change song speed or rate how kids are singing. Good for song repetition.)
WHAT YOU NEED:
Big Wagon Wheel
Pencil
Little wagon wheels with pencil through each (for each child or just make a few and
let the kids take turns on the song repeats).
HOW TO PLAY:
Put a pencil through the middle of the wheel. Hold the pencil and spin the wheel. The faster you (or a child) spin the wheel, the faster the kids sing and the slower you spin the wheel, the slower the kids sing.
Rate the kids singing: The better the kids sing, the faster the wheel spins.
Invite individual kids to come up and spin the wheel as well.
NOTE: You can also use this wheel to add songs to each section of the wheel for a spin and sing kind of prop too!
VARIATION: Print out the smaller circles and poke a hole through the middle and insert a pencil. give each child a wheel and let them spin to the beat as they sing. (Note: Make sure the pencils aren't sharp).
6. BUILD-A-HANDCART SCENE:
How Can I Be a Pioneer?
WHAT YOU NEED:
Free LDS Church Build a Handcart printable
HOW TO PLAY:
Print out all the pieces on heavy cardstock and cut out.
GENERAL WAY TO PLAY FOR ANY SONG:
As the kids sing each song phrase, let a child come up and add a piece to the board. (You can also use for song review and have a different pioneer song, or other song, on each piece. Sing the song and put the piece up on the board till the scene is completed).
Printable available by clicking the "Free LDS Church Build a Hancart printable (blue text) above
7. BUILD-A-HANDCART SCENE:
How Can I Be a Pioneer?, continued
TO BE A PIONEER, 218
[Good PIONEER DAY LAST/ENDING ACTIVITY]WHAT YOU NEED:
WHAT YOU NEED:
Free LDS Church Build a Handcart printable
Stories (click tabs below-copy and paste into word doc and print)
Make a bubble diagram on one side of the board (see picture) and use the other side to build a scene.
Ask the kids what a pioneer is (someone who goes before others and prepares the way for them). Talk about the things the pioneers were asked to sacrifice and what we can or do similarly sacrifice today (see bubble diagram picture and tabs below-example: give up all worldly goods; Our parallel - give of our time, means and talents).
Read one of the three stories, add to the bubble diagram and add to the build a scene.
Sing the song, "To Be A Pioneer," vs. 1, read a story, add to the bubble diagram and build a scene.
Sing verse 2, read the last story, add to the bubble diagram and build a scene.
(Finish build a scene with other primary pioneer songs).
To simplify for Jr. Primary: Can do without the bubble chart if needed, cut out stories and just mention ways they can be pioneers, as needed.
"It is not enough to study or reenact the accomplishments of our pioneers. We need to identify the great, eternal principles they applied to achieve all they achieved for our benefit and then apply those principles to the challenges of our day. In that way we honor their pioneering efforts, and we also reaffirm our heritage and strengthen its capacity to bless our own posterity and 'those millions of our Heavenly Father’s children who have yet to hear and accept the gospel of Jesus Christ.' 2 We are all pioneers in doing so." - Dallin H. Oaks, Following the Pioneers
Mara from Cambodia
Mara was from Cambodia. Mara’s father was the first person in his family to join the church. That makes him a pioneer. Mara wondered if she was a pioneer…Most people in Cambodia were Buddhist and didn’t believe in Jesus Christ. But Mara did. “That’s a way I am a pioneer,” thought Mara.
Susan's Sacrifice
Lost Family & Lost Feet
8. PIONEER MAP CRACK-THE-CODE
WHAT YOU NEED:
HOW TO PLAY:
Print a bigger size poster of the pioneer map (12x18, 18x24).
Put up on the board. You can assign certain song phrases to each letter or a song to each letter on the map. Sing the song phrase (or song) then figure out the letter. Keep going until you've filled in the entire map to find out what the pioneer children did?
9. PIONEER JOURNEY
WHAT YOU NEED:
Pioneer Church History Figures
Pioneer Children Stick Figures (optional)
HOW TO PLAY:
Draw a dotted map from one end of the board to the other and label the end the Salt Lake Valley. Make ? x's along the dotted line (There are 4 x's/statements to read - tabs below- but feel free to add more and include other songs to fit your singing time day).
Put the figures on the board (Brigham at the end, pioneers as the beginning). Move the figures to each X and read/sing songs as outlined below.
X Number 1: “The Ox Cart” 219
X Number 2: “Pioneer Children Sang as They Walked” 214
x Number 3: “Fun to Do” 253 (Pioneer Style)
X Number 4: “To Be a Pioneer” 218 or "Whenever I Think About Pioneers" 222
Despite all the disease, bad weather conditions, hunger, suffering, and pain we've made it to the Salt Lake Valley!!! All together, we have traveled around 1100 miles! That’s far!
But being a pioneer isn’t just someone who wore a bonnet and crossed plains. A pioneer is someone who has courage and is willing to be different from the world and go forward in faith not knowing what is ahead.
“To Be a Pioneer” 218 or "Whenever I Think About Pioneers" 222
10. OTHER IDEAS
Click to learn more (will take you to other sites)
CHECK OUT THESE OTHER RELATED POSTS
PRAISE TO THE MAN
PRAYER RESOURCES
SABBATH DAY Folder Game
THE SPIRIT OF GOD
THANKSGIVING Primary Singing Time Ideas
WANT ACCESS TO THE PIONEER BUNDLE PRINTABLES & 100+ FREE PRINTABLES?
Join the Printables Library.
WANT GOLD LEVEL LIBRARY ACCESS TO $500+ in primary singing time printable resources? Learn about Gold Library Access now!