The Oxcart (CS p. 219)

A fun thing to do on this song is to use rhythm instruments that sound like creaking wooden wheels. A guiro tone block or bumpy rhythm sticks rubbed back and forth work great.
*Tap-scrape-tap-scrape*

Pioneer Children Sang as They Walked (CS p. 214)

Jr primary:
Walk in place during lines 1, 2, and 4 (or walk in a circle if your Primary is small).
Stop and do actions for line 3:
They washed at streams (rub your hands together as if you're washing them)
and worked (hammer one fist on top of the other)
and played (pretend to throw a ball)
Sundays they camped (hands make a tent roof)
and read (hands make a book)
and prayed (fold arms)
[Explain that "camped" means stayed put instead of walking. Discuss keeping the Sabbath day holy. Notice this is the only time during the song you are not walking.]

Sr. primary:
Every time you sing the word "walked" scoot over one chair.
Use the same actions as Jr. for the third line, including the Sabbath Day discussion.

Put Your Shoulder to the Wheel (Hymn #252 - chorus only)

Discussion:
Have the kids picture a wagon wheel as tall as they are.  Pretend it's stuck in the mud.  How would you get it out?  You could push it with your hands, but what if that didn't work? Could you turn around and push it with your shoulder and back?  What if you were pushing your hardest but the person who was supposed to push the other wheel was goofing off or refusing to work?

Easy actions to teach the chorus:

Put your shoulder (right arm on left shoulder) to the wheel (brace your feet against the pretend wheel)
Push along (pretend to push with your shoulder)

Do your duty with a heart (both hands on heart)
full of song (smile-- to have a heart full of song means to be cheerful while you work)

We all have work (pretend to hammer a nail)
Let no one shirk (shake your head and wag your finger no -- be sure to explain what "shirk" means)

Put your shoulder (right arm on left shoulder) to the wheel (pretend to push with your shoulder)

To Be a Pioneer (CS p. 218)

What do you think of when you hear the word "pioneer"?
Do you think of pushing handcarts?
Leaving family and friends to go to a distant land?
Walking thousands of miles?

What would you say if I told you that YOU can be a pioneer?
Would you have to do those things too?

Let's sing the first verse (with actions for younger kids):
     You don't have to push a handcart (pretend to push)
     Leave your family dear (wave goodbye)
     Or walk a thousand miles or more (walk in place)
     To be a pioneer!

The things the pioneers did aren't as important as the inner qualities they possessed that helped them to do those things.  What character traits did they have?  (Optional: you can tell some pioneer stories that illustrate these characteristics: courage, faith, hard work)

Let's sing the second verse
     You DO need to have great courage (fist over your heart)
     Faith to conquer fear (pointer finger at side of head, then throw away the fear)
     And work with might (show your muscles) for a cause that's right (pump right fist into the air)
     To be a pioneer!

Discussion:  (use specific examples personalized to their stage of life)
When would you need to have great courage?

"In order for us to make the correct decisions, courage is needed -- the courage to say no when we should, the courage to say yes when that is appropriate, the courage to do the right thing because it is right... Inner courage also includes doing the right thing even though we may be afraid, defending our beliefs at the risk of being ridiculed, and maintaining those beliefs even when threatened with a loss of friends or of social status." -- Thomas S Monson (Ensign May 2014)

How does faith conquer fear? (see D&C 6:36; 68:6)

Is there a cause that you are willing to work hard in defending?

Quote by M. Russell Ballard (Oct 2008): "The Lord isn’t asking us to load up a handcart; He’s asking us to fortify our faith. He isn’t asking us to walk across a continent; He’s asking us to walk across the street to visit our neighbor. He isn’t asking us to give all of our worldly possessions to build a temple; He’s asking us to give of our means and our time despite the pressures of modern living to continue to build temples and then to attend regularly the temples already built. He isn’t asking us to die a martyr’s death; He’s asking us to live a disciple’s life."

Conclusion:
Bear testimony that we CAN be pioneers in courage, faith, and standing for what is right.

Optional:
Learn the "we are marching" descant.  Then sing the verses and descant together.  This is a really fun activity.