Pioneer History Challenge Kit Resources

Pioneer History Challenge Kit crafts, games, and recipes for your participants. If your activity requires any supplementals or you're looking for some extra activities to do, download this PDF to access them.

Craft Overview

• Pioneer Crafts
  • Tin Plate Picture
  • Community Quilt
  • Weave On A Cardboard Loom
  • Corn Husk Doll
  • Make Your Own Quill Pen
  • Make Your Own Paper Doll

Fun Fact!

Many pioneer towns did not have doctors, so the people had to find different ways to cure aches, pains, and illnesses. If someone had a toothache, there was a good chance that they would go to the Blacksmith to pull it out. The Blacksmith would use metal tongs to yank out the tooth—without any anesthetic to dull the pain.

Craft: Tin Plate Picture

Materials

• Aluminum foil pie plate
• Paper
• Pencil
• Thick cardboard
• Nail
• Hammer

Instructions

1. You will use the pie plate as your “sheet of tin.” Draw a simple design onto a piece of paper; make sure that it will fit on the pie plate. You can use the design templates on the next page.
2. Place the pie plate on top of a thick piece of cardboard so that you will not damage your table when you use the hammer and nail.
3. Carefully hammer the nail along the lines of the picture. When you remove the paper, the punctured holes in the tin should look like the design!
4. Punch a bigger hole into the top of the pie plate to hang your tin plate picture up.

Craft: Community Quilt

Materials

• 1 square piece of cloth
• Scrap cloth
• String
• Needle

Instructions

1. This is a craft that requires the whole group to complete! Each person gets a quilt square. You can decide on a unified theme, or you can simply let each group member express themselves in whatever creative way they want.
2. Each person gets a quilt square. They can then use scrap cloth to create a design. It may help to try drawing a pattern of your design before you get to work. Cut the scrap cloth in whatever shapes you want, then thread a needle and begin sewing!
3. When each group member has completed their square, sew the quilt pieces together. There, you have your community quilt, made with the love and creativity of every group member.

Craft: Weave On A Cardboard Loom

Materials

• Piece of cardboard 
• Yarn
• Needle
• Scissors

Instructions

1. This craft will probably take a couple of hours to complete. Begin by taking a piece of stiff cardboard. Draw small lines a 1/4 inch apart across the top and bottom of the cardboard. Draw a line 1/2 inch from the top and from the bottom, so you know how far to cut. Then, using a pair of strong scissors cut along the 1/4 inch lines. This is your cardboard loom!
2. Now that your loom is strung, you can begin weaving! String some more yarn through a needle. Start at the first string at the top of the loom. Weave your yarn under the first string, then over the second, then under the third, and continue until you reach the other side.
3. When you get to the last string, wrap it around the string and begin weaving in the opposite direction and in the opposite under/over pattern. As you weave, try not to tug the end strings too tight or your fabric will lose its shape. Weave gently so that each row is close to the one above it, and the fabric maintains its shape.
4. If you want to change the colour of your yarn, just leave a piece hanging out the side. String your needle with the new colour and begin weaving where you left off.
5. When you are done weaving, string the loose ends one by one with a needle and tuck them into the edges of the fabric. To remove your fabric from the loom, bend the 1/4-inch tabs and slip the loops off. Then, cut the loops and tie the ends with a tight double knot. There you have your hand-woven fabric!

Craft: Corn Husk Doll

Materials

• Fresh corn husks
• Elastic bands
• Scissors
• A bucket of water

Instructions

1. To do this craft, you will need to use fresh corn husks as they will be more pliable. Take four corn husks and tie them together at the ends with an elastic band. Then, flip the bunch upside down and turn the corn husks down so that they cover the elastic bunch. Tie another elastic band around the husks to hold them in place, and there you have your doll head.
2. Take another husk and roll it up into a cylinder. Use two elastic bands to tie the husk at each end, and then use a pair of scissors to snip off the messy ends. Stick the cylinder through the long husks right under the head. There you have your arms.
3. Take two more husks and drape them criss-crossed over the arms to make shoulders. Use another elastic band to tie them off.
4. Finally, take 5 or 6 corn husks and bunch them around the doll’s waist. Use an elastic band to hold them in place. There you have your corn husk doll!
5. To make a boy corn husk doll, simply separate the skirt husks into two sections and use elastic bands to tie them together. Use scissors to snip off the messy ends.

Craft: Make Your Own Quill Pen

Materials

• Large feather with a hollow center
• Scissors
• Ink

Instructions

1. Use a large feather with a hollow center that you will be able to draw ink up into; a goose or peacock feather would work best. Cut off the end of the feather at a slanted angle so that the tip is pointy.
2. Then, carefully cut a little vertical slit at the tip of the feather. This slit is meant to work the same way as the slit on the tip of a calligraphy pen and help draw ink up into the hollow feather. There you have your quill pen!
3. To use your quill pen, dip the tip into the ink, letting it sit for a couple seconds so that enough ink is drawn up into the feather.
4. Then, carefully write on a piece of paper (or parchment paper to look fancier). You will probably have to dip the pen in the ink again after a few strokes.

Fun Fact!

The Voyageurs would stop their paddling and portaging every 6 or 8 kilometers (once every hour) so they could smoke. They smoked using pipes; therefore, the Voyageurs’ routes were measured in “pipes.”

Recipe Overview

• Pioneer Recipes
  • Churn Your Own Butter
  • Rice Cakes
  • Pretzel Log Cabin
  • Sweet Raisin Bannock
  • Beef Jerky
  • Pioneer Pudding
  • Ginger Cookies
  • Homemade Pickles
  • Pea Soup
  • Maple Syrup Candy

Recipe: Churn Your Own Butter

Ingredients

• Whipping cream (room temperature)
• A jar with a lid
• A bowl
• A wooden spoon
• Water

Instructions

Pioneers used to make butter using a butter churn. While butter churns may not be used much anymore, you can still easily recreate the process using a jar!

1. Make sure that the jar has a secure lid. Pour room-temperature whipping cream into the jar. If the whipping cream is too hot or too cold, the butter will not separate from the cream, and the recipe won’t work. Screw the lid onto the jar tightly.
2. Now for the work—shake the jar as strongly as you can for about 10 minutes. This part works the same way as when the pioneers would pound the dasher (the big wooden stick) up and down in the butter churn.
3. After shaking the jar for 10 minutes, remove the lid. Inside your jar, the whipped cream should be separated into buttermilk and butter. The buttermilk will be bluish-white, while the butter will look like pale yellow clumps of fat.
4. Use a wooden spoon to spoon the clumps of butter into a bowl. Make sure to use a wooden spoon because a metal spoon will spoil the flavour. Press the butter against the side of the bowl with the spoon and rinse it under cold water until the water runs clear.
5. Your butter should now be ready to eat! Add a little salt for some added flavour.

Recipe: Rice Cakes

Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked rice
• 1 egg
• 2 chopped spring onions

Instructions

1. Mix the eggs, rice, and chopped onions together in a bowl.
2. Spoon the mixture into round cakes.
3. Fry the cakes on an oiled skillet (frying pan) over medium heat until lightly browned on both sides.

Recipe: Pretzel Stick Log Cabin

Ingredients

• 5 graham crackers
• Pretzel sticks
• Wafer cookies
• 1 cup of icing sugar
• 1 tablespoon of water
• Chocolate hazelnut spread (or chocolate icing if you want to be nut-free)

Instructions

1. Take 5 graham crackers. Split one of them in half. The square halves will be the two ends of the cabin. Two full crackers will be the length of the cabin, and the remaining two will be the roof. In a bowl, mix 1 cup of icing sugar with one tablespoon of water. This is going to create a very thick, sticky icing. You want the icing to be thick and sticky so that it will dry and hold the graham crackers together.
2. Stand the two end pieces and the two length pieces together so that they make a rectangle. Apply the icing generously to the corners and, if needed, along the bottom of the cabin so that the structure is sturdy. Let it sit for about 5-10 minutes so that the icing dries.
3. Using the same method as step 3, sit the two remaining graham cracker pieces on top of the length of the log cabin to make the roof. Sit the crackers so that the tops lean against each other. You may need a partner to help hold them in place while you apply the icing. Allow the icing to sit and dry for 5-10 minutes.
4. Spread hazelnut chocolate spread all over the graham crackers. Stick a wafer cookie to the front of the cabin to make a door. Stick pretzel sticks to the spread-slathered graham crackers. Line them in rows so that they look like little logs. Cover the sides of the cabin with them.
5. Take some wafer cookies and separate the layers. These will be the shingles for the cabin’s roof. Spread the chocolate hazelnut spread on the roof and line the wafer cookie layers until the graham crackers are covered.
6. There you have your log cabin! You can create a scene around the cabin by cutting out paper trees. You could also use candy to create a garden or forest—be as creative as you would like!

Recipe: Sweet Raisin Bannock

Ingredients

• 2 cups of seedless raisins
• 3 cups of flour
• 2 tablespoons of baking powder
• 1 teaspoon of salt

Instructions

1. First, put the raisins in a pan and cover them completely with water. Cover the pan and cook the raisins in the water until the raisins look plump and the water is dark.
2. Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl.
3. Add the cooked raisins and the water to the bowl. Mix the ingredients together until you have dough.
4. Roll the dough into balls and then flatten them like pancakes.
5. Fry the bannock in an oiled pan until they are golden brown

Recipe: Beef Jerky

Ingredients

• Round steak
• Soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons of brown sugar
• Steak spice

Instructions

This recipe requires preparation the night before.

1. Slice the steak into thin slices.
2. Soak the steak in the soy sauce, brown sugar, and steak spice. Soak overnight so that the beef marinades and soaks up all the flavour.
3. The next day, cook the steak strips over a small, smoky fire for 6 to 8 hours until the meat is very dark.
   4. Break the meat open to test if it’s done. Enjoy!

Recipe: Pioneer Pudding

Ingredients 

Cornbread

• 1/4 cup of buttermilk
• 3 tablespoons of sour cream
• 1 whole egg
• 1/4 cup of cornmeal
• 1/4 cup of brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons of baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• 3 tablespoons of melted butter

Pudding

• 1 and 1/2 cups of half-and-half cream
• 1/4 and 2 tablespoons of maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons of molasses
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon of ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg
• 1 whole egg
• 3 egg yolks
• Springform pan
• Baking dish with a lip
• Plastic wrap

Instructions

Cornbread

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
2. In one bowl, whisk the egg, sour cream, and buttermilk together.
3. In a different bowl, mix together the cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
4. Stir the dry mixture into the buttermilk mixture. Stir the butter into that mixture.
5. Grease a 9-inch square baking pan. Pour the mix in and bake for about 25 minutes.
6. Crumble the cornbread onto a pan and toast it at 350 F for about 15 minutes. Stir it occasionally.
7. When the bread is done toasting, pour it into a bowl and set it aside

Pudding

1. Take a 10-inch springform pan (a kind of pan where the sides can be removed from the base), line the bottom with paper, and grease the sides.
2. Pour the cream, vanilla, maple syrup, molasses, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg into a pot. Bring the creamy mixture to a simmer.
3. In a different bowl, whisk the whole egg and the egg yolk together. While whisking, slowly pour the cream mixture into the bowl until the ingredients are mixed well.
4. Pour the creamy mixture over the cornbread crumble and let it soak for about 15 minutes.
5. After letting it soak, pour the mixture into the springform pan. Place the pan in a baking dish with a lip.
6. Pour an inch of boiling water into the baking dish around the springform pan. Cover the baking pan with plastic wrap and then tin foil, sealing in the moisture.
7. Bake your pudding at 350 F for about 45-55 minutes. When the pudding is done, it should feel springy to the touch. Let your pudding cool for about 30 minutes before slicing and serving it up!

Recipe: Ginger Cookies

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup of sugar
• 1/2 cup of molasses
• 1/3 cup of water
• 1/3 cup of oil
• 1 egg
• 3 and 1/2 cups of flour
• 1/2 teaspoon of baking soad
• 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon of ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In one big bowl, mix together the wet ingredients: the molasses, the sugar, the oil, and the water. Then, beat in the egg.
3. In another bowl, mix together the dry ingredients: the flour, the baking soda, the cinnamon, the ginger, and the salt.
4. Mix the dry ingredients in with the wet ingredients, making sure to mix well.
   1. Tip: You will be able to mix the ingredients better if you pour the dries into three parts.
5. Then, take your cookie dough and roll it into little 1-inch balls. Place them on a greased cookie sheet and bake them for 8-12 minutes.
6. When they are done, let the cookies cool for a few minutes. Enjoy!

Recipe: Homemade Pickles

Ingredients

• 1 large cucumber
• 1 thinly sliced onion
• 1 cup of vinegar
• 1/2 cup of sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 2/3 cup of water
• A pinch of pepper
• A one-quart jar with a lid

Instructions

1. Put the onion slices in the jar.
2. Scrape down the sides of the cucumber with a fork. Do this until the entire cucumber has been scraped. Then, slice up the cucumber and put it in the jar. In a bowl, mix the vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper, and water. Then, pour the mixture into the jar.
3. Cover the jar and refrigerate it for at least 24 hours. There you have some tangy, old-fashioned homemade pickles!

Recipe: Pea Soup

Ingredients

• 1 pound of dried peas
• 4 cups of chicken broth 
• 1/4 pound of diced ham steak
• 3/4 cup of diced celery
• 1 small peeled and diced onion
• 1 and 1/2 cups of peeled and diced potatoes
• 1 and 1/2 cups of peeled and diced carrots
• 6 cups of water
• A pinch of salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Pour the water and peas into a saucepan. Then, bring the water to a boil and let the water and peas
   cook for 2 minutes.
2. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Cover the saucepan and let the water and peas sit for an hour.
3. After an hour, add the chicken broth, ham steak, celery, onions, salt, and pepper to the saucepan. Once more, bring the water to a boil. Cover the saucepan and let the soup simmer for 1 and 1/2 hours.
4. Finally, add the carrots and potatoes to the soup and let it cook until the vegetables are done—this will probably take around 30 minutes.

NOTE: If the soup becomes too thick, you can thin it out by adding some more chicken broth.

Recipe: Maple Syrup Candy

Ingredients

• 1 cup of maple syrup
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons of butter
• Candy thermometer

Instructions

1. Cover a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and set it aside.
2. Put butter in a saucepan and melt it over medium heat.
3. When the butter is melted, pour the maple syrup into the saucepan.
4. Put the candy thermometer in the pan and let the mixture cook until it reaches 290 degrees F. To check if the mixture is at the right heat, drip a little bit into cold water and see if it hardens—if it does, the mixture is ready.
5. Move quickly! Pour the mixture onto the cookie sheet and let it cool. When the candy has cooled, tap the cookie sheet on the counter to break it up into pieces.
6. Decorate your maple syrup candy by sprinkling it with powdered sugar. Enjoy your sweet and traditional treat!

Games And Activities Overview

• Pioneer Adventure
  • Be A Voyageur
  • Tell Your Own Creation Myth
  • Song
• Pioneer Colouring Pages
• Pioneer Games
  • Card Games
    • Go Fish
    • War
  • Jack Straws
  • Blind Man's Bluff
  • Ducks Fly
  • Rolling The Hoop
  • Drop The Handkerchief
  • Marbles
  • Who has the button
  • Poor Doggy
  • Shadow Tag

Activity: Be A Voyageur

Materials

• Cardboard boxes
• Backpack filled with snacks/lunch/other necessities 
• Notepads to record your experience

Instructions

The Voyageurs were settlers from Montreal who travelled by canoe into First Nations territory to trade furs and other goods. They often travelled long distances, paddling their canoes across the country. Because of river rapids, they would often have to portage. Portaging meant carrying their canoes and supplies across wooded land. The Voyageurs’ journey was tiring and dangerous. Go on your own mock voyageur adventure!

Voyageur canoes were typically made with cedar planking and birch bark, but you can make a pretend canoe out of cardboard boxes! Try decorating your canoe using designs, pictures, or symbols that represent Canada and adventure. Cut fake paddles out of long cardboard boxes. Each person can make their own canoe, or they can work in groups. Voyageur canoes typically had six paddlers, so why not try to make your canoe long enough for six people?

As a group, decide what goods you are going to be trading with the First Nations for their fur. Some things the Voyageurs would have traded were metal tools like knives and axes and metal cooking wear like pots and pans. Also, make a list of things that you think would be necessary for a canoe trip across the country. You can practice portaging by carrying your canoe and supplies to a local park. Have some group members act as the First Nations. They can set up a trading post with furs (or, in this case, fake fur clothing and other materials), dried food, and meat. Have both groups haggle to try and get the best deals for their goods and make a trade.

You can also make this a camping activity using real canoes! Pack a backpack with snacks, a lunch, or even some cooking supplies. Plan a route using a map of the area and work as a team to paddle your canoes to your planned destination. Write your experiences in a notebook.

Activity: Tell Your Own Creation Myth

Storytelling played a big role in the lives of both the pioneer settlers and the First Nations. The First Nations told myths about the creation of Canada, the world, and the meanings behind plants and animals. Come up with your own creation myth. Think about what backstories you could give to local plants, animals, and nature. Sit in a circle and tell your myth to the group.

Activity: Song

The Voyageurs liked to sing while they travelled. Because the Voyageurs were from Montreal, their songs were in French. Below is a traditional French song that you may recognize. You can also come up with your own songs to sing!

"Alouette"

Games: Cards

Materials

• 1 deck of cards

Instructions

Card games were very popular in pioneer times. People played cards on their journey to Canada; the Voyageurs played cards on their cross-country adventures; people played cards just to pass the time. Here are some fun and easy card games to help you pass
the time!

Go Fish

1. This game works best with three to six players. The deck is shuffled and each player is dealt five cards. The remaining cards are placed face-down in a pile. The player to the left of the person who dealt the cards begins.
2. The players should all look at their cards and note if they have any doubles (like two Aces or two Queens). The object of the game is to collect the most sets of four cards of the same rank (four Jacks, four 6’s, etc.).
3. Each player takes a turn asking another player if they have any cards of a specific rank. For instance, one player may ask another player, “Do you have any Kings?” If the player they asked does have one or more Kings, they must give all of their Kings to the player who asked. The player who asked then gets to take another turn and ask another player (or the same player) for more cards.
4. If a player asks someone for a rank and the player they asked does not have it, the player they asked says, “Go fish!” The player who asked must then draw a card from the pile.
   1. If the card they draw is the rank they asked for, they must show it to the other players and can then take another turn.
   2. If the card they draw is not the rank they wanted, they must keep it in their hand and let the next person take their turn.
   3. When a person collects a set of four cards of the same rank, they must show it to the other players and then set it aside.
5. The game continues until one of the players has no cards left in their hand or until the pile runs out. The winner is the player with the most sets of four cards.

War

1. This game is typically played with two people. The deck is shuffled and divided into two; therefore, each player has twenty-six cards. The players must not look at their cards but keep them face down in a pile. The ranks go from A K Q J T 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2, Ace being the highest and two being the lowest.
2. The aim of the game is to win all of the cards. Both players begin by taking the top card in their respective pile and turning it over on the table in front of them. Whoever has the higher-ranking cards gets to take both the upturned cards and add them to the bottom of their pile. For example, if one player turns over a Queen and the other player turns over a 7, the player who turned over the Queen gets to keep both cards. Both players continue turning over one card from their piles at a time.
3. If both players turn over a card of the same rank, this means war! They must leave their equal cards in the middle and then draw another card, placing it face down. They must then draw one more card and place it face up. Whoever plays the higher-ranking cards wins the war and, therefore, gets to take all the cards. If the card they play is equal, both players must then place another card face down and then another card face up. Whoever plays the higher-ranking cards wins all of the cards. Both players keep doing this until one of them plays a higher-ranking card. The game then resumes.
4. The game continues until one player has no cards and the other player has all the cards. The player with all of the cards in their pile wins.

NOTE: If one player runs out of cards during a war, they lose. If both players run out of cards during a war, the game is a draw.

Game: Jack Straws

Materials

• Straws or thin sticks

Instructions

1. A pile of straws or thin sticks are carefully piled into a stack or tipi shape (spread out at the bottom and resting together at a point at the top).
2. The players take turns trying to remove a straw from the pile without shaking the other straws. If a player manages to remove a straw without making the pile fall, they keep the straw as a point.
3. The players each keep taking turns until the pile falls. When the pile falls, the game is over.
4. The player with the most straws and, therefore, the most points wins the game.

Game: Blind Man's Bluff

Materials

• Blindfold

Instructions

1. This game should be played in an open space without any obstacles to bump into.
2. One player is blindfolded—this person is the “blind man.” Someone spins the blind man around five times while the other players disperse.
3. When the blind man finishes spinning, they yell, “Stop!” The other players have to stop where they are. The blind man then walks around, trying to find the other players.
4. To help locate the other people, the blind man can yell, “Blind man’s!” and the other players must respond, “Bluff!”
5. The game is complete when the blind man manages to locate all of the other players.

Game: Ducks Fly

1. One player is the leader, and the other players are followers. The leader says something like, “Ducks fly!” and flaps their arms.
2. The other players must then flap their arms. The leader says something else like, “Cats meow!” and the other players must meow. The leader can trick the followers, however, by saying something untrue like, “Cows bark!”
3. The followers then have to stay still and quiet until the leader says the right thing. If any of the followers bark, they lose and have to sit out the next round.

Game: Rolling The Hoop

Materials

• Hoops
• Sticks

Instructions

1. Each player has a hoop and a stick.
2. They must keep the hoop rolling on its side by using a stick.
3. Once the players get good at hoop rolling, they can have a race to see who can roll the hoop to the finish line first.

Game: Drop The Handkerchief

Materials

• Handkerchief

Instructions

1. The players hold hands in a circle.
2. The person who is It holds the handkerchief and walks around the outside of the circle. While they are walking, they drop the handkerchief behind one of the other players and begin running.
3. The other player must pick up the handkerchief and run in the opposite direction around the circle.
4. The player that gets to the empty spot first joins the circle, and the other person becomes It.

Game: Marbles

Materials

• Marbles
• Chalk

Instructions

There are many ways to play marbles; here is a simple way.

1. Draw a 2-3 feet wide circle out of chalk. Place some marbles in the circle; these marbles will be your targets.
2. Each player selects a marble they will use to hit the other marbles out of the circle. The marble you use to hit the other marbles is called the “shooter.” The aim of the game is to try and knock the marbles out of the circle using the shooter.
3. The players take turns tossing their shooter from outside the circle, aiming at a marble inside the circle. If they manage to hit a marble out of the circle, they get to keep the marble. If a player shoots any marbles out of the ring, they get to go again. If they do not manage to hit the marble or if their shooter gets stuck in the circle, the other player gets to try and hit the marbles out of the circle. The first player then gets to retrieve their shooter.
4. The game continues until there are no marbles left in the circle. The player with the most marbles wins

Game: Who Has The Button

Materials

• Button

Instructions

1. The players sit in a circle, facing each other. One person sits in the middle of the circle—they are “It.”
2. The person who is It closes their eyes while the other players pass a button around the circle.
3. One person hides the button behind their back, and the other players hide their hands behind their backs as well.
4. The person who is It is then allowed to open their eyes and try to guess who has the button. They are allowed three guesses; if they guess correctly, the person with the button becomes It and switches places with the person in the middle.

Game: Shadow Tag

1. This game should be played outdoors on a sunny day. One person is “It,” and it is their job to chase and catch the other players by stepping on their shadows.
2. If a player is tired, they can lie down so that the person who is It cannot step on their shadow; however, they can only rest for 20 seconds before they must get up and start running away again.
3. If the person who is It steps on another player’s shadow, that player then becomes It.