Create Your Own Handcart

In 1856 the first handcart company of Latter-day Saint pioneers started its journey to the Salt Lake Valley. Over the next four years, more than 3,000 people pulled and pushed handcarts across the plains. To make your own handcart, follow these instructions. As you load the supplies, think about what you would have taken on the journey.

Instructions

Remove these pages from the magazine, mount them on heavier paper, and cut out the pieces. To make the bed of the handcart, fold up its sides, front, and back, and glue the tabs. Glue a wheel and a pulling shaft on each side. Glue the crossbar to the tabs on the ends of the pulling shafts. Fold the tabs on the rest of the figures so they can stand up. Place the father and mother inside the crossbar. (Glue the father’s arm outside the shaft so it looks like he’s pulling.) Put the daughter and supplies in the cart, and place the son where he can help push. Don’t forget to hang the pot on the back!

Illustrations by Val Bagley

Note: If you do not wish to remove pages from the magazine, this activity may be copied or printed from the Internet at www.lds.org. For English, click on “Gospel Library.” For other languages, click on “Languages.”