The Handcart Song Arm Swings

You will have so much fun learning and teaching The Handcart Song (archives) with this lively activity that uses partners! Just grab a friend and you’ll be read to move with this The Handcart Song Arm Swings lesson plan. In this challenge, you’ll try to keep hands clasped together as you completed 8 different fun movement actions together.

The Handcart Song Arm Swings

Sing through The Handcart Song once, before introducing this fun partner arm swings activity.

Tell the children to find a friend. You can let them pick anyone in the room if you’d like, so they’re comfortable with their partner.

Explain that for this challenge, you’re going to try to keep your hands held together – can you complete all of these moves without letting go?

Demonstrate the pattern one move at a time as they try it with their partner. Sing a line and demonstrate the pattern, then repeat and have the children sing and try the move. Then do the same with the next movement, then sing from the beginning now with two moves in a row. Continue to build up the song one movement at a time.

• Dance Left
• Spin Bridge
• Push Arms Out
• Low Swing
• Push & Pull
• Tap Low to High
• Dance Right
• Shake High

Sing through the entire song again with all of the movements. Make sure you’ve posted the movement pattern up on the board for the children to easily follow along.

The Handcart Song Partner Arm Swings Pattern:

Hold both hands of your partner the whole time – try not to let go!

1. Dance or skip to the left or “west”
2. Both partners spin the same direction bringing arms up to form a bridge and then make a full rotation to face each other again
3. Both partners push their arms out so you are far away from each other
4. Both clasped hands next to each other and swing arms low right and left
5. Push one arm out and hold your other arm back, then switch to push and pull each others hands forward and back
6. Tap the two clasped hands together, moving up from low to up high.
7. Dance or skip to the right to get back to your starting spot
8. Hold both clasped hands up high and shake like saying “Hooray!”

Extension Activities:

• Select a random action card or two. Sing through the song doing just that one action or alternating lines between two actions. Then pick new action cards.
• Switch partners and try the pattern again. Make groups of 4 and try again!

For another fun Pioneer activity, head over to see this Covered Wagons Rolling Arms singing time activity!

The Handcart Song Partner Arm Swings Pattern Printable Song Helps

This free in-post printable includes a 1-page pattern guide.

This song has extended printables including a larger 2-page pattern guide and arm swing cards in 1/4 and full page size. You’ll find these bonus files in The Handcart Song teaching packet in my shop.

You won’t want to miss this fun The Handcart Song Paper Plates activity next to help you teach this song!

What other fun ways will you use this partner arm swings pattern singing time activity in your Primary room?