EYFS Activities: Transport Buses

It is well documented that children learn best from first-hand experiences, so the topic of buses is ideal for drawing on children’s personal experiences of going on bus journeys and seeing them in their local environment.

IN THE SETTING

Provide role-play resources such as a ticket machine, timetables, mark-making equipment, driver’s hat, steering wheel and plenty of chairs.

Include toy buses and coaches in your small-world play. Encourage the children to use them for mark-making in sand, or by drawing their own bus routes – this can be done on a large scale outside with chalk or tape. Children could number their bus routes and plan bus stops and a destination.

Talk about children’s experiences of buses. Perhaps they catch a bus to nursery, use one when they go to the shops or have been on an open-top bus tour. What do they like or dislike about buses?

Show books and pictures of a range of buses and discuss the features, such as the big tyres, large doors, numbers and if they are single or double decker – why do some buses have two decks?

Invite the children to bring in photos and souvenirs of their bus adventures to show the group, such as tickets or timetables. Where did they go and what did they see through the windows? Where do they like to sit on the bus? Have they ever been on the top deck? Use the photos to make a display and help the children to write captions about their experiences – did they pretend to be the driver? Perhaps they rang the bell when approaching a stop?

Extend the children’s experiences by talking about bus routes, timetables and information boards. Point out the bus numbers and destination signs on the front of the buses and talk about the purpose of bus stops and stations. Why do we use a bell?

IN THE COMMUNITY

Is it possible to take the children on a bus ride, or even a coach journey or trip on an open-top bus? Perhaps you could arrange a visit to a local bus station or depot? If that is not possible, you could take a walk to a road that buses use and observe them.

Include the children in planning your bus journey – where would they like to go, how many buses will they need to catch, what are the bus numbers and which stops will you use? Discuss how we catch a bus, such as checking the timetable and route, going to the bus stop and carefully putting your hand out to signal to the bus driver.

Use the trip as an opportunity to discuss safety and being considerate to other people on public transport, such as being sensible at the bus stop and staying back from the road and cycle lane, making space for other passengers to get on the bus, not kicking the backs of seats and sitting down or holding on tight when the bus is moving.

Find out if there is a bus museum that you could visit to compare buses through the ages. Otherwise, check out photos and films of vintage buses online.

Contact a local bus or coach company – some will arrange visits to nurseries and schools and bring along a vehicle for the children to explore. Perhaps you know a bus driver that you could invite to come and speak to the children about their work.

bus books

Fiction

You Can’t Take an Elephant on the Bus by Patricia Cleveland-Peck – animals cause total disaster when they attempt to travel in various vehicles.

In the Bus Depot by John Allan – listen in to the buses’ conversations as their routes cross.

Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! by Mo Willems – a pigeon begs to drive the bus… will you let him?

Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Pena – CJ’s nana helps him to see the fun of his routine bus journey.

The Hundred Decker Bus by Mike Smith – what would happen if the driver picked up new and exciting people on a different route?

The Naughty Bus by Jan Oke – vibrant photos accompany the bus on its adventures.

The Bus is For Us by Michael Rosen– lovely rhyming text, detailed illustrations and lots to explore.

The Big Red Bus by Judy Hindle– a bus gets stuck in a hole.

Non-fiction

Buses for Kids by Melissa Ackerman – a simple picturebook.

Children’s Transport Encyclopaedia by Philip Wilkinson – a comprehensive look at the world of transport.

KEY VOCABULARY

Bus, coach, public transport, ticket, fare, driver, conductor, passenger, double decker, top deck, open top bus, wheels, journey, route, bus stop, bell, timetable, destination