kids school bus games

Have you ever ridden the school bus as a kid? If so, you probably remember passing the time by playing games with your friends. Those old school bus games were a fun way to make the ride go faster and bond with your fellow riders. Maybe you played I Spy, trying to find objects of a particular color. Or perhaps you sang songs together at the top of your lungs, not caring what the bus driver or other cars thought. Some of you may have even played hand games like Patty Cake or Thumb Wars with the kid in the next seat. While kids today are more likely to ride with headphones in, playing games on their phones or tablets, there's something nostalgic about those simple school bus games of the past. They represent childhood innocence and the ability to make fun out of any situation.

Fun and Educational School Bus Games for Kids

Fun and Educational School Bus Games

School bus rides can be boring for kids, but they don’t have to be! There are lots of fun games kids can play to make the time pass quickly and learn new things along the way.

An oldie but goodie is the license plate game. Have kids try to find plates from different states and countries. Whoever spots plates from the most places wins. This helps kids learn geography in a fun way.

For younger kids, the alphabet game is perfect. Help them search for letters of the alphabet on signs you pass. First one to spot all the letters wins. This reinforces letter recognition and spelling skills.

I spy is another classic bus game that builds observation skills. Take turns saying “I spy with my little eye, something (color)”. The other players try to guess the object you spied. Then switch turns. Start with basic colors and move on to more complex clues.

If there’s a long ride ahead, consider Twenty Questions. Players take turns being the answerer and questioner. The questioner gets 20 yes or no questions to figure out what the answerer is thinking of. This game strengthens deductive reasoning and patience.

With some creativity, a school bus ride can be an opportunity for learning and laughter. Play some games, unleash your kids’ imagination, and watch the time fly by. Before you know it, you’ll be at your destination, and your kids will be asking to play just one more round!

Top 5 Verbal Games to Play on the School Bus

Anyone who rode the school bus as a kid knows that the ride can seem to take forever. Here are some fun verbal games to help pass the time and bond with your fellow riders.

I Spy

This classic game works great on the bus. Say “I spy with my little eye, something (color)” and have the other players guess the object you spied. Start with more obvious items and work your way to more difficult ones as the game progresses.

Two Truths and a Lie

Each player shares three statements about themselves, two truthful and one false. The other players try to determine which statement is the lie. This helps you get to know your friends better in a fun, low-pressure way.

Would You Rather

Pose silly scenarios with two options and have players choose which they'd rather do. For example, would you rather have pizza every day for a year or never have dessert again? The sillier and more ridiculous the options, the more fun this game becomes.

Storytelling

Have each person add a sentence to create a story together. Start with something like “One day I woke up and looked out the window to find...” and go around the group, with each person adding another sentence to progress the story. See how creative of a tale you can spin!

I Went to Market

The first player says “I went to market and bought...” filling in the blank with something that starts with A, like apples. The next person repeats what the first person said and adds something that starts with B, and so on through the alphabet. This challenges your memory and vocabulary skills.

With some laughter and teamwork, the school bus ride will fly by in no time. Enjoy your games and make the most of this time to connect with your fellow students. The bonds you form now could last for years to come!

Top 5 Quiet Games for Kids to Play on the School Bus

The bus ride to and from school is a great opportunity for kids to socialize and have fun with friends. But when the noise level gets too high, quiet games are a perfect solution. Here are 5 quiet games for kids to play on the school bus:

I Spy

This classic game works great on the bus. One player says “I spy with my little eye, something (color)”. The other players try to guess the object the first player spied that is that color. The first player to guess correctly gets to spy something next.

20 Questions

One player thinks of something like an animal, place or object and the other players ask 20 yes or no questions to try and guess what it is. This game helps kids develop deduction skills in a fun, low-key way.

License Plate Game

Players try to find license plates from different states or provinces and mark them off on a list. Whoever marks off the most, wins. This helps kids learn geography in a hands-on way.

Guess the Drawing

Players take turns doodling a simple picture on a blank sheet of paper or napkin while others try to guess what’s being drawn. No artistic talent required!

Storytelling

One player starts a story with a sentence or two, then passes it to the next player to continue. Go around until someone ends the story. Get creative and have fun with it! This helps build kids’ imaginations and narrative skills.

The bus ride zipped by with these engaging yet quiet games. Kids can have fun and learn at the same time, all without raising their voices. The bus driver and other passengers will surely appreciate the temporary peace and quiet as well! What are some of your favorite quiet games for kids to play on school busses or long drives?

Keeping Kids Engaged and Learning on the Bus

Keeping kids engaged and learning on the long bus ride to and from school can be challenging. Here are some ideas to make the time pass more quickly and support their development.

Educational games

Play games that reinforce skills they're learning in school. For example, have them spell words they're studying, do flashcards for math facts, or name parts of speech. These kinds of educational games and activities keep their minds active during the commute.

I Spy

The classic I Spy game works great on a bus. Take turns saying "I spy with my little eye, something (color)" and try to guess the object the other person spied. This helps build observational skills and vocabulary.

Storytelling

Have your child start a story and go around the bus having each child add to it. This helps with creativity, imagination and narrative skills. You can also tell stories together, either making them up as you go or retelling favorite books or movies.

Sing-alongs

Teach your kids some classic kids' songs to sing together on the bus like "The Wheels on the Bus," "Old MacDonald," or "The Hokey Pokey." Singing is a great way to pass the time, brings joy, and aids in language development and memory.

Counting games

Play simple counting games to build number sense and pattern recognition. For example, start at 1 and go up by 2s to 20, then down by 3s. Or count the number of red cars, blue signs, etc. you see out the window. These kinds of counting activities make the commute more engaging while reinforcing essential math skills.

Keeping kids stimulated and learning on the school bus will make the ride pass more quickly and support their growth and education in an enjoyable, low-key way. Using the time for interactive games, stories, songs and activities helps ensure they get the most out of the experience.

School Bus Game Ideas for Different Age Groups

Kids of different ages will enjoy different types of games on the school bus. Here are some ideas for various age groups:

Preschool and Kindergarten

For the littlest kids, simple games that encourage interaction and learning numbers or the alphabet are perfect. Try “I Spy” where kids take turns saying “I spy with my little eye, something (color)” and try to guess the object. “The Wheels on the Bus” song is always a favorite, acting out the hand motions. Have the children point out things they see out the window to help build language skills.

Elementary School

Kids this age will enjoy more complex games that stimulate their growing minds. “20 Questions” is a classic where one child thinks of something and the other kids ask 20 yes or no questions to try and guess it. Word games like rhyming or alliteration challenges keep kids engaged. Have children team up to work on math problems or puzzles together. Looking for license plates from different states or countries is an educational game for kids of this age.

Middle School

Preteens will prefer games that allow them to be social and even a bit silly. “Two Truths and a Lie” where each child shares three statements about themselves and the others have to determine which is the lie. “I Never” is another popular game where kids take turns saying “I never (fill in the blank)” and anyone who has done that thing puts a finger down, and the first one with all fingers down loses. Classic games like “Rock, Paper, Scissors” or “21 Questions” with a twist (like animals, foods or movies as the topic) are also great for this age group.

Playing simple games during the school bus ride is an easy way to make the time pass quickly while also encouraging learning, interaction and fun with other kids. With some creativity, you can come up with games for any age group to transform the bus ride into an enjoyable experience.

Conclusion

So there you have it, a bunch of classic games to keep the kids entertained on those long bus rides to and from school. Whether it's the license plate game, I spy, 20 questions or just singing some silly songs together, finding ways to pass the time and bond over laughter and inside jokes can turn an otherwise boring bus ride into an adventure. The best part is, these types of simple games don't require any electronics or expensive toys. Just a bit of imagination and the willingness to not take yourself too seriously. Before you know it, you'll be pulling up to school with a bus full of kids still giggling over the latest round of the name game or debating whether or not Justin Timberlake really counts as a musician. And the best part is, those are the types of memories from childhood that will last long after the kids have outgrown the school bus.