Whether your youngster will be attending a VPK program or a public or private preschool, buses are used for transporting many children to and from school. For some preschoolers this new venture is fun and exciting, where others find this scary. To help ease the school bus anxiety, why not present mini lessons to teach your child bus safety before the first day of classes.
Begin With Some School Bus Art
To orient your preschooler about the school bus, invite him to make his own bus from construction paper. Fold a sheet of yellow paper in half and draw an outline of a school bus. Cut out the bus shape, but do not cut through the fold. Challenge the children to draw faces in each window so they understand that they will not ride the bus alone. There will be friends and sometimes an adult assistant. Next, have him write specifics on his bus model, such as the name of the school or county and the bus number he has been assigned. When finished, stand the bus shape on the table as a figural reminder of his new ride to school.
Make Learning Fun With a Song
Take the traditional song, “The Wheels On the Bus†and adapt this song to suit a school bus ride. Singing is a way to get information across to children in a fun manner and repetition to songs keeps information constant for preschoolers. Here are a few verses, but feel free to add new ones you and your child have created.
The wheels on the bus go round and round,
Round and round, round and round.
The wheels on the bus go round and round,
All the way to school.
The number on the bus is _____….
The doors on the bus open and close…
Children on the bus go up the steps…
The driver on the bus says, “Good morning to youâ€â€¦
The assistant on the bus says, “Find your seatâ€â€¦
The flashers on the bus go on and off…
The preschoolers on the bus giggle and laugh…
School Bus Safety Rules
School bus safety is so important for children not only during the first few days, but also all year round. According to the National Safety Council there are suggestions for a safer bus ride such as the following suggestions and more on their website.
- Pay attention to your surrounding as you are going to the bus stop and always be aware of moving traffic.
- Stay a safe distance from the road and don’t run around in this area.
- Stay 10 giant steps away from where the bus will be pulling up to the curb. Wait until the bus comes to a complete stop before approaching the door.
- Hold the handrail securely when going up and down the steps of the bus.
- Never put your head or arms out the windows.
- Parents should pick up their children on the same side of the road that the bus will stop. And if the child must cross the street, she must wait until the bus driver tells her it’s safe to cross.