Back to School on the Bus Craft

As the summer months come to a close school bells will begin to ring.  Some states begin classes in late August and others wait until after Labor Day in September. When you see the infamous bright yellow school bus on your roads you know that school is in session. Here is a fun school bus craft your child will enjoy making whether he/she rides this iconic form of transportation or not. Why not sing “The Wheels on the Bus” while you are crafting together? With a recycled egg carton and a few supplies that are readily available at home this 3-D bus can be constructed.  So, let’s get started.

Supplies needed to make a School Bus craft:

• Cardboard egg carton

• Yellow tempera paint

• Paintbrush

• Safety scissors

• Heavy-duty glue

• White card stock paper

• Markers or crayons

• 2 plastic bottle caps

Directions to follow:

Step 1 – Prepare your work surface with newspaper to avoid paint and glue to mark your table top. You may want to place a smock over your child’s clothes as well.

Step 2 – Cut the lid off your cardboard egg carton. You can also use a yellow Styrofoam egg carton if a cardboard one is not available.

Step 3 – Place the two pieces back-to-back – the top of the lid should be next to the bottom of the egg cups (the open cups should be facing out). Glue these two pieces together. This will give your bus stability to stand up on the table.

Step 4 – Invite the kids to paint the entire bus construction with yellow paint.  Set this aside to dry thoroughly.

Step 5 – While the bus is drying, cut out six circles from white card stock paper. Use a bottle cap or lid to trace around to make the circles the same size. Make sure the circles fit slightly inside each individual egg cup.

Step 6 – Encourage the children to draw facial features on each circle with colorful markers or crayons. Challenge them to draw pictures of their school friends that ride the bus with them.  One circle should be a portrait of your child. Another option is to use photocopies of school pictures you may have of your child’s friends.

Step 7 – Glue these circles into the six egg cups on the top row of the bus.

Step 8 – Place two plastic lid caps on the bottom of the bus as wheels. Glue these securely in place.

Step 9 – The small flap of the egg carton at the top of the bus is a place to write the name of your school, bus route number, or just school bus in general.

Place your finished school bus construction in your home or child’s room as a reminder of the upcoming school days ahead.

How are you and the kids getting ready for school? Tell us in the comment section below.

Photo courtesy of Tania Cowling, all rights reserved