10 Fun, Easy Bus Crafts for Preschoolers

| Last Updated: January 31, 2023

Riding a bus may not be appealing to some children, however, these school bus activity ideas will hopefully make things a little more thrilling!

This section offers a list of the most popular ones, as well as detailed information about each. We’ve provided you with exciting exercises which aim to significantly develop kids’ literacy, counting, crafting, and more!

Great Bus Crafts for Preschoolers

Matching Shapes | Cutting | Printables

1. Simple Paper Plate School Bus Shapes

Photo credit: honeyandlime.co

Have fun creating this simple paper plate school bus with the kids! This is an incredible way for children three to five years of age to get ready to go back to school. Through this, youngsters learn visually enriching their understanding of shapes while being imaginative at the same time!

Remember that when you do this craft, you should handle the cutting for young kids. If you let them handle the scissors, be sure to keep your eyes on them.

Additionally, you can use the included printable template to make it easier for you.

In line with that, the materials required for creating the school bus art craft are:

  • 1 white paper plate
  • School bus craft printable
  • Yellow tempera paint
  • Paintbrush
  • Kid-safe scissors
  • Glue stick

To create the school bus activity, start by folding and cutting your paper plate in half. Next, have the kids paint one side yellow for the bus. While letting the craft dry, trace the template to cut shapes. 

Explain to kids how the two circles match the tires of the real bus. Let them choose what other shapes to incorporate in the paper plate bus. Say each shape while adhering them to the right area. 

You can have more detailed information about this craft project at honeyandlime.co.

Coordination | Fine Motor Skills | Shapes

2. Easy School Bus Bottle

Photo credit: momsandcrafters.com

Doing this easy school bus bottle is a fun way for kids to make a good transition returning to school. The craft enables their fine motor skill and coordination to absolutely strengthen while learning various shapes! 

Besides, the engaging craft is both visual and physical activity and can be done perfectly in the comfort of your own home! It is appropriate for children ages four to six. 

When you do the school bus activity, incorporate tasks like naming the items inside, finding the alphabet, or just simply talking about their expectations for the school year!

To perform the craft, you’ll need:

  • Bottles 
  • Yellow papers
  • Coloring supplies 
  • Fiskars kids scissors
  • Marker
  • Duct tape (black and red)
  • Glue gun
  • Assorted yellow items

Have kids randomly cut small pieces of paper with safety scissors. Put the small pieces of paper inside the bottle. Have the kids put in sequins, beads, rhinestones, or any items they desire. 

By using the glue gun, you can shut the bottle lid. Now, allow the kids to cut black duct tape for the wheels and windows; and red duct tape for the stop sign. Finally, guide the younger kids while letting the older ones draw some designs just like the real bus!

If you like to learn more about this art craft and acquire some more related ideas, do visit momsandcrafters.com.

Cognitive | Shapes | Printables

3. Delightful Washi Tape School Bus Activity

Photo credit: funwithmama.com

Making this washi tape school bus activity is a perfect method for children aged three to six to remarkably reinforce their cutting skills and shape recognition skills!

On top of that, this easy visual activity is best to do before the young kids go back to school.

While creating the craft, be aware that young children need guidance when cutting the shapes while older kids can be left doing their own buses, letting them explore and display their creative side. Encourage them to make scenery for their buses to absolutely enrich their imagination!

Additionally, this is great with a story and in kids’ pretend play!

To make this school bus art project, gather the following materials: 

  • Yellow washi tape
  • Cardstock paper
  • Black cardstock 

To create the yellow bus, you should trace and cut a bus silhouette from the cardstock. Next, allow your kids to cover the entire school bus with yellow washi tape. 

Then, cut shape parts like squares for windows, rectangles for the sides, and circles for the wheels. To assemble the parts, let your kids glue them in the right spot. 

To have further instructions on the craft, go to funwithmama.com. You may find other art activities that you may want to include in your own classroom, too! 

Social | Shapes | Patterns

4. Popsicle Sticks School Bus Friends

Assembling these adorable popsicle sticks with school bus friends is great for the back-to-school season! The kids will surely love creating their buses while definitely improving their social skills and knowledge of shapes and patterns. It is a fun visual activity fit for juveniles four and five years old!

Through the activity, kids can learn while fully expressing their creative side!

While doing the craft, make sure that you give kids some freedom and do the task on their own.

To carry out the task, prepare these craft items:

  • Jumbo popsicle sticks 
  • Craft paint
  • Paint brushes
  • Small paper plate
  • School glue
  • Cardstock paper
  • Black sharpie marker
  • Kid-friendly scissors

Start by lining the five popsicle sticks up side by side. Then, place and glue the three popsicle sticks in the opposite way on top of them to create the base. Next, allow your kids to paint the body yellow and pink or black for the face. 

Simply cut shapes for the other parts like rectangles and circles. Glue them to the base and design them with other decorations like sequins, and glitters.

Make a few of these and have a group of bus friends which is great for pretend play!

You can get all the information you need to have at gluedtomycraftsblog.com.

Coloring | Shapes | Fine Motor Skill

5. Adorable Milk Carton School Bus

Creating this adorable milk carton school bus project enables the kids to learn shapes while undoubtedly developing their coloring skills and fine motor abilities. Besides, this can be a great way to teach the letter B to preschoolers!

This is perfect to do in any season for children aged three to seven!

Keep in mind that while doing the creative craft, you should incorporate books before, during, or after the activity for even further learning!

Also, older kids can follow instructions and do this on their own while toddlers and preschoolers need utmost guidance in their outline or the cutting itself. 

If you want to do the art project, prepare the following materials:

  • Milk carton
  • White spray paint
  • Yellow acrylic paint
  • Paintbrush
  • Black construction paper
  • Glue
  • Cardboard

To do this craft, prep the milk carton by cleaning it. Have the kids paint it white and then cover the whole carton with yellow acrylic paint. 

While the craft is drying up, let the kids cut doors, windows, a stop sign, and stripes on the black construction paper. And glue these parts on the designated area. Remember to help them make a windshield and a back door to make it even more realistic!

Visit happytoddlerplaytime.com to gather additional details about the school bus task.

Counting | Shapes | Printables

6. Hanging School Bus Countdown

Photo credit: thesuburbanmom.com

Have fun counting down the days before going back to school and allow young kids to better prepare their minds!

The hanging bus countdown is a fantastic and engaging visual task that is excellent for kids aged three to six. It is truly wonderful because youngsters can definitely learn numbers and shapes while actively reinforcing their fine motor skills!

When performing the activity, take note that you can use the template provided in the craft with younger kids. Also, hang the kids’ buses at a location where they can easily see them to smoothly tear off each loop that corresponds to each day before the school starts.

Gather the following materials to recreate this bus art project: 

  • Construction paper
  • Pencil
  • Scissors
  • Glue stick
  • Stapler (optional)
  • Template

Begin by having the template printed out. You can cut it and have the children trace it onto red black, and yellow construction paper to make the school bus parts. Then, with the safety scissors, allow the kids to cut the paper and glue those on the bus appropriately. 

When the bus is done, you can have kids cut strips of paper and make interlocking loops out of it. One loop signifies one day before school begins. Add as many loops as you need to count down. Then, use chains to attach it to the school bus.

More preschool craft ideas can be accessed at thesuburbanmom.com.

Shapes | Fine Motor | Coloring

7. Easy Newspaper School Bus

Photo credit: iheartcraftythings.com

Let the kids learn visually and retain their acquired information easily with the school bus activity! 

The fun newspaper school bus task is an entertaining method for children ages three to six! This visual activity will greatly develop their fine motor skill and color abilities while learning different shapes at the same time. 

If you don’t have the specific black and white dash line tape, know that you can use a regular one!

To execute this school bus task, you may need essential materials like:

  • Newspaper
  • Liquid watercolors (yellow)
  • Cardstock paper
  • Black and white dashed line tape 
  • Clear acrylic craft jewel
  • Paintbrush
  • Scissors
  • Glue

To make your own newspaper school bus, have the kids paint the newspaper yellow with liquid watercolors. Then, you can trace and cut a school bus shape out of it. 

Now, older kids can make parts like windows, roads, and wheels out of the newspaper, while younger ones need help with this step. Allow kids to paint them in the right color. Finish off by having the kids put an acrylic jewel in front of the bus for their headlight!

For more details on the art craft, check out iheartcraftythings.com.

Creative | Shapes | Coordination

8. Simple Paper Cylinder School Bus

Photo credit: ourkidthings.com

Having kids use their creative side in a school activity will undoubtedly reinforce and express their feelings and emotions!

This back-to-school season, have fun and create this simple cylinder school bus! It is developmentally suitable for kids aged three to five which will enhance their coordination and imagination while learning about shapes.  

Plus, the drawing process is messy-free and easy to do with young kids. Just make sure to guide them throughout the task.

This craft requires the following materials:

  • Cardstock (gray, and silver)
  • Paper (yellow, and black)
  • Markers 
  • 1” hole punch
  • Stapler
  • Scissors
  • Glue stick

Start by cutting the yellow paper in thirds and the silver cardstock in half. Now, have kids draw rectangles using red (on the back) and blue markers (in the front for the bus lights) on the yellow paper. 

Next, loop and attach them together. Then, punch two holes for the tires out of the black cardboard. Cut other parts as well and have your kids adhere to them using glue. Put the loop bus on the silver cardstock (design this with road drawings). To finish off, let your kids write their bus number with their favorite number!

Numerous school bus activity ideas will allow children to strengthen their motor abilities. Visit ourkidthings.com to find out more about the art activity.

Social | Coloring | Fine Motor Skill

9. Movable Egg Carton School Bus

Photo credit: /7daysofplay.com

Making this back-to-school activity with young kids will definitely unleash their creativity and inventiveness! 

Surely, this is a wonderful visual and physical task to do with youngsters ages four to seven. 

On top of that, the movable egg carton school bus is a great way to absolutely strengthen kids’ coloring skills and fine motor skills, as well as their social skills because it can be incorporated into their fun pretend play. 

However, be careful using the hot glue gun with the children to avoid any unfortunate accidents.

To execute the school bus project, you will need art materials which are:

  • Various colored papers
  • Scissors
  • Sharpie
  • Craft glue
  • Pencil 

Begin by cutting the egg carton for your windows. Next, allow the child to paint the carton and make some details to make it look like a real bus. Kids need adult guidance when doing this. 

Then, make the movable wheels by putting each skewer through a straw. Now, you can glue the bottle cap on the ends of the skewers using a glue gun. Make sure to avoid putting any glue on the straw, otherwise, the crafted school bus will not move.

You can go to 7daysofplay.com to learn more about the movable school bus craft for children. 

Colors | Matching Shapes | Creative

10. Crafty Pencil Holder School Bus

Photo credit: playtivities.com

Making this creative pencil holder school bus activity can truly be enjoyed by kids before going back to school!

It is developmentally suitable for kids aged 3-6 which supports them to learn more about colors while definitely helping them to recognize and match basic shapes essential to younger kids’ overall development. 

Besides, the kids can learn visually while unleashing their creative side! 

Keep in mind that you should let the kids draw their desired shapes but be the person to carve shapes out of the pencil holder to avoid any accidents. 

To perform the school bus art craft, you’ll need the following supplies:

  • empty plastic ice cream box
  • scissors
  • colors (markers, acrylic paint)

To do this fun bus activity, have kids trace their desired shapes first, then you can cut these shapes out at the top lid of the container with scissors. 

Allow the kids to color the container with yellow paint. To make it even more like a realistic bus, design and decorate it using markers!

You may learn more information about the creative bus craft at playtivities.com.

Conclusion

These fun, easy bus crafts are perfect for all ages, though preschoolers may consider them more compelling since this is the period when they are starting to learn how things work!

This collection of different school bus projects is the most effective way to prepare your children for the coming school year! Furthermore, this will encourage your kid’s creativity, which is an important skill to develop at a very young age.

Make your way to the kids’ hearts by doing these fun bus crafts! Be sure to check out all the other activities perfect for preschoolers!



Hi, I'm Amanda! Welcome to Education Outside! Im passionate about educating young minds and helping parents/teachers by providing easy and effective teaching resources. Check out all of my teaching resources on my Teachers Pay Teachers store.

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