Why Bus Driver works

Drive a pretend bus by following a visible route and announcing safe stops where passengers board and exit. Name the route before starting. Move or mime the bus to the first stop at walking pace.

Set up — Name the route before starting

Prepare household items before the child is asked to name the route before starting. Use the result of having the child name the route before starting as the setup for the move into move or mime the bus to the first stop at walking pace. Keep props ordinary and safe, and do not copy real hazardous, medical, or emergency procedures while that starting condition is being established.

Step 2 — Move or mime the bus to the first stop at walking pace

Give the child time to move or mime the bus to the first stop at walking pace and notice the result. The following instruction to announce the stop and let passengers board or exit should use what they learned after previously trying to name the route before starting.

Step 3 — Announce the stop and let passengers board or exit

Allow room for a mistake while the child tries to announce the stop and let passengers board or exit. A self-correction here is more useful than fast repetition before the child moves on to continue to the remaining stops in order.

Step 4 — Continue to the remaining stops in order

After the child tries to continue to the remaining stops in order, ask one brief question about the result. Connect their answer to the next request to return to the starting depot and review the route rather than explaining it for them.

Step 5 — Return to the starting depot and review the route

Have the child return to the starting depot and review the route before offering a solution. What happens here should help them understand how to return to the starting depot and review the route, especially compared with the earlier request to continue to the remaining stops in order.

What to notice before Return to the starting depot and review the…

Keep adult commentary light while the child works toward continue to the remaining stops in order. Their own response should show whether the next pretend action follows from what the characters just did before the activity finishes with the request to return to the starting depot and review the route.

Make Announce the stop and let passengers board… easier or harder

For younger or less confident players, use one role, one place, and one short problem before the step to announce the stop and let passengers board or exit. If the child asks for more, add a second responsibility, clue, customer, or consequence that must be handled in order and then return to the final request to return to the starting depot and review the route.

Finish after Return to the starting depot and review the…

Return to the starting depot and review the route. When that step is complete, Bus Driver has done what it was designed to do. Continue with a different idea from the activity search or the activity generator.