Bus Shape Craft for Kids [Free PDF Template]
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Back to school season is a fun time to combine creativity and learning, and this bus shape craft does both! Kindergarteners to 2nd graders will make a school bus out of rectangles and circles using our free template. In about 30 minutes, children will practice shape recognition and strengthen fine motor skills while creating a project they’ll be proud to display.
Parents and teachers looking for more classroom and at-home activities can also look through our other back to school crafts for inspiration. They’ll give kids new opportunities to create, learn, and stay engaged at the beginning of the school year.
Good To Know
- Themes: Back to school, School buses, Transportation, Shapes
- Activity: Build a school bus using basic shapes and assemble the pieces into a complete bus
- Template: Includes a printable school bus shape craft template
- Ages: Preschool through 2nd grade
- Time: 25-30 minutes
- Skills: Shape recognition, cutting, gluing, sequencing, and fine motor practice
Back To School Shape Activity
Rectangles and circles of different sizes will come together piece by piece to practice geometry for kids. Children will arrange the shapes, glue them in place, and create a cute yellow school bus in a hands-on way.
Using simple shapes helps children understand how larger objects are made from smaller parts. This school bus activity encourages problem solving, hand-eye coordination, and shape recognition. Kids also build confidence as they identify shapes and transform them into something familiar.
Our printable template makes preparation quick and easy for busy parents and teachers. Basic supplies like paper, scissors, glue, and markers are all that’s needed to create this engaging project. Children will enjoy learning shapes and making a fun school themed craft that fits nicely into back to school lessons.
Supplies
- Colored cardstock or construction paper
- Scissors
- Glue
- Crayola Bold & Bright Markers
- Bus Shape Template (click the “click here to get your freebies” image at the end of the post)
Directions
Start by printing the template, then gather the materials for this fun activity. Get those scissors ready, and let’s help the kids bring this school bus to life!
Glue the three window pieces onto the left side of the bus. This is a great opportunity to talk about rectangles and count each window together.
Glue the front windshield onto the front of the bus, just below the school bus sign. Press it down gently so everything lines up neatly.
Take the school bus sign and glue it inside the sign area at the top of the bus.
Grab the eye pieces and glue it onto the front windshield below one of the eyebrows. Watch the bus start to come to life as its face begins to take shape.
Glue the front grill to the right side of the bus. This little detail helps give the bus its finished look.
Look for the rectangular bumper piece and glue it to the bottom front of the bus, just beside the front wheel.
Glue the two wheel pieces below the curved wheel guides on the bottom of the bus.
Finish the craft by coloring the centers of the wheels with a marker.
Once the ink dries, your smiling school bus is ready for back to school fun, classroom displays, or imaginative pretend play!
Your little one will have so much fun turning basic shapes into a friendly school bus while building confidence through hands on crafting.
If you’re looking for more themed learning fun, take a look at the related crafts, worksheets, and printable activities below for even more back to school inspiration.
Back To School Books for Children
We Don’t Eat Our Classmates – This silly book is about a dinosaur named Penelope who is starting school and just can’t resist eating her classmates! Kids will love the fun drawings and crazy antics of Penelope, while also learning that being mistreated is never fun.
Chairs On Strike – The chairs have had enough of all the crazy things the kids do to them so they go on strike! This story helps kids learn to take care of their property and has lots of fun and silly humor.
Daniel Goes To School – If you have a little one who’s starting preschool or kindergarten and is reluctant to be away from you, this book is perfect for them! Daniel Tiger learns “grown-ups come back” at the end of every school day. We love this cute book!
First Week of School Crafts
Crayon Box Name Craft – Brighten up the first week of school with a personalized crayon box that puts your child’s name front and center! Kids will arrange the colorful crayons to spell out their name inside the iconic yellow and green box. This is a fun addition to back-to-school time to practice letter recognition, spelling their name, and creativity.
Pencil Tissue Paper Craft – Turn an ordinary school supply into a larger-than-life art project! Kids will scrunch and glue tissue paper onto the template to create a big pencil. The pinching, crumpling, and placing motions will help strengthen fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and finger muscles that support writing.
Backpack Paper Craft – Channel excitement for the new school year with this paper backpack project. Kids can create a colorful backpack and fill it with school supplies using our free printable template and construction paper. It’s a fun way to celebrate getting back into the classroom.
Bus Photo Craft – Roll into the new school year on this creative bus! Children will add their picture to the bus so it looks like they are riding along on the way to class. This first week of school activity makes a great keepsake and a fun addition to a class bulletin board that showcases everyone’s smiling faces.
Classroom Printables
These adorable apple coloring pages will have kids bring cute apple characters to life while also practicing color recognition, creativity, and pencil control.
Parents and teachers can use these pages for quiet time, classroom centers, or back-to-school activities to keep your kiddos engaged while building important early skills. Just hit print and grab the crayons for an easy activity.
Bring fun to learning time with these school supplies pattern worksheets. Kids will complete school themed patterns to work on observation, sequencing, and problem solving skills.
These pages are a great addition to classroom centers or homeschool lessons. Children will enjoy figuring out what comes next to strengthen early math skills, focus, and pattern recognition in a fun and engaging way.
Kick off the new school year with a fun way for kids to share all about themselves! This printable all about me worksheet gives children space to write their name, share their favorite things, draw, and celebrate what makes them special.
Parents and teachers can use it as a back-to-school activity to encourage self-expression, conversation, and a memorable classroom introduction. Put out the crayons and markers for them to add their personality to the page!
These back to school cutting practice pages help kids build important skills through fun, hands-on activities. Children can practice cutting straight, curved, and zigzag lines to improve scissor control, hand strength, and coordination.
Cut and match activities encourage number recognition, counting, picture matching, and problem solving. Parents and teachers can use these pages to support fine motor development while helping kids feel more confident with their skills.
Share With Us
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For a chance to have your child’s project featured, simply snap a picture of the completed project and post it to our Facebook page, email it to us directly by clicking here, or use #simpleeverydaymom on your social media!
Free Bus Shape Template
Bus Shape Craft
Video
Materials
- Colored cardstock or construction paper
- Scissors
- Glue
- Crayola Bold & Bright marker
- Bus Shape Template
Instructions
- Print the template and gather the materials for this fun activity.
- Begin by gluing the three window pieces onto the left side of the bus.
- Glue the front windshield onto the front of the bus, below the sign area.
- Glue the school bus sign inside the sign area at the top of the bus.
- Glue the eye pieces onto the front windshield, below the eyebrows.
- Look for the front grill and glue it to the back and right side of the bus.
- Glue the rectangular bumper piece to the right side of the bus, beside the front wheel.
- Glue the two wheel pieces below the curved wheel guides at the bottom of the bus.
- Finally, use a white Bold & Bright marker to color the centers of the wheels.
Did you make this?
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Meet Sam
Sam is the crafter and founder of Simple Everyday Mom. She has been featured in Oprah Mag, Good Housekeeping, The Spruce Crafts, Country Living, The Bump, and more.
