Back to school season is here, and that means it’s time for pencils, backpacks, new classrooms, and, of course, those bright yellow school buses!
If you’re looking for a simple craft to get kids excited about heading back to school, this Paper Plate School Bus is such a fun one to try.
It starts with an ordinary paper plate that gets transformed into a cute yellow school bus.
Kids can paint the plate, cut out the different bus pieces, and glue everything together to create their own little bus.
And to make things even easier, I created a free printable template with the pieces you’ll need to complete the craft. No need to figure out how to draw tiny wheels and windows yourself!
This Paper Plate School Bus Craft is great for preschoolers and elementary-aged kids and works just as well at home as it does in the classroom.
Add it to your list of back to school crafts, use it during the first week of class, or make it before school starts to build a little excitement for the big day.
Let’s make a school bus!
Why Make a Paper Plate School Bus?
Of course, the biggest reason is that it’s cute!
But this craft also has a few other things going for it.
It’s Perfect for Back-to-School Season
School buses are one of those things that immediately make you think of the beginning of a new school year.
That makes this craft a natural choice for August and September, whether you’re crafting at home, in preschool, in a kindergarten classroom, or as part of a homeschool lesson.
It can also be especially exciting for a child who will be riding a school bus for the first time.
You can talk about school while you craft, making it an easy way to introduce the idea of a new classroom, new teacher, new friends, and a new routine.
It Uses Simple Craft Supplies
One of my favorite things about paper plate crafts is that you don’t need anything fancy to make them.
If you already have paper plates, paint, scissors, and glue in your craft supplies, you’re most of the way there.
And because I’ve included a printable for the little details, you don’t have to spend extra time drawing all the different pieces yourself.
That’s always helpful when you need easy back to school crafts that can be prepared without a lot of fuss.
It’s a Fun Hands-On Activity
There are lots of worksheets and printable games that are perfect for the first few days of school, but sometimes kids just want to make something!
This Paper Plate School Bus gives them a chance to paint, cut, arrange, and glue.
Those simple steps make the activity more hands-on while still keeping it manageable for younger children.
Every School Bus Can Be Different
Even when everyone starts with the same printable, the finished buses don’t have to look exactly alike.
Kids can add their names, draw passengers inside the windows, create a background, or decorate their buses however they like.
That’s part of the fun!
Ways to Use This Back to School Bus Craft
You don’t have to make this craft just for the sake of crafting. There are lots of ways you can work it into your beginning-of-the-year plans.
Make It Before the First Day of School
If your child is starting school soon, make the bus together at home before the big day. This can be especially fun if they’ll be taking the school bus.
While you’re crafting, you can chat about the upcoming school year and some of the things they’re looking forward to.
Turn the Buses Into a Classroom Display
Speaking of decorating the classroom, these buses would make an adorable back-to-school bulletin board.
Add each child’s name to their bus and display them together.
You could even create a road underneath them and add a school at the end. A heading like “We’re Rolling Into a Great School Year!” would tie the whole display together.
Pair It With a School Transportation Theme
This back to school bus craft can also be part of a transportation theme.
Talk about the different ways children travel to school, including buses, cars, bikes, and walking.
You could also pair the craft with a school-themed story, transportation activity, or another one of your favorite Back to School Activities.
Materials
You only need a handful of basic supplies to make this Paper Plate School Bus Craft:
- Paper plate
- Yellow paint
- Paintbrush
- Free printable school bus template (Get it at the end of this post)
- Printer paper
- Scissors
- Glue
- Crayons or markers, if you want to add extra details
If you’re doing this project with several children, you can also prepare some of the materials ahead of time.
For example, you could cut the paper plates into the correct shape before the activity begins or print enough copies of the template for everyone.
How to Make a Paper Plate School Bus
Once you’ve gathered your supplies and printed the template, it’s time to put your bus together.
Step 1: Prepare the Paper Plate
Start by cutting your paper plate in half to create the main body of the school bus.
An adult may want to handle this step for younger children, especially if you’re using sturdy paper plates that are a little harder to cut.
Don’t worry if every bus isn’t perfectly identical. That’s part of the charm of making them by hand!
Step 2: Paint the Paper Plate Yellow
Next, paint the paper plate yellow.
Cover the bottom of the plate with an even coat and then set it aside to dry.
Depending on your paint and paper plate, you may need a second coat to get that nice, bright yellow school bus color.
Step 3: Print and Cut Out the School Bus Pieces
While the paint is drying, print the free school bus template.
Carefully cut out the different pieces you’ll need for your bus.
Depending on the age of the child, this can be part of the activity or something an adult prepares ahead of time. Preschoolers may need help with smaller pieces, while kindergarteners and older kids may be able to cut most of them themselves.
Step 4: Add the School Bus Parts
Before you glue anything down, arrange the pieces on the plate to figure out where you want everything to go. This is a good little trick for paper crafts in general. It’s much easier to move a piece before there’s glue on the back!
Once you’re happy with the placement, glue the school bus sign.
Then, glue the wheels along the bottom of the paper plate.
Next, add the windows and the smaller details from the printable.
Use this picture of the finished Paper Plate School Bus as a guide, but don’t worry about making yours exactly the same.
Kids can also add their own details at this point. Maybe their bus needs a driver. Maybe it needs some smiling passengers peeking through the windows. Or maybe it needs a whole row of colorful backpacks inside!
For a bigger art project, glue the completed Paper Plate School Bus onto a large sheet of construction paper and create an entire scene around it.
Draw a road, trees, clouds, a school building, a bus stop, or anything else the bus might pass on its way to school.
You could even write the date or school year on the back of the finished craft and save it as a little first-day-of-school keepsake.
Paper Plate School Bus Video Tutorial
Want to see how this Paper Plate School Bus Craft comes together? Watch the video tutorial below!
I’ll walk you through the project step by step, from preparing and painting the paper plate to adding the windows, wheels, and all the little school bus details.
This is an especially helpful option if you’re making the craft with younger kids and want to see where each printable piece goes before getting started.
Get Your Paper Plate School Bus Printables
This Paper Plate School Bus is a simple way to turn an ordinary craft supply into something fun for the beginning of a new school year.
I’ve included two different sizes of the School Bus template so you can choose the one that works best with the paper plates you have.
The smaller version is perfect for 6- or 7-inch paper plates, and it’s the size we used to make the craft you see here.
If you’re using larger plates, the bigger template is designed to fit 9- or 10-inch paper plates.
Just pick the version that matches your plate size, print it out, and you’re ready to start crafting!
Grab the free Paper Plate School Bus template, gather your craft supplies, and have fun making your own bus for the new school year!
GET THE SCHOOL BUS PAPER PLATE TEMPLATE
More Back to School Crafts and Activities
- School Bus Shape Craft
- School Bus Shape Matching
- Popsicle Stick School Bus
