The Wheels on the Bus fun and learning is today’s bus activity. Singing is the only activity that engages all parts of the brain. A song with action words is great for both mind and body. This one was written by Verna Hills in the UK and it’s been around for almost 80 years.
The Wheels on the Bus makes use of repetition and pattern making it easy to remember. The standard verses go:
The wheels on the bus go round and round,
Round and round, round and round.
The wheels on the bus go round and round,
All through the town.
The horn on the bus goes beep, beep, beep…
The wipers on the bus go swish, swish, swish…
The door on the bus goes open and close…
The money on the bus goes clink, clink, clink…
The driver on the bus goes “Move on back,”…
The babies on the bus go, “Wha, wha, wha,”…
The people on the bus go up and down…
Of course, you can add your own verses. Sing about the bell, the signal lights, or whatever else you can think of.
Mad Donna, a British impersonator, released a version with animals on the bus:
The monkeys on the bus go cheek, cheek, cheek…
The cats on the bus go meow, meow, meow…
The frogs on the bus go glug, glug, glug…
The dogs on the bus go woof, woof, woof…
If your child is into farm animals, the bus could all around the farm, like this:
The cows on the bus go moo, moo, moo…
All around the farm.
Add pigs that oink, horses that neigh, sheep that baa, chickens that cluck, and other animals. While singing, the kids can roll in the mud, gallop in the field, and do other animal actions.
Wheels on the Bus fun and learning can go all through the day. Is it stuck in your head now?
One of the most popular children’s transportation songs is The Wheels on the Bus. It’s been around for generations of kids and recorded by many children’s musicians and bands. There are translations in dozens and dozens of languages and lots of book versions too. Have you noticed its similar tune to Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush? Besides the regular verses, see if you and your child can add some more, such as:
