This is a back-to-school bus drawing art activity for kids, with easy step-by-step directed drawing instructions that teachers can use in the classroom during the first week of school.
Back to School Bus Drawing Activity
Kids love to draw, and this back-to-school bus drawing is the perfect activity during school’s first days and weeks. Practice following directions, important hand-eye and fine motor coordination skills, and learn a few fun tricks in drawing.
Use the pictures to decorate your bulletin board or walls for a cheerful scene. This is just one of the many directed drawings available for teachers – make sure you check out all of them!
Materials for School Bus Drawing
This school bus directed drawing can be adapted for any primary classroom or completed at home with a few simple materials. You will need white art paper, a pencil, an eraser, a fine black marker or Sharpie pen, watercolor paints, and a larger paintbrush. I recommend proper paper for painting because it can handle water and shouldn’t tear if appropriately used.
When teaching this art lesson to a class, I recommend standing front and center and using a large easel and chart paper to draw on. Students can sit at tables with their supplies. I take things slow, drawing each step and giving each instruction individually. I give my students plenty of time to follow along and ask questions. You will have the most success if you model the lesson this way and take your time.
School Bus Drawing Directions
Below are all the steps for the back-to-school bus-directed drawing art lesson.
Step 1
Place a large white piece of art paper in landscape orientation. Start by drawing a curved line at the top of the page that comes straight down on both sides to the middle. Draw a curve and a straight line down from the side. Repeat on the other side. Do not come too far down the page to leave room for the bumper and wheels. Connect both sides with a line going across.
Step 2
Draw two straight lines going across—one near the top of the bus and one near the middle. To complete the bumper, draw another line at the bottom and connect with curved side lines.
Step 3
Draw two large eyes in the center of the top part of the bus. Draw the eyes one at a time so that they can connect. Add a smaller circle inside each eye. Draw a line going across the middle so it connects both sides. Erase any lines that may have been drawn into the eyes. For the window, draw a curved line up from the middle on both sides and around the top.
Step 4
Now add the details. Draw a U shape about an inch wide under the bumper on both sides of the bus for the wheels. Draw a few circles for lights on the front of the bus. Add a smile to the front of the bus to give it a mouth. Give the bus ears by drawing a curved line on both sides. Write the word SCHOOL along the top of the bus and draw two more circles for lights.
Step 5
Use a fine-point black marker or Sharpie pen to trace all the lines of your school bus directed drawing. Erase the pencil lines with a good white eraser.
School Bus Drawing Finishing Touches
I usually complete the activity over two days or periods. Complete the drawing and tracing with a black marker on day one. One day two, paint. If your class hasn’t used watercolor paints before, you should demonstrate how to make proper brush strokes with a paintbrush and the water-to-paint ratio. I usually use larger paintbrushes instead of the small ones typically included in watercolor paint sets.
Step 6
Use watercolor paints to paint the body of the school bus first, starting in the center and working your way outward.
I used yellow for the main parts of the bus and other fun colors for the details. Bright colors pop! Use one color entirely before moving on to the next color.
You could continue to paint the background a different color or leave it as is. You could also cut the school bus out and glue it onto construction or other special paper.
Once everyone completes their back to school bus directed drawing, place them somewhere to dry completely. Please don’t make the mistake of hanging or putting them upright. Paint and water would drip down onto the pictures. Once dry, I recommend hanging them up or creating a fun bulletin board display for back-to-school time.
Free School Bus Directed Drawing Printable Instructions
You can download and print the instructions for the back to school bus directed drawing to use in your classroom during your art lesson by clicking the image below.
Directed Drawing Mats
Add directed drawings to your weekly lesson plans to help children follow directions and build drawing skills.
Five different directed drawings are included in each month of Directed Drawing Mats.
More Fun Directed Drawing Activities
Snowman Directed Drawing Art Activity
Turkey/Thanksgiving Directed Drawing
Frankenstein Franken Buddies Directed Drawing
PIN for Later
Absolutely love your directed drawing activities!
Thanks so much, Karen!! They are very fun to do!
Thanks Karen! I love making them and the kids do too!!
Hi there! What water colours set do you use?
Love your directed drawings and use many of them all year!
Thank you ,
Lisa
Hi Lisa! I love the Crayola set of 16 watercolours. 🙂
What a delightful and creative tutorial on drawing a school bus! The step-by-step instructions were easy to follow, making it perfect for young artists like my children. The colorful illustrations and clear explanations really brought the whole process to life. I appreciate how accessible and interactive this website is, providing valuable resources for educators and parents alike. Thank you for sharing such educational and enjoyable content! Martin Williamson
Such a delightful and informative article on how to draw a school bus! The step-by-step instructions and detailed visuals truly make this process enjoyable and accessible for everyone, regardless of their artistic abilities. I especially appreciate the emphasis on encouraging creativity and personal touches, allowing each child to add their own unique flair to their school bus masterpiece. Thank you for sharing this wonderful resource, Proud To Be Primary! – Tristian
This school bus drawing activity is a fantastic way for kids to practice their hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills. It’s perfect for the first days of school, offering a fun and educational way to engage young learners. Drawing step-by-step helps children follow directions and build confidence in their abilities.
If your kids enjoy drawing, this could be a great addition to other creative activities they might enjoy, such as coloring! Whether you’re teaching in the classroom or doing an activity at home, it’s a wonderful way to combine learning and fun.
This school bus drawing is a fun, educational activity—great for back-to-school! It helps kids improve motor skills, follow steps, and build artistic confidence.
This school bus drawing tutorial is absolutely fantastic! The instructions are straightforward and perfect for children who love to draw. The colorful images and thoughtful explanations make learning enjoyable and effective. I love how this website combines creativity with education, offering so many valuable tools for families and educators. Thank you for sharing this inspiring content!
This drawing guide is extremely fun and educational for children. The step-by-step instructions make drawing much easier and more enjoyable. The bright colors and clear visuals capture children’s attention and help develop their creativity. Thank you to everyone who contributed to this wonderful content that brings art and education together!
As a parent, I found this drawing guide incredibly helpful. The step-by-step approach allows children to draw without feeling overwhelmed and makes the whole process enjoyable. The vibrant colors and clear illustrations keep kids engaged and support their creative confidence. Kudos to everyone involved in creating such thoughtful content that blends art and learning so well.
What a fun and perfect back-to-school activity! ✏️ I love this simple 6-step directed drawing for a cheerful school bus — it’s ideal for the first week of school, helping kids practice following directions, develop fine motor skills, and create something bright and adorable to display. The step-by-step instructions make it so easy for teachers to model in class or for parents to do at home.
Thank you for this wonderful, classroom-ready idea!
I love how you break down the School Bus drawing into 6 easy steps—perfect for a quick classroom activity. The section about sketching the bus with simple shapes brings me back to teaching days where we used basic cylinders and rectangles to build vehicles. I can almost hear the kids’ chatter as they color in the yellow buses.
I love how the six-step approach breaks down drawing a school bus into simple moves. The layout tweak with the subscribe button in a bright teal color caught my eye—reminds me of my classroom bulletin boards. This brought back memories of stapling papers and teaching shapes with little bus drawings.
I love the simple 6-step approach you shared for drawing a school bus—the step-by-step layout reminds me of doodle guides from my art class days. The color choices and clean layout make the activity feel approachable for kids who are just starting out.