How Young Is Too Young to Ride the School Bus?

My son started riding the bus at 3 and a half. He had speech therapy and qualified for the preschool program. He rode it there and back every day. He loved it.

My son rode the bus at 5 in Kindergarten.
It's not her age I would be concerned with, it's the FORTY minute bus ride. That's crazy long for a 5 year old!

Just something to think about...you mentioned you would let him ride the bus in an emergency if that was the only way to get him home. You might want to let him try the bus a few times so he has the routine down before an emergency happens...thate probably isn't the best tikme for him to try the bus the first time. Just a thought.

Good luck on whatever you try.

I'm just curious.... what do you think could happen to your child ON the bus that's so terrifying? The bus driver is/should be trained. Your son is little, and on our buses, they keep the little ones near the driver in the front seat - so they can keep a close eye on them. My son is 5YO, in Kindergarten, and LOVES riding the bus - he's actually made a friend or two on the bus that are his age, but not in his class at school - and that's pretty much the only time he gets to spend with those friends.
Does your son go to a public school? With older kids on the playground at the same time? Anything he can "learn" on a bus, he can learn during recess.
If it will give your son a sense of accomplishment, and self-reliance, I say give it a try. You'll be amazed what YOU can get done with an extra 40 minutes (X2) in your day.

My son is 6 and in Kindergarten and he rides the bus to and from school no problem. I hate to tell you but your son will "learn" the same things on the bus as he will in the classroom and on the playground.
L.

My daughter started kindergarten at 4. She begged and begged to ride the bus so we let her. She loved it. It picked up and dropped off right at our house so I was always with her or right there waiting for her. We were very close to the school and one of the first stops and it worked out just fine.
I did take her and pick her up some days, but for the most part, she felt pretty "big" riding the bus. She was such a tiny little thing, it seemed so strange to see her getting on and off that big bus.

I would let him try it. If he's not able to stay in his seat or something like that, you'll hear about it and know that maybe he isn't ready yet.
Maybe if you let him do it a couple of times he won't find it as thrilling as he thought.
Then again, maybe you could compromise and let him do it a couple of days a week. You never know, if he's really excited about riding the bus, he might get ready more quickly in the morning.

Best wishes.

My three year old gets picked up and dropped off every day.

I love it!

I was worried the first day so I followed behind the bus to have an idea what the route looked like and he is one of the first kids dropped off.

My six year old rides the bus once week from my parents house...He LOVES it!

Let him do it!! it is one of those things kids feel independent with!!

My daughter started riding the bus to school when she was 5. She loved it & it was never a problem. She is now 16 & hates riding the bus, lol.

I was very aprehensive to let my 3 year old son ride the bus when he started preschool. But they assured me that he would be in the front, sit by himself, and be completely safe. Once I saw what they said was true and my son really wanted to ride the bus, it was a piece of cake! He loves to ride the bus and it gives me and extra hour a day. All you people that are "appalled" that a 3 year old rides a bus need to get a reality check.

Is this the school bus? If so, then he's plenty old to ride it, if it's city bus, then no, I wouldn't let him ride it by himself.

I was on the bus for 40 minutes or longer when I was that age, had fun with my friends too. There wasn't another option either.

So, school bus, is fine. My youngest, in preschool, been riding the bus for 1.5 years.

Its the 40 min bus ride that concerns me for a 5 year old. Same reason I drive my daughter every morning. I am just not ready for her to ride the school bus yet. Thats a very long ride for a 5 year old ; )

If it was easy for me to just pick up/drop off my child I would not regularly have them on a 40 minute one way bus ride at any age. It just seems like a waste of time. I'd let him ride occasionally, maybe once a week for fun but 1 1/2 of hanging out on the school bus five days a week adds up to 7.5 hours a week, not how I want my kids spending their time!

My youngest started kindergarten a year early, so she was riding the bus at 4yrs old. On one of those big buses, WITH 5th graders, etc. It was no problem at all. It depends on the child, I guess.

My 6 yr was 5 when he started riding the bus. I agree with Yarrmatey - if he can follow directions and listen he should be fine.

Sad that it takes 40 mins to go 6 miles tho. :(

If they are old enough to be in school they're old enough to ride the bus. All 3 of mine did from kindergarten on (except when we did a transfer then I had to drive them to school). And I have a son with adhd and aspergers and he did great.

And Patty B. these are SCHOOL buses NOT public transit. I wouldn't have let my kids ride the metro as a kindergartner alone.

Our 6 yr old daughter in K, begs to ride the bus. We have no problem with it as long as someone is there to get her when the bus drops off. 40 minutes on the bus seems like a little long though for a child that age.

Can he follow directions (stay seated, don't kick the seats, be quiet, etc.) and will he listen to the bus driver? If so, he isn't too young. I say let him try it out. He might find that a 40 minute ride is boring or he might love it.

My son started riding the bus at 3 - he was in early intervention (0-3 program) and then had to, at 3, transfer to the school district preschool. His bus picks him up at daycare and then drops him back off at daycare.

Why don't you r try it out one day a week. That might satisfy his need.

My daughter (KIndergartener) LOVES the bus but due to after school activities, only takes it once a week (and every morning for literally 2 minutes). And that does the trick.

I bet that you will find that day to be a great day - where you can wait outside for him.

5 is plenty old. The dus drivers really watch after the little ones.

If they are old enough to go to school, they are old enough to ride the school bus. My daughter has always loved the bus ride as part of her day. I never worried for one minute about her on the bus from her first day of kindergarten. She comes home with new songs she's learned, and gossip, of course!

I rode the bus every day starting in Kindergarten, and in my school, all the grades up through 12 rode the same bus.

Oh my, I am so speechless so many parents let children as young as 3 ride the bus alone!!!! My son is almost 6 and I would never let him go anywhere alone...is your child able to remember his home address (in case he gets lost or something), can he use a phone to call you or would he know what to do in case of an accident? For my son, the answer is NO, and that's why I'd rather drive him myself.

Riding the bus is an adventure for young children new to school and school routines.

At our elementary school, the youngest children are seated in the seats closest to the driver. The driver's watch those children as if they are their own. They care about the students. Granted,, this is how it is at our elementary school

My daughter begged at 5 to ride the bus. She rode the bus all through elementary school with no issues.

If you can't deal with letting go and allowing him to ride all the time, at least let him have a treat and ride a day or two a week so that he is enjoying the experience and you are experiencing some letting go which has to be done in little steps.

It's not too young in the sense that many children are on the bus for this duration of time at this age. However, my guess is that it's the novelty of riding the bus and the fact that his friends ride the bus that is driving his curiosity.

Can he ride the bus one day a week? Maybe let him ride the bus home on Wednesdays and see how it goes. That may be enough to satisfy his curiosity without having him on the bus every day!

You are the Mom and you decide if he does so.
Every little kid thinks its neat to ride the school bus.
But only you decide, if you want him to and if he is old enough.

40 minute ride.
What if he has to use the bathroom?
What is his maturity and level of being self-reliant?
Who gets the Kinder kids, on the bus?

Is the bus full of only his age kids, or with other older kids?
Only the bus driver on board?

My son who is special needs started riding the school bus both to and from school at 3 years old. It's at least a 45 minute ride depending on the day.

For what its worth, they are allowed to ride the school bus in NYC as of 2 years old. Whether or not you think its a good idea for your child is a different thing altogether.

Good luck to you and yours,
F. B.

Is it really 40 minutes in both directions? My son's friend lives very close to the school (but no sidewalks, so he is allowed to ride the bus). His mom said he would be one of the first to get picked up, so it's a very early pick-up time and she takes him instead. After school he is also one of the first, so he's not on the bus long at all. Very convenient, as he has a younger brother who naps.

It's possible the ride to school is 40 minutes, while the ride home from school is only 10 or vice versa. Just something you could ask the school

My son rode when he was 5. He had an hour each way. Our route is a typical route with a mix of kids on the bus. I will warn you, they learn a LOT on the bus ;). My daughter is 4 & would love to ride the bus but I am going to make her wait until she is 5. She just goes to school 2 days a week. It probably all depends on the area you live in. I know I try to plan my errands so I am able to either pick my son up or drop him off from school so he doesn't have to ride the bus home or to school all the time. He was very eager to ride the bus but after he has been doing it for a few years, its lost its luster. Your son may want to do it b/c he sees kids in his class riding

I didn't read the other responses. My answer is a resounding no way on God's green Earth would I let me 5 1/2 year old child ride the school bus when it takes 40 minutes for 6 miles. No way, no how.

I "personally" wouldn't let my 5.5 year old ride a bus, (my son is the same age) BUT when I was 6 or 7 growing up, " I " rode the bus.... I'm just more paranoid.. I'm a stay at home mom, so I will always take/pick him up....

The bus annoyed me (it was also about 40 minutes long), and the school already let out at 4ish... so it was SUPER late before kiddo came home when he rode it.

BUT it was his favorite part of school, bar none.

He was 5 when he started riding it.