Passengers on a Bus: Thoughts Activity

The Passengers on a Bus activity helps children explore how to respond to their thoughts without feeling that they have to act on everything their mind tells them. Using the metaphor of a bus journey, children imagine themselves in the driver’s seat, with their thoughts as passengers travelling along with them.

Children are encouraged to notice the thoughts that appear, including thoughts that may be critical, distracting or intrusive, while remembering that they can choose where to direct their attention. The activity provides a visual way to explore how thoughts can influence feelings and behaviour, without needing to argue with every thought or make it disappear.

Benefits of this activity include:

• Helps children recognise and notice their thoughts
• Encourages children to understand that thoughts are not facts
• Supports mindfulness and present-moment awareness
• Helps children explore how thoughts can affect feelings and actions
• Encourages a less judgemental attitude towards difficult thoughts
• Supports flexible thinking and choosing where to focus attention
• Provides a starting point for discussing self-critical or unhelpful thoughts
• Encourages children to consider what matters to them and how they want to move forward

This Passengers on a Bus activity can be used during ELSA sessions to support discussions about thoughts, feelings and choices. It offers a gentle, visual approach to helping children develop awareness of their thinking patterns and explore ways to keep moving towards what is important to them, even when uncomfortable thoughts arise.

Download: Passengers on a bus thoughts