Schoolyard Bike Bus: Group Riding With a Leader and Sweeper

The class rehearses riding to school together: formation, pace and calls passed from front to back. It sets up a real bike bus with families or staff.

How to play

1. Bike bus briefing: the leader in a vest sets the pace, the sweeper in a vest closes, nobody passes the leader (3 min).
2. Voice calls passed front to back: 'stopping', 'hazard right', 'car back', 'gap' (5 min).
3. Single-file ride along the chalk route with stops and obstacles placed by the teacher (8 min).
4. Ride two abreast and switch back to single file when the leader calls 'narrow' (8 min).
5. Switch groups: the half that watched uses a checklist to see if calls reach the back (8 min).
6. Plan a real bike bus on paper: meeting point, time and who is in charge (3 min).

Rules

• Nobody passes the leader or drops behind the sweeper.
• Calls are repeated out loud down the line.
• Keep one bike length behind the rider ahead.
• The slowest rider sets the pace.

Variations

Adaptations

• Deaf or hard-of-hearing students: agreed hand signals in addition to voice calls.
• Unsure riders: always ride just ahead of the sweeper, who encourages them and sets the pace.
• Students without a bike: play a 'car' walking on the road or act as call checker.

Learning goals

• Ride in a group in an orderly, safe way.
• Pass useful warnings to the whole group.
• Plan a real active commute to school.

Equipment for a class of 25

• bicycles: 15
• helmets: 30
• reflective vests: 4
• cones: 20
• chalk: 4

Teacher tip

Many towns already have school bike buses: invite local police or a cycling group to the planning part. Students bring bikes with a signed permission slip, or borrow them from the city or local police; if you are short, pairs take turns.

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