‘Busy Buses’ is a card game created by children of Oxford Road Community School in Reading, Berkshire.
Children then in Year 5 (aged 10 years old) designed the game with the help of a local board game designer. Other children in the school helped by play testing the game and by providing the artwork.
The whole school was encouraged to send in their drawings of buses, which were then digitally transferred and coloured, and used for the cards and box. The game involves matching different colours of buses, routes, and drivers in order to collect passengers waiting at a bus stop.
Seven differently coloured bus routes were used: Emerald 6, Orange 14, Sky Blue 15, Purple 17, Claret 21, Pink 25, and Yellow 26. All these bus routes are REAL routes in the town. Jessica Metheringham, the game designer leading the project, said: “The children had some brilliant ideas, and I wish we could have used all of them.
“They’ve created something absolutely brilliant and should be really proud. Designing a game is a fantastic activity which has taught the children so many different skills.”
Reading Buses have been supportive of the project, expressing their admiration of the children’s drawings. They have also checked that the bus stop names and routes are accurate.
The children are very grateful for their support. Profits will go to Oxford Road Community School and to Berkshire Youth (the Reading Buses charity for 2025).
Two children will be available at UKGE to demo the game. They are Matilda (age 8) and Thomas (age 6). Both are the children of the game designer leading the project, and full permission is given to photograph, video, and use quotes.
