Sending your little one on the school bus for the first time can be a tad bit scary. Buses are big, they don’t have seat belts, and the kids outnumber the driver by a lot.

Before your child starts to ride the bus, go over the ground rules and let him or her know what to expect.bus

Help your children get to the bus stop on time or better yet, a tad early. Explain what they should do while they wait—for example, talk with friends, read a book, line up, or stay out of the street.

Do some pretend play of riding the bus. Gather your dining room chairs in a row and have mom or dad play the driver. Your child can be the passenger.

Teach your child to say a polite “hello” to the driver as he or she enters the bus. Give them ideas on how to find a seat as quickly as possible.

Pretend the bus is moving and explain that they should always stay seated and use indoor voices so that the bus doesn’t get too loud for the driver.

When the bus gets to your little one’s stop, teach your child how to exit and say a polite “thank you” to the driver. We bet that your little one will want to play this pretend game over and over again.

If possible, have your child walk to and from the bus with you or another adult, or at the very least with a group of friends. Try to take turns with other moms and dads meeting the kids at the bus stop so that they can be in good hands after the fun ride.