Weird Wheels on the Bus
A Wacky Twist on a Classic Song
Written by Dr. Carla Engelbrecht — mom, education technology expert, and creator of Hippo Polka. Carla has spent 25 years designing content for Sesame Street, Netflix, and PBS Kids. She holds a doctorate in Instructional Technology from Columbia University and is on a mission to make screen time joyful, educational, and easier for families.
The Classic Gets a Silly Spin
What happens when the wheels on the bus go "pop pop flat"? The adventure begins!
Instead of smooth circles, kids see a parade of silly "replacement wheels"—from bumpy squares to floating balloons, melting ice cream to bouncing rabbits, and even roaring dinosaurs!
It's pure trial-and-error fun that makes kids laugh while sneaking in big thinking skills: problem-solving, prediction, and understanding why circles are special.
Why It Works for Kids
Kids aren't just laughing at rabbits rolling down the road. They're learning through contrast and cause-and-effect:
- Why don't squares roll smoothly?
- What happens when ice cream melts?
- Why are balloons too floaty?
By exaggerating the "wrong" answers, kids better understand why the "right" answer—circles—work so well. It's STEM thinking in disguise.
The repeating chorus ("What can we use for wheels?") gives kids a chance to predict before each new verse. That moment of guessing turns the song into a problem-solving loop — just like scientists testing hypotheses.
Parent Extension Activity
After the video, go on your own "wheel hunt" around the house!
- Gather round objects (cups, lids, balls) and not-round objects (blocks, books, toy animals).
- Test them: which roll? Which don't? Why?
- Count the wheels on toy cars, bikes, or strollers. Imagine what would happen if you swapped in silly alternatives!
This playful extension turns giggles into hands-on science.
Classroom Connections
This video is perfect for preschool and early elementary teachers:
STEM Centers: Add the video as a hook for a lesson on shapes, motion, or simple machines.
Circle vs. Not Circle Sort: Have students sort classroom objects into "would roll" and "wouldn't roll."
Creative Writing/Art: Invite kids to draw their own "weird wheels." What happens if a bus drives on spaghetti, jelly, or marshmallows?
Group Discussion: Spark language-rich conversations with questions like: Which wheels were the silliest? Which worked the best? What would YOU put on the bus?
Make Your Own Weird Wheels Song
Kids love coming up with their own silly ideas — so why stop at rabbits and dinosaurs?
Brainstorm together: What else could be wheels? Spaghetti? Marshmallows? A pile of shoes?
Write them down as a class or family list.
Turn them into verses, following the same pattern as the song:
"The spaghetti on the bus goes slurp slurp slurp…"
Once you've got your lyrics, you can even record your own version! Use our Make a Song Instructions to turn your class's creations into a sing-along video.
Lyrics
The wheels on the bus went pop pop flat!
Pop pop flat! Pop pop flat!
The wheels on the bus went pop pop flat!
Now we're stuck in the road!
Chorus
What can we use for wheels?
Wheels, wheels, wheels
What can we use for wheels?
What if the wheels were squares?
Verse
The squares on the bus go thunk thunk thunk
Thunk thunk thunk, thunk thunk thunk.
The squares on the bus go thunk thunk thunk
All bumpy down the road!
Chorus
What can we use for wheels?
Wheels, wheels, wheels
What can we use for wheels?
What if the wheels were balloons?
Verse
The balloons on the bus go float float float
float float float, float float float.
The balloons on the bus go float float float.
We're floating to the sky!
Chorus
What can we use for wheels?
Wheels, wheels, wheels
What can we use for wheels?
What if the wheels were ice cream?
Verse
The ice cream on the bus goes melt melt melt
Melt melt melt, melt melt melt.
The ice cream on the bus goes melt melt melt
We're oozing everywhere!
Chorus
What can we use for wheels?
Wheels, wheels, wheels
What can we use for wheels?
What if the wheels were rabbits?
Verse
The rabbits on the bus go boing boing boing
Boing boing boing, boing boing boing.
The rabbits on the bus go boing boing boing
We're jumping to the sky!
Chorus
What can we use for wheels?
Wheels, wheels, wheels
What can we use for wheels?
What if the wheels were dinosaurs?
Verse
The T-Rex on the bus goes ROAR ROAR ROAR,
ROAR ROAR ROAR, ROAAAAARRRRRR!
The T-REx on the bus goes ROAR ROAR ROAR
They're stomping up the street!
Chorus
What can we use for wheels?
Wheels, wheels, wheels
What can we use for wheels?
Oh look! Here's a new set of wheels!
Verse
The wheels on the bus go round and round
Round and round, round and round.
The wheels on the bus go round and round.
All through the town.
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