Young children are learning what makes the wheels on the bus go round and round thanks to Island Transit and their school’s educational philosophy.

The children, who attend the Skagit Valley College-affiliated Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program, have been learning about the internal workings of Island Transit buses.

The lessons culminated in a tour recently at the Island Transit bus facility where the kids saw how the buses are maintained and cleaned. They also grilled Island Transit staff about their jobs and their current tasks at hand.

Nancy Sloane, education coordinator for Island Transit, said the preschoolers first became interested in buses late last month when they rode one to tour a hair stylist salon.

As it turned out, the bus was the highlight of the trip. For some of the kids, it was the first time they had ever been on a bus and they were eager to learn more.

“What they were most interested in was the bus itself,” Sloane said.

Rather than simply give them information about buses, ECEAP teachers urged the preschoolers to find out more.

“The children are learning to construct their own knowledge,” Sloane said.

Preschoolers started their learning process by taking trips around Oak Harbor on a bus. Later, an Island Transit bus came to the ECEAP location off Goldie Road so the boys and girls could get an up-close look at the bus.

During the tour, each preschooler carried around a clipboard. On the clip board was a question they had to ask an employee and they also had room to draw an image of what they learned. Because the boys and girls don’t know how to write yet, the drawing provides an important foundation for them.

They used the information gained from their tours to produce a handmade model of a bus. Even after the tour, the preschoolers had ideas to make additions to their bus.

Sloane said the unit incorporates a variety of academic subjects while teaching the young students how to think for themselves.

The ECEAP lessons spring from what interests the children. Often the lessons segue into the next subject depending on what sparks the children’s interest. While the preschoolers were learning about buses, they became curious about grocery stores. That will be the topic of their next project.

Sloane said the curriculum is catered to the students’ needs and what they choose to study. Now that they know about buses, it’s time to tour the produce aisle.