Renting a charter bus in Ontario is a great occasion to have fun. Whether you’re on a company trip, a bus tour, or just taking the chance to see something new, it’s a golden opportunity to do something different for a change. However, on some trips it can take a while to get from point A to point B. Some charter bus services come with in-ride entertainment (e.g. Wi-Fi) and comfortable seating, but sometimes you need some other diversion to stay entertained.
That’s where bus games come in. There are plenty of fun activities you can try to while away the hours and give yourself something to do, especially when you’re using the trip as a bonding experience.
1. As a Rule – The name of the game is to pay attention. When the game starts, the rule maker says a statement that includes a hidden rule. For example, “I give a big hand to the big dog.” In this case, the hidden rule is to use the word big before any noun in the sentence. An acceptable follow-up statement could be, “The big tree dropped its big leaves.” Pay attention to what everyone else says to suss out the meaning and figure out the hidden rule. When it’s your turn to make the rule, stretch your brain to come up with a really obtuse rule that’ll make the others scratch their heads.
2. Trivia – A simple trivia game can be a great way to test your wits. Pick up some Trivial Pursuit cards or get a long list of trivia questions from online; for a more convenient game, pick questions with multiple answers and see who can answer the most questions. If you’re on a more tech-friendly bus, you may be able to play the game via smartphone trivia apps. You can also break up everyone on the bus into different groups for a little friendly competition.
3. Name That Tune – Speaking of trivia, you can put a more musical spin on the game with Name That Tune. The game has a simple premise: listen to the first few bars of a given song and try to guess its name. If the bus has onboard speakers, plug in your device for full participation. You can also make the game more of a bonding experience by letting the winner of each round pick their own choice of song next. Sharing your music can be more than a fun activity with the rest of the group. It’s also a great way to showcase your interests and musical tastes. As a bonus, Name That Tune can be a fun bus game while driving, so invite your driver to play too. Who knows how the game will turn out then!
4. Magnetic Bingo – Bingo can be a fun bus game for kids and adults alike, but playing on a moving vehicle can take some work to avoid dropping any pieces on the floor. The solution? Magnetic Bingo. This version of the game features magnetic pieces and a metal board so the pieces stay on even when the bus moves. Bingo is a great game for larger groups, so use it when you’ve got large parties (e.g. sports teams and company outings). And just to make things interesting, try offering small prizes to encourage participation, like trip snacks and gift certificates.
5. Cards – A bus trip with plenty of time to kill can be the perfect place to play some card games, from poker to solitaire to hearts. Some card games may need more than one deck, so consider bringing more than one. For some extra spice, you can also bring some other card games, like Uno, Phase 10, or (for the daring) Cards Against Humanity and other games in a similar vein.
6. 20 Questions – Here’s a simple bus game to play that needs no special materials and never gets old. Pick an item (it can be a person, place, or thing). Everyone else has 20 Yes/No questions to narrow down the item until they get enough clues to name it (or not). Whoever guesses the item gets to be “it” for the next round, and you play all over again.
7. Tell Me a Story – Here’s a fun game that can lead to some funny twists. The game needs a small group (aim for at least four). The first person starts telling a story with only four words (e.g. “I got to work late…”), then each person adds another four, creating a “coherent” story. To spice things up, you can add some guidelines and heighten the stakes; pick a theme or setting to see how creative you can get. You can also add a time limit to add some pressure and see what people come up with when they’re put on the spot.
8. Chain Game – This one’s an oldie, but still a goodie. First, pick a category (e.g. celebrities, countries, or TV shows). If the first person says a name (e.g. Michael Jackson), the next person has to select a celebrity whose name starts with J (e.g. John Cleese). Select a time limit to keep everyone on their toes, say ten seconds. Whoever takes too long to say the next name is out, and last man standing wins.
9. Scavenger Hunt – A scavenger hunt can be a creative way to pass the time on a charter bus from Edmonton to Vancouver, especially when you’ve got more people on board to play. There are also plenty of ways you can play this game, so use your imagination to make it more fun. One way to play is to divide the bus into two teams (e.g. left and right). Make a list of small things everybody might normally carry onboard (e.g. mirrors, toothbrushes, eye masks, and food receipts). When somebody finds an item on the list, hold it up so the scorekeeper can see it and score more accurately. One alternate way to play is to make a list of things you can expect to see on the trip (e.g. billboards, motorcycles, and restaurants) and cross one off when they see that item on the road. The person with the most items found when you get off wins.
Many bus lines in Toronto give you plenty of options for staying entertained during your trip, but there’s something to be said for the classics. A few fun games can be a big help in passing the time, especially when you’re part of a large party. And the best part? All you need to play most of them are a pen, paper, cards and your imagination.
When you need to charter a bus in Toronto, Parkinson Coach Lines is the company for you. We offer a wide range of services to cater to our clients’ needs, from school bus service to minibus rentals. Call us at (905) 451-4776 or visit our contact page for charter bus rentals in Toronto you can trust.
