# Play bus

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> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Play_bus
> Source revision: 1334116605
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

{{Redirect|Playbus|the television program formerly called Playbus|Playdays}}
[[File:SPARKS Bristol's First Bus 'SPARKS 1' exhibit - September 2025.jpg|thumb|'SPARKS 1', a cut down [FirstGroup](/source/FirstGroup) play bus, located in the Sparks Bristol department store in September 2025]]
A '''play bus''' (or '''playbus''' or '''learning bus''') is a [bus](/source/bus) used for providing a mobile facility for a variety of activities surrounding [entertainment](/source/entertainment) and [education](/source/education), usually for [children](/source/children) of [pre-school](/source/Preschool) or [school](/source/school) age.

Play buses are specially converted for their purpose, usually from second hand vehicles, although occasionally are purpose built by a [bus manufacturer](/source/bus_manufacturer). Play buses can be of any size, from [minibus](/source/minibus)es to [double-deckers](/source/double-decker_bus), and may be operated by [charities](/source/Charitable_organization), education authorities or as private businesses. The latter particularly market their services as a mobile party venue for children's birthday celebrations and the like.

Depending on usage and fittings, play buses may provide mobile [playground](/source/playground)s, [gym](/source/gym)nasiums, [library services](/source/Bookmobile), or education centres as a mobile classroom.

In the [United Kingdom](/source/United_Kingdom), the National Playbus Association is a charity that provides support and advice to organisations, wishing to operate play buses. Formed in 1969, it is now supported by various government departments.<ref>[http://www.playbus.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=64&Itemid=100 National Playbus Association]History page, accessed 29 September 2008 {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070727064921/http://www.playbus.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=64&Itemid=100 |date=27 July 2007 }}</ref>

==Gallery==
<gallery widths="180px" heights="120px">
Leeds Paint Shops (10654313345).jpg|[Northern Counties Palatine](/source/Northern_Counties_Palatine) bodied [Leyland Olympian](/source/Leyland_Olympian) in October 2013
Childrens Fun Bus (HRN 98N), Haynes International Motor Museum, 31 July 2013.jpg|[Leyland Atlantean AN68](/source/Leyland_Atlantean) in July 2013
Playbuses at rally, Scotland, 30 April 1983.jpg|Multiple play buses at a rally in April 1983
</gallery>

== See also ==
{{Portal|Buses}}
* [Bookmobile](/source/Bookmobile)
* [Biobus](/source/Biobus)

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons|Category:Play buses in the United Kingdom|Play buses}}
{{Wiktionary}}
* [http://www.workingonwheels.org Working on Wheels (the working title of National Playbus in the UK) ] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161031133232/http://workingonwheels.org/ |date=2016-10-31 }}

Category:Learning
Category:Play (activity)
Category:Buses by type

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Play bus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Play_bus) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Play_bus?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.