It's all fun and games on one Cape Breton school bus

The wheels on Janine Lock's bus go round a bit more smoothly thanks to a program she developed to keep the younger kids entertained.

The Grade 12 student came up with a guide for playing games and activities on her bus and now she's pitching it to the local school board.

Lock created theprogram for thehour-plusbusride from her West Bay hometo the Strait Area Education and Recreation Centre in Port Hawkesbury. It all started about seven years ago when she noticed the kids on her bus were getting restless.

"It tends to be that when kids get bored they want to move around more, so there were some kids who were jumping seats for example, there was a bit of bullying that was happening," she said. "Sometimes when kids get bored they tend to pick on others."

Lock recently presented her idea to the Strait Regional School Board, with hopes of continuing the program on all buses in the district after she graduates.

She said the games have had a "hugeimpact" on the kids on her bus and eliminated most of the major bullying problems.

Lock adapted about 25 games to keep kids busy,including I spydrawing, singing and hiding games. Lock also arranged special games for Halloween and Christmas.

"For Halloween week there's kids begging their parents not to drive them to school so that they can get on the bus and play," said Lock.

Lock sees younger students looking after each other and learning social skills, andshe thinks older students can benefit by developing leadership skills.

She's suggesting the school board give a personal development credit forstudents who contribute 110 hours.

Lock said the superintendent is setting up a meeting with principalsso she can pitch her idea.In the meantime, she said some boardrepresentatives have already passed her guideon to students who could offer the program.