This 40-ft Family Skoolie Houses 2 Adults & 4 Kids
When most people think of a skoolie (a converted school bus), a school bus family home is not what comes to mind. However, this family of 6 in Canada is showing that school bus living can be a great way to travel with a large family.
Their 40-foot-long school bus conversion includes a kitchen, living room, dining space, a bathroom, and 2 bedrooms; one with two bunk beds for the four kids and one with a king-size bed for the adults.
The bunk beds include curtains that each child can close around their mattress to give them a sense of their own space and privacy. The parents’ bedroom is its own separate space, a refuge from the kids, with a king-size bed and surround sound they use to play music.
There is also surround sound in the main part of the bus that the family uses when watching movies together. But with so many things to see, they spend lots of time outside of the bus: This intrepid family likes to explore nature and local activities, providing the kids with experiential education.
The family skoolie is full of special design features meant to accommodate a large family. For example, the dining table seats 8 and can be transformed into a bed for 2 people, and the accompanying dining bench includes under-bench storage. Each bed both for kids and adults includes under-bed storage for the linen and sheets.
An outside shower allows for easy wash off of the kids before they traipse inside, but can also be brought into the inside shower. The shower can accommodate all the kids at once thanks to the ceramic floor, allowing the family to conserve water.
Their family skoolie is very energy-conscious, with 700 watts of solar power via the panels on the roof, with a 2000-watt inverter charger near the driver’s seat.
Family skoolie
Altogether, this school bus conversion family is showing that life in a big family skoolie can be a great way to travel on a budget. The family estimates that they spend around $3,000 a month for all six of them, including food, utilities, and activity-related expenses—while enjoying the adventure of a lifetime.
For more skoolie living stories, discover this young musician couple's school bus house or how empty nesters converted a 1994 Bluebird bus into a tiny home on wheels.
To see more videos, check out the Tiny Home Tours YouTube channel.
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Beautiful renovation! What a great adventure for your kids.
I loved it! It was great to hear not only the things you were pleased with, but also the things that you would do differently. Enjoy your great adventure...