Sports Games for ESL | Vocabulary and Grammar Activities

 This resource is included here: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Sports-for-ESL-Vocabulary-and-Grammar-Activities-14663481

Playing sports-themed games during the unit help learners practice sports vocabulary and grammar structures naturally. By moving, speaking, matching, and interacting with others, students develop stronger listening, speaking, reading, and thinking skills.

Do–Go–Play Sorting Activity
In this activity, students sort the sports cards into the correct column: do, go, or play. As they place each card on the mat, they practice using the correct verb for each sport, such as do karate, go swimming, or play soccer. This hands-on task helps learners understand verb–sport collocations while building vocabulary in an interactive way.

This version lets students cut and paste the sports cards into the correct do, go, and play columns. The black-and-white format is perfect for saving ink and gives students the chance to color the cards themselves before sorting. They can also write phrases for each category.

Sports Puzzle Match Game
In this activity, students complete circle puzzles by matching each sport with its equipment and place. As they connect the pieces, they review vocabulary such as ball, court, pool, bike, and paddle while strengthening problem-solving skills. This is perfect for centers, pair work, or independent practice.

I Can / I Can’t Writing Activity
In this activity, students use the sports cards to write sentences about what they can and can’t do on the format. They choose cards and complete the worksheet using connectors like and and but to make longer sentences. For example: I can play soccer and tennis or I can’t play basketball, but I can play tennis. This activity helps students practice sentence structure, express abilities, and connect language with the sports vocabulary they have learned.

Spelling Bingo Game
In this activity, students write any sports words they choose into the blank Bingo boxes. Then the teacher (or a student leader) uses the small sports cards from the resource to call out each word. Students listen carefully and cross out the words on their Bingo boards. The first student to cross out all their words and shout Bingo! wins. This game is a fun way to review vocabulary, practice spelling, and build listening skills.

I Like Sports Board Game
In this fun board game, students move around the path by rolling a die and landing on different sports spaces. Each time they land on a sport, they say a sentence such as I like tennis or I don’t like tennis. This game encourages speaking, builds confidence, and helps students practice sports vocabulary and simple grammar in an interactive, engaging way.

Sports Facilities Interactive Activity
In this hands-on activity, students use a sports facilities template along with standing player pieces and sport name cards that you will assemble beforehand. They choose a player, read the sport, and place the figure in the correct facility—such as putting the swimmer in the pool or the tennis player on the court. This interactive task helps students connect sports with their proper locations, strengthens vocabulary, and encourages speaking as they describe what they are doing (e.g., She is playing tennis on the court).

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Counting Crayons 1 to 20 | Numbers, Colors, and Math Games for Elementary ELLs

 This resource is also included  at the School Unit for Elementary ELL-Starters, at this link: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/School-Unit-for-Elementary-ELL-Starters-1707072

Counting from 1 to 20 is a key early math skill. This resource helps children practice recognizing numerals, counting crayons 1 to 20 , and connecting numbers with quantities in an engaging way. This resource connects math (counting and numbers), art (crayons and coloring), and language (speaking, listening, and writing numbers), making it a well-rounded tool for elementary classrooms.

By linking crayons to numbers, students also strengthen their vocabulary for both numbers and colors. Use the crayon flashcards to review the colors. Also, review the school words using the flashcards. Ask: What’s this?
Students: It’s a crayon box.
Teacher: Is this a crayon?
Students: Yes, it is.

Students identify numbers from the flashcards displayed and choosing only 8 of them to their bingo grid, reinforcing numeral recognition. When numbers are called out during the game, students must listen carefully, understand, and check their grids—an excellent listening activity for English language learners.

The finger/hand signals make simple counting an activity with movement. Students learn to count forward using the pointing finger upwards, count backward using the finger down card, and hold a number in mind by repeating it using the thumbs up card. This builds a deeper understanding of number order and sequence. Print the cards and glue onto craft sticks for easy play.

Found this game in this book and adapted it to suit the resource: 100 games for teaching English by Agung Prihantoro.

Small cards let students manipulate the materials directly, which keeps them engaged and supports kinesthetic learning.

Line Up with Crayons small cards! Each student gets a small card (number or crayon quantity). The teacher says: “Line up in order!” Students must arrange themselves in a line from 1 to 20. When everyone is in place, the class counts together from the first to the last student.

Challenge the students to it activity but “Backwards!” → Students line up from 20 down to 1. Another challenge is to have the students line up in “Alphabetical order!” → Students line up in alphabetical order of the number words (eight, five, four…).

Place the small cards in alphabetical order.

Fold the words in each small card and have students write the numeral and words. Place them in order.

The worksheets provide a hands-on, quiet-time opportunity for students to practice and demonstrate their understanding.

Find and Match worksheet: have students draw lines to match each number to the correct number word.

Missing Number and number words Fill-In. Students fill in the missing numbers.

How Many? Write the Number word. Ask students to count and write the numeral and/or number word.

Listen and color worksheet. Teacher says the number and color: “Crayon number 5 is blue.”   Students listen carefully and color the crayon in the correct square.  Continue until all 20 crayons are colored. Students write the color word to describe each colored crayon. This activity reinforces number recognition, listening comprehension, colors vocabulary.

This Numbers Board Game is a fun way for students to practice counting, number recognition, and sequencing from 1 to 20. Each player starts at one of the four starting points and takes turns rolling a die to move along their path. The first player to reach the center “FINISH” wins! The colorful design keeps learners engaged while reinforcing math and language skills in an interactive way.

Say It in a Sentence: Each time a student lands on a number, they make a sentence such as: “I see 12 crayons” or “I have 7.”

These matching mats support number recognition, counting, and word association by giving students a physical and visual way to match and manipulate pieces. They’re especially useful to bridge visual and written language, reinforcing both vocabulary and concept understanding.

There is a coloring version of the mats. Each student gets a matching mat with crayons numbered 1 to 20 in random order.  A student spins the color spinner, lands on a number and names it for the group find it on their mat and color it.  Continue spinning and coloring until the mat is complete.

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Found wonderful clipart for the numbers at Creative Fabrica. Here's my affliate link: https://www.creativefabrica.com/product/alphabet-crayon-clipart-and-number/ref/2670802/?sharedfrom=pdp

Halloween Food Vocabulary Activities & Games for Elementary ELLs

 This resource is part of the Food Unit for Elementary English Language Starters.

LINK: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Food-unit-for-Elementary-English-Language-Learners-Starters-11035412

Review food vocabulary in a Halloween context to help elementary English language learners connect familiar words to a seasonal theme.

Putting the food words into Halloween flashcards makes it fun to connect with everyday food terms. Make puzzles out of the flashcards to reinforce vocabulary recognition. Encourage speaking practice as students say the food item they found.: “I have a hamburger.”

Arrange the Halloween food flashcards face-up on a desk or wall — this is the “Halloween Food Stand.” One student is the “shopkeeper,” the other is the “customer.” Print the sign to add make it fun.

The customer student looks at the flashcards and says:

“I want a hot dog, please.”

The shopkeeper student finds the card and says:
“Here you are.”

The customer student replies:
“Thank you.”

Students can make even more short dialogues.

 

Give a small group of students a set of small cards. Each one picks a card and writes a sentence starting with:

o    I like… (e.g., I like ice cream and soda.)

o    I want… (e.g., I want a hot dog.)

Have them share their sentences with the group. Turn it into a group survey: students ask each other “Do you like…?” or “Do you want…?” and record answers.

Character Favorites. Students pick one Halloween character card and one food card. They make a sentence:

“Frankenstein likes pancakes.”

Find two vocabulary worksheets: Crossword Puzzle: Students use picture clues to fill in the words for different Halloween food items. Word-to-Picture Match: Students draw a line from each food word to its matching picture. It will reinforce Spelling. Then, Use the words in a mini spelling contest.

You can send the worksheets home for extra vocabulary practice.

There are grammar practice worksheets as “What do you want and “Do you like?

More grammar worksheets to build Sentence Structure.

Cut-and-fold matching worksheet to review vocabulary. Students name each food item on the worksheet. They cut out each food item and its word, fold them in half, and place them on a table. Cards can be used for matching games, speaking activities, or sorting tasks.

Print the Bingo game to review food vocabulary. It comes with a Teacher’s Mat with all the Halloween food picture cards for calling out items, and Bingo Strips with has 5 different Halloween food items.

Students listen, find the matching food on their strip, and mark it. The first to complete their strip shouts “Bingo!”. It encourages Focus and Attention.

There are games that I have for Kindergarten ELL, such as letter tiles, board game and feed me boxes, which can be adapted to older students. Check the blog post and the link to the resource:

https://eflpreschoolteachers.blogspot.com/2024/09/halloween-food-for-kindergarten-ells.html

Come join me on my Facebook fan page. Get ideas, tips, and free resources for teaching English to kindergarten and Elementary learners. Click: https://www.facebook.com/ESLPreschoolTeachers/

 

I used the alphabel clip art to make the sign using Creative Fabrica, here is my affliate link: https://www.creativefabrica.com/product/halloween-alphabet-letters-sublimation-27/ref/2670802/?sharedfrom=pdp

Community Helpers, Jobs and Occupations Games

Link to the complete resource:

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Community-Helpers-Jobs-and-Occupations-2549710

Play remains essential in the classroom because it creates an engaging, low-stress environment where students can practice language naturally and meaningfully. Through games, learners build communication skills, reinforce vocabulary, and develop confidence while having fun and staying motivated.

In this post, I’m sharing a 3P model lesson plan. This is the Production part of this approach.

Playing this community helper board game helps students reinforce vocabulary related to community helpers.  When a student lands on a space, they must name the worker (e.g., “This is a firefighter”).

This matching activity card game helps students build vocabulary by connecting words to visuals. It also promotes critical thinking and peer interaction. They can also play Memory Game by turning the cards face down and take turns flipping two to find a match.

This spelling game supports letter recognition, phonics, and vocabulary development by helping students connect letters to meaningful words.  Play Race to Spell: Give students a picture and see who spells the word first.

Bingo helps reinforce vocabulary through listening and word recognition in a fun, low-pressure setting. It also encourages focus, comprehension from all students.  Have the students write the community helper word on each space. Then, call out the job name and students cover the matching picture. Use the flashcards as calling cards.

Visit Holistic English Resources by Rosa Amelia on Teachers Pay Teachers. My  store is filled with engaging, hands-on activities that support language development through fun themes, including prepositions, vocabulary games, and more. Perfect for elementary and kindergarten classrooms, these resources are designed to make English learning accessible and enjoyable for students. Check it out and find something new to inspire your lessons!

Most of the graphics for the covers come from Creative Fabrica. Check my affliate link: 

https://www.creativefabrica.com/product/firefighter-digital-paper-patterns-2/ref/2670802/?sharedby=user-3080428