Counting Vehicles 1 to 20 | ESL Number Words, Numerals, & Quantity Activities

 This resource that connects math + vocabulary and ties into this larger unit  is included in the Transportation theme for Elementary ESL at this link: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Transportation-Unit-for-Elementary-ESL-4049752

The resource helps students review essential transportation-related words (e.g., bus, car,) to improve their vocabulary. The topic allows integration with math such as counting vehicles with multiple kinds of activities.

Practice Numbers 1 to 20 with Transportation Flashcards

The ESL Numbers Flashcards are a versatile teaching tool to be used in various activities as seen below.

Counting practice using the flashcards. Show a flashcard with vehicles on a road. Ask: “How many cars are there?” Students count and answer: “There are three cars.”  This builds confidence in forming complete sentences.

Count the Vehicles

Place any quantity flashcard and have the students count how many of each vehicle they can count.

Show a flashcard with several vehicles of different colors. Have students make sentences: “The mail truck is white.”

Review Adjectives with Flashcards. 

Show transportation flashcards and ask students to sort them: The limousine is big!

Practice adjectives related to transportation. Review the comparatives (faster, slower, bigger, smaller).

Flashcard Comparison: Hold up two flashcards and ask students to compare them using comparatives.

Students can practice prepositions of place such as: in front of, behind, next to, between and use them in complete sentences like: The white limousine is behind the red car.

Where’s the Vehicle? Practice prepositions (on, under, next to).

Flashcard Grammar Activity: “I like… but I don’t like…”

Students practice asking and answering questions about transportation using the correct structure and preposition “by.”

Small Cards

Labeling helps EFL students expand their vocabulary. This is especially important because vocabulary is the building block of language proficiency.

Match Numbers and Quantities

Students match the quantity small cards with the corresponding numeral flashcards, reinforcing number recognition from 1 to 20.

Transportation Counting File Folder Game

Turn your printable previous  transportation cards into a reusable Transportation Counting File Folder Game. This low-prep activity helps students practice counting, number recognition, number words, and one-to-one correspondence .

Simply print, laminate, and glue one of the three sets inside a file folder:

• Transportation picture cards showing different vehicle quantities
• Number words (one–twenty)
• Numerals (1–20)

Keep the remaining  sets as loose matching cards inside the file folder pockets. 

Students look at each transportation picture, count the vehicles, and match it to the correct numeral or number word. Since there are three interchangeable sets, you can easily change the matching combinations to provide fresh practice throughout the school year.

This file folder game is perfect for math centers.

Transportation Bingo

Give students a bingo grid to write any number from 1 to 20. Call out the names of vehicles using the small cards. Students mark or cover the matching number.

transportation vehicles count to 20 ESL worksheet

In this interactive activity, students color the vehicles according to how you dictate, then cut them out and fold the flap provided to glue them onto the road worksheet. Students can decide how many vehicles to place and where to position them on the road. After creating their road scene, they write a short description using complete sentences. They describe the vehicles, their colors, their locations using prepositions, and add adjectives to make their sentences more descriptive.

Assemble like this!

 Read and Color the Vehicles worksheet where they read a phrase and color each vehicle according to the text.

Matching exercises Worksheet: Match transportation words to pictures.

Labeling activities Worksheets

Students label vehicles and the number on these two worksheets.

Games

A board game with four paths to encourage speaking. Players talk during the game using full sentences like “This is number twelve!”. Use the it as review.

Matching mats give students a clear visual framework to sort and match different representations of numbers.

Students color the vehicles on their worksheet according to the number they spin on the spinner. They must count and color the correct quantity based on the spinner result. Use it to practice number recognition (1–20)

This resource is sold individually here: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Counting-Transportation-Vehicles-1-to-20-ESL-Numbers-14721938

Printable airplane prepositions ESL activities — fun worksheets, flashcards, and games to teach location words like in, on, under, beside to elementary English learners, all in the complete transportation unit. Take a look!

  https://eflelementaryresources.blogspot.com/2025/11/airplane-prepositions-activities-eslefl.html

Visit my blog for preschool teachers here: EFL Preschool Teachers Blog. You'll find practical activities, tips, and resources designed to make learning fun and effective for little ones!

Giraffes Numbers 1 to 20 for Elementary EFL

 This resource for ESL Teachers is included in the Zoo Animals for EFL. Click here: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Zoo-Animals-Flashcards-for-EFL-3611842

Young learners often recognize numbers before they truly understand quantity. Using giraffes to teach numbers 1–20 helps students visually connect numerals with amounts in a clear, concrete way. The tall, repeated giraffe images make counting more meaningful and memorable for early ESL learners.

Use Flashcards for Number Recognition

Use the number 1 to 20 flash cards to play a quick lineup game. Hand in a set of cards to each group and at your signal have them line up in order and then say each number. This activity is perfect as a math warm-up or review activity 

Practice with Small Cards

Focus on recognizing and counting from 1 to 20  numbers and saying them out loud with the flashcards and the small cards. Match numbers to words or arrange numbers in order. This works on One-to-one correspondence. Studenmts can sit in ESL centers or small groups.   

Reinforce Learning with Worksheets

Use the worksheets set for the students to recognize numerals (1-20) and associate them with their written forms.

More worksheets to help teachers track student progress in number recognition and writing  within the Zoo animal themes.

There is a Bingo with two boards, where students can write 10 numbers out of the 20 and play use the small cards as calling cards. Pull out the bingo as many times as you want.

Play a Numbers Mat Game

Reinforce counting skills by providing a fun matching game. Encourage students to use full sentences like "I see a giraffe with number 18."

Place number cards (1-20) in a pile and giraffe number mats on the table.

Students take turns picking a card and placing it on the correct mat.

Have it available for early finisher tasks.  

When integrating animals with math vocabulary use the mats ready to print in this resource. Cut all the number mats and there is another game to play. Time students to see how quickly they can match all numbers correctly.

Giraffe Counting File Folder Game

Make counting practice fun with this reusable Giraffe Counting File Folder Game! 

To prepare the activity, simply print and laminate the materials, then glue one of the three boards inside a file folder. Choose to display the giraffe counting pictures, numerals, or number words, and keep the remaining cards for matching.

Students count the leaves on each giraffe card and match the picture to the correct numeral or number word. 

This file folder game is ideal for  small groups.

Use the Number Wheel for Practice

Make learning interactive with this Number 1 to 20 wheel. Works well for whole-class activities, small group practice, or individual learning stations and for beginner ESL / EFL students.

Play a Numbers Board Game

The board game is for students to identify, read, and say numbers on the card of the color that the player landed on as they move along the path. Use for oral counting and pronunciation. 

This resource is sold individually here:    https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/ZOO-Giraffes-Numbers-1-20-Flashcards-Game-Board-Number-Wheel-Worksheets-13218032

This Lions at School vocabulary games resource helps elementary ESL students practice school vocabulary through engaging and interactive activities.Go here:   https://eflelementaryresources.blogspot.com/2025/03/giraffes-numbers-1-to-20-for-elementary.html

Find creative, hands-on activities and worksheets to make your lessons both enjoyable and effective. 🎯 Explore our latest resources. Check it out here: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Holistic-English-Resources-By-Rosa-Amelia

Happy teaching! ✨

Numbers 1 to 20 Games and Activities for Elementary EFL

   This English as a new language teacher resource (Numbers 1 to 20 Games and Activities for Elementary ESL Students: Vocabulary and Counting Practice) is part of the Numbers Unit 1 to 20 for Elementary English Language Learnes-Starters. Right here:   https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Numbers-1-to-20-for-Elementary-EFL-3640162

Get creative into teaching this unit to your learners. Get them involved into play and explore many possibilities with their imagination within each game. It's so useful to have enjoyable and motivating extra activities to plan for your students. Find suggestions for your warm up and wrap up activities. lastly, the values of tolerenace and respect will be encouraged during play time.Find a rich array of fun games to support all learners. The games are also useful for testing knowledge.

Here is a printable board game to use with small groups of students as a review of numbers 1 to 20. There is a colored version and a black and white that the students can color as they wish. The game can help consolidate the new number words. Use for speaking and turn-taking practice.

Lots of small cards to play a matching pair of numbers and picture, or memory to recognize the numbers in print and numeral.  It’s a co-operative kind of game working together to match all the cards. Perfect for quick warm-ups and review.

There is even more matching and counting the pencils in each cup to match to the numeral and the word. Students will be able to: count from 1 to 20, recognize numerals and quantities.  

Numbers 1 to 20 File Folder Game

These number cards can be glued into a file folder to create an engaging matching game. Students match each number word to the corresponding numeral, providing a fun hands-on learning activity.

Benefit: This game helps strengthen number recognition skills.

A worksheet to wrap up counting the pencils and reviewing the colors at the same time. Do some listening comprehension as you dictate the colors of each number:

Number one is pink!

Then, students fill in the color word in each sentence.

Use these for independent work or assessment.  

Use the cards above to play this motivating spelling bingo game. Students will write any numbers from 1 to 20 on the blank lines. Use the cards to call out the numbers.

Use the small cards to play the automatic number. Hand in either the number word card or the numeral to each student. They stand in a circle with their card and not showing it. The students with number one says: one! the student with the number two, says: two! And so on. They can repeat but in a faster and automatic way. You can vary by handing in two cards instead of one to make it more difficult. Skill practice is Oral counting and pronunciation. 

A little writing the number words with these colorful letters. Have the students find the letters and write the words corresponding to each number from 1 to 20. It will be an enjoyable task to complete, either individually or in a group as a collaborative learning experience.

Write descriptive sentences. Hand in the blank worksheet and the small cards with words to create sentences. You can write even more words on the blank cards provided.  Each student will make a sentence or phrase and draw on the square to illustrate. Students can compare their work.

ESL Numbers 1–20 Flashcards for Kindergarten and Elementary Students, all in the same resource. Go to this blog post: 

https://eflelementaryresources.blogspot.com/2023/08/numbers-1-to-20-flashcards-for.html

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