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!

Haunted House Numbers 1–20 | Halloween Math Activities for ELLs

 This resource is included in the House Unit for Elementary-Starters at this link: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Rooms-of-the-House-Unit-for-Elementary-ELL-10395114

Bring spooky fun into your lessons with this Haunted House Numbers resource! Perfect for Halloween, this set helps students practice numerals, number words, and sequencing from 1–20 through engaging, hands-on activities. Designed for English language learners.

Halloween Flashcard bingo. Use the 20 flashcards for this activity. Stick them on the blackboard.  Handout the Bingo grid with and have the students write the name of any number in each square (encourage them to check spelling to do this as necessary).  When children are ready, remove the flashcards one by one and say the names.  Children listen and write a cross on the word if it is in their grid. The first child to write a cross on all six words in their grid calls Bingo! and is the winner.

Haunted House Number Line. Place the flashcards 1–20 on the board in order. Remove 2–3 numbers. Students guess which “ghost numbers” are missing.

Tracing Activity. Place a clear plastic sheet over the number word worksheet. Students use a dry-erase marker to trace the number words. This activity can be repeated multiple times, helping students practice writing skills and reinforcing number word recognition in a fun, reusable way.

Like this!

Knock-knock the small cards. Place cards face down on the desk like “doors” in a haunted house. Students “knock” on a door (flip a card) and must read/say the number word. If correct, they “enter the haunted room” (keep the card).

Check it out:

Magic Number Sentence. Students draw a number card and make a short sentence with it.  “There are nineteen ghosts in the Haunted House”. Hand the Halloween token if it is correct.

Speaking opportunity!

I am / You are Sentences. A student picks a small card and says: I am number fifteen. You are number twenty. (Identify what the other partner has)

Students match a numeral to its word worksheet. Then write the word on their notebooks.

Students color each numeral on the worksheet they find a specific color, then write the word with that color on their notebooks.

Cut-and-Paste Matching worksheets.  Students cut out the numeral cards and paste them onto the haunted houses with the correct number of ghosts.

  Students read the number word sequence in the worksheet, then, they fill in the missing number words in the blanks.  This activity builds reading fluency, spelling, and understanding of number order.

 Students are given a grid worksheet with numerals and haunted house images.   They complete the grid by writing the next number words in the empty spaces.   This activity helps with number recognition, spelling, and strengthens the numeral–word connection.

Game-Printable board like Snakes & Ladders but students can only climb/slide if they read the number correctly.

Matching Mats (Haunted House Theme)

 Students receive mats with haunted houses and sets of numerals and number words cards. They match the numeral to the correct haunted house and then place the number word. Great for independent work.

Counting Ghosts in the House File Folder Game 

Turn your matching cards into a reusable file folder game for independent practice! Students match each picture card to the correct number word on the file folder, reinforcing counting, number recognition, and reading number words from 1 to 20. This hands-on activity is perfect for literacy or math centers, fast finishers, partner work, or review lessons. Simply laminate the folder and cards for a durable resource you can use year after year.

St. Patrick's Day is also included in this resource:   https://eflelementaryresources.blogspot.com/2025/03/st-patricks-day-and-house-unit.html

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The alphabet letters are from Creative Fabrica. Here is my affliate link: https://www.creativefabrica.com/product/cute-halloween-ghost-letters-numbers/ref/2670802/?sharedfrom=pdp

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! ✨