Valentine’s Day Sharks Activities for Kindergarten ESL

 This resource is included in the Sea unit for Kindergarten English Language Learners at this link: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Sea-Unit-for-Kindergarten-Holistic-English-Series-29-8348964

This Valentine’s Day vocabulary resource is designed especially for kindergarten ESL learners who need visual, hands-on, and engaging activities to build language skills. The activities are simple, repetitive, and developmentally appropriate, making them easy to use during centers, small groups, or whole-class lessons.

Flashcard Jump & Learn – Valentine’s Sharks 🦈❤️

Turn learning into movement with this fun flashcard jumping game! Place the Valentine’s Sharks flashcards on the floor and invite students to jump on the card you name. This active game helps young learners practice vocabulary and improve listening skills.

Peek-a-Boo Flashcard Surprise – Valentine’s Sharks ❤️🦈

Make vocabulary practice exciting with this peek-a-boo flashcard activity! The teacher pulls a Valentine’s Sharks flashcard from an envelope and shows it slowly while students guess the word. This playful routine builds anticipation. Perfect for circle time or whole-group lessons.

Valentine’s Fishing Game 🎣❤️

Turn vocabulary practice into a hands-on game with this Valentine’s fishing activity! Place the flashcards on the floor and attach a paper clip to each one. Students take turns using a fishing rod made with a craft stick, string, and a magnet to “fish” a card. When they catch one, they say the word on the flashcard aloud. This playful activity builds vocabulary.

Valentine Envelope Pick 🎁❤️

Place the small cards inside a Valentine envelope, using the template provided in this material and invite students to take turns pulling out one card. When a student picks a card, they say the word or use the sentence frame “I see a ___.” This simple and engaging activity encourages participation during circle time activities.

Memory Match – Valentine Mini Cards 🧠❤️

Print the cards double. Lay the mini cards face down on the floor or a table. Students take turns turning over two cards and saying each word aloud. If the cards match, the student keeps the pair. This classic memory game strengthens vocabulary recognition.

Pick & Draw – Valentine Mini Cards ✏️❤️

Students choose one small card and carefully look at the picture. They then draw the same item on a paper or mini whiteboard. This calm and focused activity encourages creativity while students connect words with images in a meaningful way.

Write & Color – Valentine Vocabulary Worksheet ✏️❤️

Students sit at the table and carefully trace the Valentine vocabulary words, making sure the spelling is correct. After tracing, they color each picture to match the word. This worksheet supports early writing skills.

Look & Find – Valentine Objects 👀❤️

Students listen carefully as the teacher gives simple directions, such as “Find the heart! Color it yellow.” They look at the worksheet, identify the correct Valentine object, and color it as instructed. This activity builds listening comprehension.

Draw the Word. Prompt: “I see a ___.”

Students read (or listen) and draw the correct Valentine item.

Find the matching picture worksheet

Draw a line or color it as instructed. This activity helps kindergarten ESL learners make connections between spoken words and visual cues in an engaging, hands-on way.

Show & Say – Valentine Sentence Practice ❤️🗣️

Students draw any Valentine object on the shark, then show their completed worksheet and point to the drawing on the picture. They then say the sentence aloud, “My shark has a heart.” This activity builds speaking confidence.

Feed Me! Valentine Vocabulary Game 🦈💌

Students take turns choosing a small card from the set and saying the word aloud (heart, balloon, flower, letter, bow and arrow). They then “feed” the card into the Valentine box. This playful activity keeps kindergarten ESL learners highly engaged through hands-on learning. Print the template and glue it onto a box, open the mouth part. It can also be used as a classroom display.

Spin & Say. Print the spinners you need for you class. Students spin the spinner.

                 They say the word out loud: “Heart!” / “Balloon!”

Spin & Find. Students spin the spinner.

 They find the matching picture on any worksheet,etc. They point and say: “I see a heart.”

Visit my other blog for creative and effective materials designed for elementary English language learners! Check out new ideas, tips, and resources at eflelementaryresources.blogspot.com. Explore fun and interactive ways to bring learning to life in your classroom!

Beach Train 3D Learning Pack | Numbers 1–10, Counting, Word Work & Crafts for ESL

 This Beach Train flashcard set is PERFECT for kindergarten ELLs—it naturally combines transportation + beach vocabulary, which makes learning meaningful and playful. Here are classroom-tested, simple, and engaging activities and games you can use with these exact cards.

Find it here ready to download along the complete Beach Unit Pack:

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Beach-Unit-for-Kindergarten-Holistic-English-Series-30-8461749

 

 
Build the Beach Train (Circle Time) using flashcards.

On the board, place the train with the flamingo card first. Say: This is a train! Look, there is a flamingo in the train. What color is the flamingo?

Students: pink!

Invite students to help “build” the train by adding cars on the board:

“What comes next?” “Let’s add sand.”

Say each word together as you add it. Great for introducing the vocabulary and modeling sentence patterns.

Beach Train Sorting Game

Create 2–3 simple categories: Beach things (sand, water, surfboards, palm trees) and Train things (train, track, train light, train station).  Students place cards under the correct heading. Great for comprehension without forcing speaking.

Asking Questions
Teacher says: look! What is in the train car?
Students: beach balls!
Teacher says: How many beach balls can you see?
Students: two!

It’s a Low-pressure speaking practice and continue with the other cards.

Number Flashcards Activity (1–10)

Students use the surfboard number flashcards (1–10) to practice number recognition and writing. The student looks at the flashcard, says the number aloud, and writes the matching numeral on the card or on a worksheet.

Small cards

Bean Bag Game

Students take turns tossing the bean bag onto the cards or mats on the table. They say the word where the bean bag lands. This game promotes active participation.

Walk and Say Activity

Place the flashcards in a line on the floor. A student walks along the line, points to each card, and names it aloud. The class can repeat together or listen and check. This activity supports vocabulary recall.

Worksheets

Read and color the picture.
Follow the number–color key to color each part of the train. This activity helps students practice colors.

Cut and paste the words.

Cut out the word cards and glue each word under the correct picture on the train. This activity helps students practice vocabulary recognition and reading skills. You can also dictate the colors of the items on the train.

From worksheets to 3D learning

Each worksheet works as an individual, focused task (coloring, cutting, matching, or counting), allowing students to practice vocabulary and numbers step by step. Once completed, the worksheets are transformed into a 3D train and station craft, encouraging students to speak, listen, and interact. Learners describe their trains, count and name the items, follow instructions, and role-play real-life situations, turning simple worksheets into meaningful, hands-on language practice.

Preparing for the 3D train project
These worksheets help students build the skills and vocabulary they need before creating the 3D train. Through coloring, tracing, counting, and matching, learners practice numbers, number words, and key transportation vocabulary. Each worksheet prepares a piece of the final craft, so when students assemble the 3D train and station, they are confident, engaged, and ready to use the language through speaking, listening, and simple storytelling.

Letter Tiles Activity

Students use the letter tiles to build the correct number word. They say each letter aloud as they place it, then read the completed word together. This activity helps students practice spelling.

Matching Mat Activity

Students match the picture or quantity cards to the correct number or number word on the mat. They place each card carefully and say the answer aloud. This activity supports number recognition and counting skills.

Go check the Beach Unit Bundle, here:   https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Beach-Unit-BUNDLE-for-ESL-6889239

Discover engaging, creative, and effective resources designed specifically for English Language Learners, with lots of time-saving, fun, and interactive resources. CLICK: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Holistic-English-Resources-By-Rosa-Amelia