Christmas Elephant Activities for Kindergarten ELLs – Worksheets, Flashcards, Games

  This resource is included in Zoo Animals Unit for Kindergarten-Holistic English Series 26 which can be found at this link: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Zoo-Animals-Unit-for-Kindergarten-Holistic-English-Series-26-8078353

The Christmas theme and the cute elephant instantly capture students’ attention. This makes it easier for young English learners to absorb and remember holiday words, colors, and objects. Activities with the elephant help students practice naming, identifying, matching, and describing—core early-literacy skills needed for language development.

Flashcards are easy to incorporate into  whole-group lessons, morning work, —giving teachers ready-to-use materials . There are full size cards and small cards. The activities work with both.

Teachers can guide students to use frames like “The elephant has a ___ gift” or “The elephant is holding a ___ ornament.”

This boosts oral production in a playful, safe way.

Flashcard Runway. Place flashcards in a line like a runway.

Students walk down the “runway” and stop at a card to say the phrase: . Great for: confidence, movement, speaking.

Mystery Santa Bag. Put the flashcards in a bag. Students reach inside, take a look, have the class guess it before pulling it out.

Team Relay Race. Teams line up. Place flashcards on the board. Students stand at the opposite end. Call a flashcard → first student runs, picks it up, says it, and returns. Use my flashcards.

Worksheets help students see, trace, match, and use the new Christmas words many times, which strengthens long-term vocabulary retention.

Word Formation Tracing Worksheet. English learners practice early writing skills while reviewing Christmas vocabulary. Students trace the Christmas words. This activity works perfectly for literacy centers, morning work, or small-group practice during your holiday lessons.

Christmas Elephant Cut & Paste – Body Parts Worksheet. This is a review of the parts of the body while working with a cute Christmas Elephant theme. Students color the elephant, cut out the body-part words, and glue each label in the correct place. This hands-on task supports early reading as children match simple words like head, ear, leg, and trunk to the picture. Perfect for independent work during your holiday lessons!

Listen & Color – Christmas Ornaments Worksheet

In this activity, students listen to the teacher’s instructions and color the ornaments accordingly—for example, “Color two ornaments red.” This simple task helps young English learners practice listening comprehension, color vocabulary, and following directions.

Draw More Cookies Worksheet. Students help the Christmas Elephant by adding more cookies to the plate.

Color by Number Worksheet. This color-by-number activity helps students practice number recognition and color words. A perfect independent activity for morning work, or a calm holiday lesson!

Christmas Elephant Tracing Paths Worksheet. Students trace each path to help the Christmas Elephant reach the matching Christmas item. Tracing different lines and patterns strengthens fine-motor skills.

Christmas Elephant Printable Booklet. This easy-to-assemble booklet lets students color, read, and learn Christmas vocabulary with a fun Christmas Elephant theme. Each page features a simple sentence and picture, helping young learners practice early reading skills. Perfect for  a festive take-home activity!

Christmas Elephant Feed Me Box Game. Students cut out the items from the worksheet and “feed” them into the Christmas stocking box as they name each item.

Christmas Elephant Spinner & Mat Game. Children spin the Christmas Elephant spinner, say the word aloud, then find and cover the matching picture on their mat.

Picture–Word Matching Dominoes. Students match them end-to-end like a domino train.

Great for vocabulary recall + reading. It’s encourages speaking as students name each picture they match.

Visit my other blog:

👉 https://eflelementaryresources.blogspot.com/

You’ll find fresh ideas for every unit, from vocabulary games to hands-on crafts—all designed to support young ELLs in fun and meaningful ways.

 

 

Thanksgiving Sharks Activities for Kindergarten ELLs

 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

Students learn Thanksgiving words to expand foundational English vocabulary in a fun way. Activities are designed with simple visuals, large images, and clear vocabulary, making it easier for beginners to understand without needing long explanations.

Vocabulary Introduction with the flashcards. Show them one by one and teach the vocabulary (cornucopia, turkey, pie, hat, etc.). Students repeat.

Teacher: What is this?

Students: It’s a shark!

Teacher: The shark has a cornucopia!

Touch and Show” Game.Place the flashcards on the the floor. Call out: “Find the shark with the pie!” Students run, touch, or point to the correct card.

Small cards for Sentence Practice: “The shark has…” Students make simple sentences: “The shark has a turkey.”  Add actions or gestures for extra fun.

Feed the Turkey Game. Students choose a small card, name the Thanksgiving vocabulary, and “feed” it to the turkey by placing it in the turkey’s mouth. For this game prepare the box using the template provided.

In this creative worksheet, students color and decorate the shark to turn it into a Thanksgiving character. They can add Pilgrim clothes, Thanksgiving foods, or festive items to complete the picture. Then they finish the sentence “My shark is a ______.” This activity builds vocabulary, encourages creativity, and helps students practice simple descriptions in English.

In these worksheets, students read the color word on each shark and color the picture correctly. This activity helps young learners connect written color words with their meanings. It’s perfect for building confidence in early literacy and color vocabulary.

Class Printable Shark Book. This printable book features a shark holding different Thanksgiving items. Each student colors one page, following the simple vocabulary on the picture. When the class finishes, all pages are assembled into a group book that students can read together. This activity promotes teamwork, reading fluency, vocabulary review, and pride in creating a shared class book.

I’d love to have you visit my other blog, where I share freebies, activities, tips, and resources designed especially for elementary English teachers!

Explore it here: https://eflelementaryresources.blogspot.com/

You’ll find practical classroom ideas, engaging worksheets, and freebies to make your lessons even more fun and effective. See you there!

This resource is also included in a bundle:   https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Sea-Unit-BUNDLE-for-Kindergarten-and-Elementary-ESL-7078368

Thanksgiving Counting Hats 1–10 Activities for Kindergarten ESL

 This resource is included in the Clothes Unit. CLICK here: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Clothes-Unit-for-Kindergarten-Holistic-English-Series-12-6483533

The Thanksgiving Counting Hat 1 to 10 resource develops number recognition, counting, and basic vocabulary in English. The Thanksgiving hats and images make learning relevant to the season. The resource is print-and-go, simple to use in small groups, centers, or whole-class activities.

Students practice counting objects from 1 to 10, matching numerals and quantities using the flashcards.

By associating numbers with pictures, students strengthen their understanding of number words in English and improve pronunciation through repetition.

Order the Number small Cards. Mix all the number cards and spread them on the floor or your desk. Students will look carefully at each card — count the hats on the pilgrim and read the number word. Start with number one and place the cards in order up to ten. Then, say each number out loud: one, two, three, four…

Write the Number Word and Numeral. Slip the Thanksgiving flashcards into clear plastic sleeves and give students dry-erase markers to practice writing! Students look at the picture, then write the number word and the numeral on the card. This activity allows for hands-on writing practice and easy cleanup — just erase and reuse!

Students can also use the Thanksgiving flashcards to trace the numeral and the number word directly on the plastic sleeve using a dry-erase marker.

Feed the Pilgrim! – Counting Activity. Place the Pilgrim box or cutout in the center of the table or carpet area. Spread the small number cards face up in random order. Call out a number word (e.g., nine), or show a quantity card. Have students find the matching number card and “feed” it to the pilgrim by placing it into the pilgrim’s mouth. Continue until all numbers 1–10 have been fed to the pilgrim.

Read and Color the Pilgrim’s Hats. These worksheet helps students review colors and numbers 1 to 10.

A Worksheet for students to cut and paste the Thanksgiving-themed quantity pictures next to the matching numeral and number word. Then, they will trace the numeral and word to practice writing and color the pictures as dictated by the teacher.

Thanksgiving Counting Board Game. In this interactive board game, students move along a path numbered 1–10 using Thanksgiving-themed player pieces. When they land on a number, they say it out loud and collect the matching Pilgrim card with hats showing that quantity.

Thanksgiving Numbers Pocket Chart. This fun pocket chart activity helps students match number words, numerals, and quantities with a Thanksgiving theme! Students take turns placing the cards with Pilgrim boys, numbers, and words in the correct order. 

It’s a hands-on way to encourage teamwork and oral practice as students say each number aloud while matching. Perfect for small groups, centers, or whole-class review!

Build the Number Words. Students use the letter tiles to spell the number words shown on the flashcards. They look at the Pilgrim number card, say the word, and then arrange the tiles to spell it correctly.

Make and Describe Your Pilgrim Hat. Give each student the Pilgrim hat template to color, cut, and assemble. Encourage them to choose their favorite colors. Once finished, have students present their hats to the class using simple sentences such as: This is my Pilgrim hat. It’s black and green. This Encourages speaking confidence through short oral presentations.

Thanksgiving Counting Booklet. Each page features a large numeral, the number word, and a cute pilgrim with the matching number of hats to color.

Students can color, read, and assemble their own mini book to review counting and number words. It’s an engaging way to reinforce number recognition, one-to-one correspondence, and color vocabulary — all with a festive Thanksgiving theme!

Take a look at the Clothes Worksheets for Preschool ESL, where students can review and reinforce what they’ve learned through simple, engaging activities. 👉 Go to the worksheets post here: https://eflpreschoolteachers.blogspot.com/2021/01/clothes-unit-worksheets-for-esl-student.html

There is a clothes BUNDLE for teaching Kindergarten and Elementary Learners, here: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Clothes-Unit-for-ESL-BUNDLE-6456962

Find engaging Thanksgiving activities for your English language learners. I've gathered interactive games, worksheets, and creative ideas to make this holiday both educational and exciting! Follow my Pinterest board for Thanksgiving resources here:

Thanksgiving ESL/EFL Resources

Save time and bring festive learning into your classroom!

Counting 1 to 10 Halloween Bats on a TREE

 This resource is also included here: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Garden-Unit-for-Kindergarten-Holistic-English-Series-17-6914668

The combination of Halloween Bats and Trees allows students to practice numbers and simple sentences while connecting new words to concepts they already know.

The flashcards help kindergarten ELLs connect numerals, number words, and quantities in a visual and engaging way.

Order the Trees Flashcards. Mix up the cards and have students put them in the correct order from 1 to 10.

Ask & Answer – Teacher: “How many bats are on the tree?” Student: “There are five bats.”

Use the flashcards as a guide and have students build the number words with foam letters. Alongside, they can also create the matching numeral with foam numbers. This hands-on activity helps reinforce spelling, connects the written numeral with the number word.

Show a flashcard as a reference and have students write the matching numeral and number word on the whiteboard or blackboard. This activity encourages active recall, reinforces correct spelling.

Small cards allow children to handle and manipulate them individually or in pairs, making learning more active.

They can be used for games such as bowling. Paste the small cards onto small plastic cups to create bowling pins. Students roll a soft ball to knock down the “pins,” then read aloud the numeral and number word on the cups they’ve knocked over. This activity combines movement with learning and number recognition.

Number Line – Mix the small cards; students arrange them from 1 to 10. Students create a number line by clipping them onto a string with clothespins. Once complete, the number line can be hung in the classroom as both decoration and a learning tool. This display not only brightens up the room with a seasonal touch but also serves as a handy reference for students to check numbers and number words throughout the unit.

Make the crowns and then make sentence patterns: There are two bats on the purple tree. Students will line up in front of the board and the rest of class will point and make sentences.

Place numbers on one side of the table and bat trees on the other; students match them correctly.

 

The feed me box is easy to assemble and play games.

Worksheets let children practice counting, number recognition, and writing in a quiet, focused way after playing games with flashcards.

Trace the Numbers – Trace numerals 1–10 and number words (one, two, three...). Cut out the trees with the bats and glue them under the correct number word.

Each bat on the tree has a numeral; students color it according to a code (e.g., 1 is brown).

This resource includes two dice templates that you can easily assemble and use in many activities. The dice add an element of fun.  Ideas for Use:

Roll and Say: Students roll a die and say the number or number word out loud.

Roll and Write: Roll the dice and write the numeral or number word .

Roll and Jump (TPR): After rolling, students do that number of jumps, claps, or other actions for a kinesthetic practice.

 

Teachers can laminate the mats and use them year after year with dry-erase markers or counters. There are three mats (numerals, number words, and bat trees).

Students pick one card, for example, the numeral 5. They then find the number word “five” and the tree with 5 bats and place together.

Students point to a number on the mats and say it:It's number four!

Use all the cards in the mat and make a matching game on the pocket chart if you have one or on a table.

The three mats come in a black and white version for other activities, such as using the dice the students color the quantity, number or numeral on the dice.

Another mat for writing the numeral and number word.

There are letter tiles for making numbers words or any other vocabulary that you are working on.

I love to include board games for those 5 minutes before the class ends!

Mini Booklet – Each page shows a tree with bats. Students color the number: “This tree has 4 bats.” Each page combines the numeral, word, and visual. Students count the bats on the tree, color them, then say the sentence: “There are three bats.” Then, take turns “reading” their booklet to the teacher or a partner.

Find the links to my blog and social media at LINKTREE.

https://linktr.ee/HolisticEnglishResources

I use Creative Fabrica for the covers! Go to my affliate link:   https://www.creativefabrica.com/product/vintage-halloween-bats-digital-paper/ref/2670802/?sharedfrom=pdp