The Numbers Song (Numbers 1-10)

Download a song from ESL KidStuff: The Numbers Song (Numbers 1-10)

The Numbers Song (Numbers 1-10)

Song Theme: Counting numbers 1-10
Target Vocab: 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7 – 8 – 9 – 10, jump, turn around, clap your hands, kick, wiggle
Song length: 1:38

This is a really fun, action-packed song to teach the numbers 1-10. Here is a sample:

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Lyrics:

1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 Jump!
6 – 7 – 8 – 9 – 10 Jump!
Turn around and clap your hands
And jump!

1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 Kick!
6 – 7 – 8 – 9 – 10 Kick!
Turn around and clap your hands
And kick!

1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 Wiggle!
6 – 7 – 8 – 9 – 10 Wiggle!
Turn around and clap your hands
And wiggle!

1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 Jump!
6 – 7 – 8 – 9 – 10 Kick!
Turn around and clap your hands
And Jump!
Kick!
Wiggle!
And Jump!

Gestures to use with The Numbers Song

First time you play the song do the gestures and encourage everyone to do them with you.

• As the music is in a marching-style start off with everyone marching enthusiastically on the spot to the rhythm.
• Whilst marching, count off the numbers on your fingers as the numbers are sung.
• Do each action word (e.g. jump, turn around, clap your hands, etc.) at the point they are sung in the song.

Using The Numbers Song in class

This song is great to use when you are teaching numbers and counting, but it can also be used as a fun warm-up or played at any point in the lesson.  Our students just love this song and request to do it every class.  If you are teaching numbers:

1. Play the song: Before even teaching any of the numbers, you can begin with this song.  Get everyone to stand up and march along and do the actions.  Make sure you do the actions with the kids so that they can follow you and copy what you are doing.
2. Teach numbers vocab: Depending on the age of your class you can teach the numbers over a series of lessons. For under 3s, two or three numbers each lesson is fine, older students can learn more each lesson. Sit the students down so they are facing you.  Use some familiar objects to teach the numbers (e.g. in this case we’ll use plastic fruit).  First, elicit each of the fruit and put each one on the floor / table in front of you in a line. Then touch each fruit and slowly count (T: “1 …. 2 …. 3”).  Do this two or three times.  Then have the class all repeat as you count / touch each fruit.  Finally, model this with a couple of students – ask one or two kids to touch and count the fruit as the rest of the class watches (give lots of encouragement and congratulate them when finished).
3. Students practice numbers: Put the students in pairs and give each pair a number of objects (e.g. 3 plastic fruit, 3 cars, 3 pencils, etc.).  Have the Ss practice counting and touching the objects.
4. Play “Put in the box”: Now get a big box of objects and make sure you have enough objects of each category for the numbers you are teaching (e.g. 3 plastic fruit, 3 cars, 3 pencils, etc.).  Throw the objects all around the classroom.  Then choose a student and say “Marcus, put three (pencils) in the box”.  As the student picks up each object make sure everyone counts along (1… 2 … 3).  Then have the student count the objects as s/he puts them in the box.  Do this with everyone.  Finally, for a bit of crazy fun, throw all the objects out and let everyone scramble to find, count and put all of their objects back in the box again (all at the same time!).
5. Play “Classroom Touch”: Get everyone to stand up and then the teacher shouts out classroom objects for the kids to run to and touch (e.g. T: “Everyone touch three tables!”, “Everyone touch three books!”).  Possible classroom objects to touch: tables, chairs, cushions, pencils, crayons, books, windows, shoes, etc. A good idea is to prepare some pictures of items (e.g. 3 apples, 3 super heroes, 3 monster faces, etc.) and stick them on the walls before class.  Then the students can run and touch these as well.
6. Sing “The Numbers Song”: Sing the song again (with all the actions) to conclude the action part of this lesson topic.
7. Do numbers worksheet: Finish with some quiet time doing a numbers related worksheet (we have lots in our worksheet section). If you are teaching to read and write the numbers, you can do this with the worksheet.