Learning English from an early age not only improves children’s fluency and pronunciation, but also helps develop their brains. A study conducted at Northwestern University found that bilingual children develop better concentration and are able to isolate themselves more easily from the stimuli around them. Knowing another language also has positive effects on creativity and critical thinking, as well as training memory and stimulating learning.
To take advantage of these advantages, the ideal is for children to start practicing English between the ages of 3 and 6, since at this age they have greater brain plasticity that allows them to master the language better. In these cases, it is recommended to bet on a linguistic immersion, but it is also important to focus on the study of basic topics such as the numbers from 1 to 20.
Keys to learn the numbers from 1 to 20 in English
Most children learn the basic numbers in English by heart, but even if they have learned them on the run, it is important that they know some keys to use them correctly. Top 5 Montessori Boards for Toddlers. Therefore, one of the first things they must learn is that there are two types of numbers: cardinal and ordinal.
Cardinal numbers in English indicate the number of elements in the set and are used to count, such as: one, two and three. On the other hand, ordinal numbers in English are those that denote a position with respect to another number and, therefore, are written differently. For example, first, second, and third are ordinal numbers. Other simple tricks to learn the numbers from 1 to 20 in English are:
- The cardinal numbers from 13 to 19 end in “-teen”, such as thirteen and fourteen.
- In the case of the cardinal number 20, as in the rest of the multiples of 10, it ends in “-ty”.
- Except for the first ordinal numbers in English, first, second, third and fifth, the rest keep their cardinal form and “-th” is added at the end.
The numbers from 1 to 20 in English
Cardinal numbers
- 1 – One
- 2 – Two
- 3 – Three
- 4 – Four
- 5 – Five
- 6 – Six
- 7 – Seven
- 8 – Eight
- 9 – Nine
- 10 – Ten
- 11 – Eleven
- 12 – Twelve
- 13 – Thirteen
- 14 – Fourteen
- 15 – Fifteen
- 16 – Sixteen
- 17 – Seventeen
- 18 – Eighteen
- 19 – Nineteen
- 20 – Twenty
Ordinal numbers
- First – 1st
- Second – 2nd
- Third – 3rd
- Fourth – 4th
- Fifth – 5th
- Sixth – 6th
- Seventh – 7th
- Eighth – 8th
- Ninth – 9th
- Tenth – 10th
- Eleventh – 11th
- Twelfth – 12th
- Thirteenth – 13th
- Fourteenth – 14th
- Fifteenth – 15th
- Sixteenth – 16th
- Seventeenth – 17th
- Eighteenth – 18th
- Nineteenth – 19th
- Twentieth – 20th
Five activities to teach children the numbers from 1 to 20 in English
There are many simple and fun activities to teach children the numbers from 1 to 20 in English without losing their motivation. These are some techniques and methods that you can apply at home to turn English classes into a fun and enriching experience:
1. Count objects
Counting objects is one of the conventional and most effective methods for teaching numbers in English to children. To add a dose of fun to the activity and motivate the little ones , you can use stuffed animals, strollers or colored pencils to count. The first few times you can start counting the objects yourself to teach the children the numbers from 1 to 20, but once they have learned them, you can encourage them to do it on their own so that they also practice the pronunciation.
2. Bet on music
English songs are great for teaching children the numbers 1-20. Music is a simple and effective tool for children to develop their ear for numbers. And the best of all is that you can use them while you are playing or preparing dinner. In addition, as they master the numbers, you can encourage them to sing the songs so that they practice their pronunciation. On the Internet you can find many songs in English about numbers for children, but we leave you with a very fun one.
Ten Little monkeys jumping on the bed,
one fell off and bumped his head,
Mom called the Doctor and the doctor said
“no more monkeys jumping on the bed”Nine Little monkeys jumping on the bed,
one fell off and bumped his head.
Mom called the Doctor and the Doctor said
“no more monkeys jumping on the bed”Eight Little monkeys jumping on the bed.
one fell off and bumped his head.
Mom called the Doctor and the Doctor said
“no more monkeys jumping on the bed”Seven Little monkeys jumping on the bed
one fell off and bumped his head
Mom called the Doctor and the Doctor said
“no more monkeys jumping on the bed”.Six Little monkeys jumping on the bed
one fell off and bumped his head.
Mom called the Doctor and the Doctor said
“no more monkeys jumping on the bed”.Five Little monkeys jumping on the bed
one fell off and bumped his head.
Mom called the Doctor and the Doctor said
“no more monkeys jumping on the bed”.
Four Little monkeys jumping on the bed
one fell off and bumped his head.
Mom called the Doctor and the Doctor said
“no more monkeys jumping on the bed”.Three Little monkeys jumping on the bed
one fell off and bumped his head.
Mom called the Doctor and the Doctor said
“no more monkeys jumping on the bed”.Two Little monkeys jumping on the bed
one fell off and bumped his head.
Mom called the Doctor and the Doctor said
“no more monkeys jumping on the bed”.One Little monkeys jumping on the bed
one fell off and bumped his head.
Mom called the Doctor and the Doctor said
“no more monkeys jumping on the bed.3. Use the apps
On the Internet there are different interactive applications to teach numbers in English to children. Children usually love this learning method and it has the advantage that they can use it on their own from a computer, tablet or smartphone whenever they want. Another point in its favor is that many of them include cartoon characters, songs and games to facilitate learning and make it more fun. One of the applications that you can download from Google Play is “ 123 Learn Numbers ”.
4. Turn learning into a game
There is no better way to teach children numbers in English than through play. The game is an excellent educational resource that encourages interest and stimulates attention in the smallest of the house so that they learn in a more fun way. On the Internet you can find many game ideas for children to learn the numbers from 1 to 20 in English, although you can also create your own. For example, you can play a soup of numbers in English, match or match numbers in English with sets of objects.
5. Resort to everyday activities
Everyday activities such as picking up toys, hanging out the laundry or doing the dishes can also be turned into an opportunity to practice numbers in English with children. You can take advantage of these moments to ask the children to count in English how many toys you keep in the box or how many dishes you have washed. It’s also a great excuse to practice numbers without overwhelming them too much.