Transportation ESL Games, Activities, Worksheets & More - ESL Speaking (2024)

If you’re looking for some fun, engaging, and interactive transportation ESL games and activities, then you’re certainly in the right place. We have lots of student-centred ESL transportation activities, along with lesson plans and worksheets. Keep on reading for all the best ESL transportation conversation ideas!

ESL Transportation Games and Activities

Let’s get to the best transportation ESL activities and games.

#1: Transportation Taboo

I’m sure you’ve played the party game taboo before? It’s where you have to describe a word but you can’t use a list of other related words.

I’ve adapted it to use in my TEFL classes and it’s a great option for transportation words. Have a look here:

ESL Taboo Game.

#2: Postcards Writing Activity

A lot of people write on a postcard has to do with transportation and getting somewhere. That’s what makes this activity a perfect fit for this unit. Have a look:

#3: Describing Something Guessing Game

Try out this quick speaking and listening activity to review new transportation words. Students have to describe a word (car, plane, skateboard, etc.) to another student who has to guess what it is. More details here:

Describe Something Guessing Game.

#4: Just 1 Question

This is a nice survey type of activity that gets students out of their seats and moving around the classroom. It’s ideal for transportation as there are many interesting questions that students could choose to ask their classmates. Find out how to do it here:

Just One Question.

#5: Dictogloss Listening Activity

If you teach more advanced students, you may want to try out this challenging listening and speaking or writing activity. Find (or write) a passage filled with lots of key vocabulary words. In this case, words related to transportation.

Then, put students into pairs and read out the passage at a faster than normal pace. Students have to listen, take notes, and then attempt to recreate what they heard. Read it again and students do the same thing. Finally, they can compare what they have with the original version.

Want to try it out with your students? Learn more about it here:

Dictogloss ESL Listening Activity.

#6: Vocabulary Auction Transportation Game

This is a nice activity that works on building sentences as well as new vocabulary. It does take a bit of preparation so I’ll usually only do it if I can recycle the activity for multiple classes. For example, 3 or 4 sections of the same course.

Students love it though and it’s always worth the effort! Learn how to do it here:

ESL Vocab Auction.

#7: Alphabet Game

It’s likely that many of your students already know the names of lots of transportation options. Have a look here for a simple warmer activity to use if that’s the case:

#8: Transportation Role Plays

Have fun some with role-plays related to transportation. For example, you could use the following scenarios:

• Someone asking a bus driver how to get to a certain place
• Buying a ticket at the train station
• Asking another passenger which stop to get off at
• Etc.

#9: Charades with Transportation Vocabulary

A fun way to review new vocabulary words is to play charades. For beginners, this could be as simple as having them act out words like train, car, bike, walking, etc. More advanced students can handle phrases like driving a car, getting on a bus, etc.

For more details, have a look here:

ESL Charades Game.

#10: Chain Spelling ESL Activity

This is a fun way to review the spelling of transportation-related words with beginners. It’s challenging, fun, and has an element of competition to it to keep things interesting. Try it out for yourself:

ESL Chain Spelling Activity.

#11: Task-Based Language Teaching

I love to include some task-based teaching in my classes. It’s a nice change of pace from the usual communicative style of activities.

A nice option is to put students into groups and have them research one method of transportation. For example, when it was invented and by whom. Then, they can make a poster about it and do a short presentation to the class. Check out this article with lots more ideas:

Task-Based Language Teaching.

#12: What am I?

This is a fun game to review new English transportation words. It’s a classic party game that I’ve adapted for use in my English classes. Have some fun with your students! Try it out:

What am I ESL game.

#13: Transportation Song for Kids

When I’m teaching children, I love to include some songs and chants in my classes. The bad news is that I don’t have a musical bone in my body! The good news is that YouTube is a gold mine for all things ESL songs. Have a look and you’re sure to find one that’ll work well for your students.

#14: Running Dictation Transportation Game

I love to use this 4-skills, student-centred activity at least a couple of times throughout the semester. Find (or write) a conversation between two people talking about transportation. For example, how they usually get to school or work.

Then, post the sentences around the classroom. Students have to work together to dictate what’s on those pieces of paper and when done, put the conversation in the correct order. It’s challenging but fun. Have a look here:

ESL Running Dictation.

#15: Me Too!

Try out this simple speaking and listening activity. Students have to make a true statement about themselves related to transportation. For example:

• I ride my bike to school.
• My family has a car.
• I hate taking the bus.

If other students in the class agree, they can stand up and say, “Me too!” Learn more about it here:

#16: Telephone ESL Speaking and Listening Game

This is a fun activity for kids. I’m sure you remember playing this when you were young.

The teacher gives the first student on each team a secret message. In this case, it should be related to transportation. Then, students have to pass the message down the line, from person-to-person. The last one compares what they have with the original.

Try it out for yourself:

ESL Telephone Game for Kids.

#17: Pictionary Transport Activity

A nice way to review ESL transportation vocabulary with beginners is to play pictionary. Prepare a bunch of slips of paper with transport vocabulary that you’ve been teaching.

Then, divide the class into two teams and one student from the first team comes up to the board and grabs a whiteboard maker. They have one minute to draw the first word until their team can guess what it is. I then allow the student to take the next word and continue on to get as many points as possible before the minute is up.

Try it out for yourself! It’s one of the best transport activities for kids.

#18: Dictation

#19: Transportation Vocabulary

Check out this handy guide for teaching students the most common ways to get from one place to another:

Transportation Vocabulary in English.

Transportation ESL Lesson Plans

If you’re an English teacher, then you’re going to know what a huge time-saver it can be to use lesson plans that other teachers have put together. Here are some of the top picks:

Lingua House

Games 4 ESL

ESL Kids Stuff

ESL Transportation Worksheets

Another way to save a ton of time is to use these transportation ESL worksheets that other teachers have put together. Here are some of the top ones to consider for your students.

Boggles World

ISL Collective

ESL Tower

Did you like these Transportation ESL Activities?

Yes? Thought so. Then you’re going to love this book over on Amazon: 101 ESL Activities for Kids. The key to better English classes for children is a wide variety of interesting, engaging, and interactive ESL activities and games and this book will help you get there in style.

You can find the book in both digital and print formats. Keep a copy on the bookshelf in your office to use as a handy reference guide when doing lesson plans. Or, take a copy with you when on the go on your phone or tablet by using the free Kindle reading app.

Either way, it’s easier than ever to have better TEFL classes with kids. Pick up a copy of the book today:

ESL Transportation Vocabulary List

Here are some of the most common transport ESL vocabulary to consider teaching your students.

• airplane (plane)
• aisle seat
• ambulance
• arrival
• bike
• boat
• bus
• car
• departure
• dump truck
• fire truck
• forklift
• garbage truck
• kayak
• light rail transit
• motorcycle
• police car
• scooter
• seat
• stand-up paddleboard
• subway
• taxi
• ticket
• tractor
• train
• window seat
• van

Transport ESL FAQs

There are a number of common questions that people have about ESL transportation activities and games. Here are the answers to some of the most popular ones.

How do you teach transport vocab?

You can teach transport vocab the same way you would teach any other vocabulary in another language, using the presentation-practice-production model. Use a picture to show students a car. Then say, “car.” Have student repeat. Then, have students do some controlled practice and then freer practice with the new transport vocabulary.

How do I ask a question about transportation?

Some of the most common questions about transportation include the following:

• Do you have a driver’s license?
• How do you get to school (work)?
• Do you know how to ride a bicycle?
• What are some of the pros and cons of owning a car?
• Do you think the speed limits are too low in your country?

How do you introduce transportation?

A nice way to introduce transportation in an English class is to show a picture with various modes of transport. Point to someone riding a bicycle and elicit from students how that person is travelling. Do the same with the next person who is perhaps in a car. This will help students activate their prior knowledge about the topic and will also generate interest in it.

What are the different types of transport?

The different types or modes of transport include air, land and water. However, there are also ways including space, pipelines, cables, underwater, etc.

Have your Say about ESL Transportation

What’s your top pick for a game or activity for transportation? Is it one of the options from this list or do you have another that you’d like to recommend? Please leave a comment below and let us know what you think. We’d love to hear from you.

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Last update on 2024-02-01 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API