Who is at the front of the line? Who is at the end? Today we learn four place words: first, second, third and last.
First, second, third
When things are in a line, we can tell their place. Start at the front. The one at the front is first. Next is second. Then comes third.
🏁 🚗 🚕 🚙 🚌
The red car is first. The taxi is second. The blue car is third.
Last
The one at the very end of the line is last. Nobody comes after the last one.
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The children are lining up at the shop. Who is first? Who is last?
Which way is the front?
Always find the front first. Look where the line is going. In a race, the front is the finish line.
Point with your finger. Say: first, second, third and last.
Try it
TRY ITLine up and race
Pick a game. Then tap your answer.
Play for your badge
Find four places. An adult can help you.
← Front — start here.
With an adult, line up four toys. Point to the first, second, third and last. Celebrate completing your Line-up Explorer activity together.
The on-screen badge game needs JavaScript. If it does not load, you can still do this activity together.
Maths words
Say these words with an adult. Can you use each one in a sentence?
first · second · third · last · front · end · line · place
Try it at home
- Line up four toys. Ask your child to point to the first, second, third and last toy.
- Have a running race in the yard. Who came first? Who came last?
- In a line at the shop or bank, ask: “What place are we in the line?”
For parents and teachers
After this lesson, your child should be able to:
- tell the position of things in a line using first, second, third and last
- find the front of a line before counting places
- answer simple questions about who came first, second or last in a race
Change the direction of the line sometimes, so your child learns to look for the front each time. Words like fourth and fifth come later, in Infants 2.
Previous: Five and Some More: Ordering and Estimating
Next: Coins and Bills
Updates
2026/11/08
– Published the reviewed lesson with supported completion badge.
– Replaced written practice and quick check with four supported picture questions and a completion badge.
– Improved image sizing and caption readability on laptops and phones.
2026/11/03
– First version of this lesson.
Attributions to media used in this post:
Children in race crossing finish line LCCN2016820394.jpg – National Photo Company Collection, Library of Congress – Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)
© 2026 Vedesh Kungebeharry. All rights reserved.