Books are a fun way to learn about number, practice counting and understand number in practical contexts.The following are some of my favourites for introducing and reinforcing number skills.
Counting up: 1-10
One Mole Digging a Hole by Julia Donaldson
Julia Donaldson’s wonderful rhyming text and Nick Sharrat’s comical illustrations are a perfect combination. Brightly colored numerals appear in the middle of the brief rhyming sentences, along with the corresponding number of animals to count. The engaging illustrations make this my favourite counting book.
Father Christmas Needs a Wee by Nicholas Allan
At each different house that he visits Father Christmas drinks and eats all the goodies left out for him. At number one there is hot chocolate and at number three, three cups of tea. By the time he reaches ten, he is desperate for a wee! This comical rhyming book will appeal to all kids who love toilet humour.
Counting Down: Simple Subtraction
Sesame Street- 5 Little Rubber Duckies
This is a sweet interactive board book featuring familiar Sesame Street characters. Ernie starts with 5 rubber duckies but along the way the rubber duckies stop off to play with other Sesame Street friends. Each page features a feel and trace number and 5 ducks you can move and count as each one disappears. Perfect for introducing numbers 1-5 to young children.
This rhyming bedtime countdown features 10 mischievous baby owls and their antics to avoid bedtime. As a sturdy board book with peek through pages, it is perfect for little fingers. The individual character of every owl is illustrated perfectly and children will enjoy looking out for other characters in the tree, like the book reading caterpillar, busy bees and the mouse storing berries. The back of the book has a clear counting chart to practice number recognition and counting.
Ordinal Numbers
10 Little Rubber Ducks by Eric Carle
This sweet Eric Carle story features 10 ducks that fall from a boat and what happens to each of them along the way. The hardback copy also features a squeaker to help children count along and interact with the text.
Numbers Greater than 10
This is my favourite book about numbers. It features the adorable Charlie and Lola and is perfect for any child who is interested in numbers. It shows number in everyday contexts, explores counting , time, addition, subtraction, division and multiplication. It even investigates children’s fascinations with numbers beyond one thousand. A wonderful book, with numbers interwoven amongst the illustrations in Lauren Child’s own unique way.
The Real Princess – A Mathematical Tale
The familiar story of the Princess and the Pea is retold to emphasise numbers within the story and to encourage children to understand number problems. The questions in the back of the book are designed to look back at the text and illustrations, counting and working out simple mathematical sums.
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Right from the Start 