It’s time to focus on storybooks as part of this ’10 Ways to Count’ roundup series. As educators and parents we love to read to our kids, it’s such a great way to learn and builds closer relationships. Using extension activities to incorporate the counting we read about is a natural progression that gives meaning and context. Take a look at these inspirational ways to count with storybooks!
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Count with storybooks ideas
1. Laura Numeroff: If you give a mouse a cookie
- Feed the mouse counting game from The Pinterested Parent. Create a DIY paper plate mouse and cookies to feed him!
- Cookie counting cards from Playdough to Plato. Super cute (and free) counting cards for adding chocolate chips to!
- A cookie number game from Toddler Approved! This game uses what you probably already have in your kitchen plus little plastic tops that turn into cookies.
- Cookie counting activities from Still Playing School. DIY cookies plus free dot marker cookie sheets if you sign up for their newsletter.
- Your DIY cookies can also be used with Mo Willems’ The Duckling Gets A Cookie!? 3 Dinosaurs did that here.
2. Donald Crews: Ten Black Dots
- Counting and grouping circles from Pre-K Pages. You only need black card, white chalk and a hole punch!
- Pattern play from Mama Miss. Uses black beads and a small sand tray. This post has free pattern cards your kids might enjoy.
- Art and number matching from Inspiration Laboratories. Has some fun art ideas focused on black dots, plus a free printable you can use with black sticky dots for number matching.
- Paint chip number recognition from Reading Confetti. DIY with paint chips and a paper punch!
- Counting with 10 black dots from 3 Dinosaurs. Involves reading the book using black pompoms as props. An excellent idea!
3. Ellen Stoll Walsh: Mouse Counts
- Mouse Count activities from The Educators’ Spin On It. DIY mice from little bottle tops and a snake from a paper towel tube. Kim also has a free Mouse Count printable activity here.
- Mouse count relay game from Lalymom. Mice are made with permanent markers on ping pong balls!
- Counting and number line activities from Rainy Day Mum. DIY from butcher paper and brown card. Cerys uses the snake body for a number line.
- Counting game from Pre-K Pages. DIY snake from a toilet roll and washi tape, then you’ll need a glass jar and some mice (or pompoms).
4. Maurice Sendak: Where the Wild Things Are
- Counting teeth activity from Mom Inspired Life. A DIY activity where kids can match and count his teeth!
5. Dr Seuss: 10 Apples Up On Top / One Fish Two Fish / The Lorax
- 10 Apples counting activity from Mom Inspired Life. Free apples printable… just cut them out and attach to clothespins, add a child’s picture and you’re ready to go.
- 10 Apples Felt counting set from Buggy and Buddy. Make some felt apples then add a picture of a child.
- 1 Fish 2 Fish counting game from Mama Miss. A lovely free printable board game.
- The Lorax number match up from Playdough to Plato. Another cute printable to use with pompoms.
- The Lorax Truffala tree number match from 3 Dinosaurs. A DIY activity using construction paper and craft sticks.
6. Eric Carle: The Mixed Up Chameleon / Ten Little Rubber Ducks / A Very Hungry Caterpillar
- The Mixed Up Chameleon Fine motor and math game from Buggy and Buddy. DIY flies using pompoms and pipe cleaners plus a free chameleon printable.
- Rubber Duck math game from Fantastic Fun and Learning.
- Leaf and rock number matching from Fun-A-Day. DIY with green card, a hole punch and some little rocks.
- Hungry caterpillar fine motor sequencing activity from ABCs to ACTs. You just need the free printable of the foods in the book, a hole punch and a shoelace.
7. Don Freeman: Corduroy
- Corduroy math from I Can Teach My Child. Free printable counting bears to use with buttons.
- Teddy bear button counting from Mom Inspired Life. Another free printable of numbered bears to use with buttons.
- Number button matching from 3 Dinosaurs. DIY numbered bears to add buttons to.
8. Eric Litwin & James Dean: Pete the Cat and his Four Groovy Buttons
- Counting and addition from Buggy and Buddy. Use the free T-shirt pattern to cut out felt shapes, then you just need buttons and a die.
- Counting and subtraction from Inspiration Laboratories. Free printable T-shirt to use with buttons and dice.
- Button counting, graphing and sorting from Mama Miss. You’ll just need the free printable and some buttons.
9. Julia Donaldson: The Gruffalo
- Roll a Gruffalo game from Playdough to Plato. A DIY game that needs some tracing paper.
10. Mo Willems: Pigeon! books
- The Pigeon counts! from PreKinders. Karen describes this die game and explains where to find free printable images to print from the official Pigeon Presents! site.
Interested in math-focused book lists?
- 12 children’s books about counting and numbers from Buggy and Buddy.
- Counting books recommended by a math coach from Fantastic Fun and Learning.
- Books for kids who love numbers and math from And Next Comes L
I hope you enjoy these great ideas to count with storybooks!
Want to see more counting roundup posts?
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