One way I’ve loved teaching my preschoolers about their numbers and counting is through some of my favorite books!!
Consider adding the best books children must read to your learning routine. I wanted to start with books that were perfect for teaching children to count.
Children of all ages, and young learners love these books. Don’t limit them only to your preschooler! These are great for circle time together in your homeschool day.
We made a trip to the library and found our favorite books. I tried hard to pull together a list that is not your common “over-done” childrens books.
I love the variety we came up with and the input of the staff at our library, one a former preschool teacher, was awesome and helpful.
The next time you’re at the library, take this list of best childrens books with you!
Best Childrens Books: 19 Counting Books
10 Hungry Rabbits– Mama and Papa Rabbit have 10 very hungry little ones. Mama is trying to make soup for dinner, but she has nothing to put in it. The little rabbits venture away to a garden and find things for the soup. This book is full of both color and counting concepts that is perfect for your toddler, preschooler or young learner to follow along.
123 A Child’s First Counting Book– I love nostalgic pictures and books and while this book was released in the last decade, I love the old feel with the images and illustrations. The author ties in many of our favorite childhood fairy tales in a very subtle way as a little girl falls fast asleep and beings to dream through the night of three little pigs, royal mattresses and gingerbread men.
1,2,3 to the Zoo– if you love Eric Carle this book is a gem! Perfect for toddlers and preschoolers. We build a train full of zoo animals. Each train car holds a number of animals. How many lions will fit in one train car? How many snakes and how many birds?
123 Yippie– this is a pint-size colorful book that is perfect for your toddler and preschooler. This is a story where you count from 1 to 10 as you watch a little house fill up with fun animals as two children prepare for a party. Then you count back down as each animal leaves. Simple story with lots of counting.
A Caribbean Counting Book– if you love books that rhyme this is another fun one. As we know, incorporating music into learning is very helpful for children. I also love exposing my children to other cultures and heritage and this book is full of that with chants from the Bahamas, Barbados, Jamaica and more! My boys love fun books like this.
Best Counting Book Ever– if you grew up loving Richard Scarry’s books, you will adore sharing this with your kiddos. I can pick up any of his books and they take me back to being four and five years old. Follow along as you count 1-20 and then count by tens until you land at 100.
Big Fat Hen– this is a beautifully illustrated books that plays off of the well-known childhood song “1,2 buckle my shoe…”. I love the opportunities to count eggs and baby chicks in this fun story as we count from 1 to 10.
Chicka Chicka 123– many of us are familiar with the ABC version of this book, but did you know a number version of the book exists? We love the rhyming rhythm of this story and Matthew has asked me to read it over and over again. “Chicka Chicka 1,2,3… Will there be a place for me?”.
Count Down to Clean Up– this is a counting book that encourages volunteering and helping others. There are ten bunnies who work hard to help one another and two of the bunnies are “twins” which is a fun topic at our house. What I love about this book is it’s light on the “reading” and there is a focus on using logic and counting objects from page to page and littler kids can have fun simply counting objects.
Count the Ways, Little Brown Bear– we tell our children every day how much we love them, but let’s count them! This is a perfect bedtime counting book where Mama Bear counts all the ways that she loves Little Brown Bear as they enjoy apples, they go fishing, enjoy jars of honey and more.
Counting Crocodiles– a story about a monkey on the Sillabobble Sea who is tired of eating lemons and spies a banana tree. The sea is full of hungry crocodiles who think monkey looks pretty tasty. She counts the crocks there and back and before they know it they have been tricked. Monkey has her bananas and proves she is too clever to be caught by these crocodiles. This fun story reminds me a lot of My Fathers Dragon, a book we read earlier this year in our homeschool curriculum.
Farm Life– the title does not indicate counting, but this book is full of rhyming concepts and incorporated counting and colors as we explore life on a farm. I love the little glossary in the back of the book that defines at a child’s level what fillies are and what a sow is. (Just in case you do not know.)
Max Counts His Chickens– this famous bunny from the Max and Ruby series is at it again. This time he is counting all the chicks that the Easter Bunny left for him and Ruby. Chickens are everywhere; the bathroom, in their bedroom and even in the kitchen. Thank goodness they are marshmallow chicks! Yummy.
My Baby Brother Has Ten Tiny Toes– this is a perfect story to share with your toddlers and preschoolers and is certainly something they can relate to. We count baby’s eyes, his hats, his shoes and more.
One Guinea Pig is not Enough– this fun book about one lonely guinea pig and another lonely guinea pig who keep adding to their group until it grows to ten! Clear math concepts are illustrated on each page making this a perfect counting book for young learners like my kindergartens. And we love the page where it lists all ten of the guinea pigs names. Who wouldn’t love a pet guinea pig named Macaroni or Pigwiggin? Super fun book!
One Little, Two Little , Three Little Pilgrims– it does not have to be Thanksgiving to enjoy this counting story. After all, we are thankful every day, right? Aside from the counting aspect, we also learn about Pilgrims and the Wampanoeg people. This is fun counting for my sweet little preschooler, but also ties in perfectly with some of our Sonlight Curriculum for my kindergarteners. Love that!
One More Bunny– in this story we watch a fun afternoon with a bunny and his friends on a playground swinging, catching balls and playing on the merry-go-round. But, what I LOVE about this book, is that you can do simple counting with smaller children, like preschool age, but then each playground scenario illustrates a written math equation to represent the bunnies as well.
Ten Little Caterpillars– we know and love the beautiful work of Bill Martin Jr., and this book delivers as well. We watch the journey of ten caterpillars and we learn about the different things each of them love to eat. Some feed on leaves, some feed on crops and all of them turn into different looking butterflies.
The Looking Book– a little boy is on a journey to find his lost cat in this hide-and-seek counting book. Help him find his cat hunting page by page as you count the things you come across on your hunt. Another fun book!
What are your favorite counting concept books for your toddler, preschooler and young learner?
Learning Numbers and Counting
We love this activity pack that is all about numbers and is perfect for young learners.
