Teaching preschoolers about numbers and counting is made easy with a variety of educational reads available. To make it easy, we have put together a list of ten books your toddler is sure to enjoy!
10 Books About Counting for Toddlers
1. One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish by Dr. Seuss
Incorporating rhythm and rhyme, toddlers love this classic story by Dr. Seuss. With simple words and pictures, imagination is reflected through a colorful cast of characters. This timeless tale helps to familiarize children with numbers, as well as, colors.
2. Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed by Eileen Christelow
Reinventing this famous nursery rhyme as a watercolor picture book, this story captures the attention of preschoolers and teachers alike. Following the adventures of five misbehaving monkeys, students become familiar with counting as each monkey bumps their head and goes to the doctor. Enjoy this CD afterwards for additional fun.
3. One Duck Stuck by Phyllis Root
In this illustrated counting book, one duck gets stuck in the muck. As more and more animal friends come to the help out, young listeners will be introduced to different numbers and their order.
4. The Noisy Counting Book by Susan Schade and Jon Buller
When a frog and his animal friends begin to count, one boy’s fishing trip is interrupted by concert of silly sounds. Imitating the noises of the animals, toddlers will have fun learning to count from one to six.
5. Butterfly Colors and Counting by Jerry Pallotta
Through bright butterfly illustrations, preschoolers will enjoy learning how to count from one to ten. Incorporating numbers with colors and text in a simple design encourages young learners to want to keep reading this book over and over. A great activity to incorporate with this story would be for students to create and color their own butterflies.
6. Counting Kisses: A Kiss and Read Book by Karen Katz
With a countdown of kisses to say goodnight to baby, this story is truly heartwarming and educational. Starting with ten toe kisses to one last kiss on the head, this tale goes through what it takes a family to get baby to sleep.
7. The Very Blue Thingamajig by Narelle Oliver
Through the life of an imaginary blue creature, numbers and other early math concepts are introduced in this tale as the thingamajig begins to grow and develop. By a variety of different means to express numbers through words, figures and illustrations, this tale will engage preschoolers from beginning to end.
8. Potato Joe by Keith Baker
Playing on the well-known “One Potato, Two Potato” rhyme, this story will captivate young learners. Telling the tale of individual potatoes popping out of the ground, preschoolers will go over counting to ten and back down again.
9. Click, Clack, Splish, Splash: A Counting Adventure by Doreen Cronin and Betsy Lewin
Duck and friends go on a rescue mission in this exciting tale. Throughout the story, each assignment includes an increasing number of tactics to save the mysterious animal. This book is short and sweet and great for a preschool read aloud.
10. One Is a Snail, Ten is a Crab by A. & J. Sayre and Randy Cecil
This story is all about different animals and counting the number of feet they have. Crabs, dogs, humans and more make their feet available for silly counting antics to be enjoyed by early learners.