12 Playful Counting Books for Kids of All Ages
Counting books are a wonderful way to introduce the concept of numbers and number order to toddlers and kids of all ages. Books are such a fun and interactive way to introduce the idea of counting.
Ideally, you will pair these books with interactive toys so that your child will have multiple opportunities and modalities to experience the idea of numbers. Hearing, touching, and seeing numbers are the perfect way to expand and improve your child’s language skills.
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What is a counting book?
Counting books are any book that introduces numbers and number order as well as counting. Counting books are the perfect way to introduce early math concepts while improving your child’s language skills.
How do you teach counting in a fun way?
Counting books are the perfect tool to teach counting in a fun way. The books that we have included in this list are both interactive and fun and the perfect way to engage your child while teaching them about numbers at the same time.
Favorite Counting Books
Ten, Nine, Eight
Author: Molly Bang
Illustrator: Molly Bang
Year: 1996
Genre: Board Books
Age: 1 – 3
More info: Caldecott Honor Book
Plot
I love this counting-in-reverse story that starts with 10 toes and ends with a child tucked in for bed. This award winner has been a classic bedtime story for more than thirty years! The story features a Black father and baby which is sadly a rare site in baby books.
Why Kirsten loves it
I’m convinced this story is the reason my son is obsessed with math. The rhythmic counting is soothing and, with the calming illustrations, the perfect story for lulling your child to sleep.
Find this book in: Counting Books / Best Books for a 1-Year-Old / Bedtime Books
Countablock by Christopher Franceschelli
Because the words in this story are mostly sight words and kids are learning to recognize numbers up to 100, this makes a great first book for early readers.
Counting Books for Toddlers
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
There are so many things about this classic book for kids that I love. Not only can you talk about days of the week, food, and counting, but you can follow the caterpillar on his journey to becoming a butterfly. When it comes to books for 3-year-olds, this one is tops.
Why We Love This Book: A gorgeous introduction to nature, food, counting, and days of the week.
Appropriate for ages 0-5
Find this book in 2-year-old Books / Classic Kids Books / Preschool Books About Food / Best Board Books / Educational Books for 3-year-olds
Ten Little Ladybugs
Author: Melanie Gerth
Illustrator: Laura Huliska-Beith
Year: 2000
Genre: Board Book
Age: 1 – 3
More info:
Plot
This interactive book helps kids count from one to ten with little 3D ladybugs that appear on each page as you progress through the story.
Why Kirsten loves it
I love that the raised ladybugs help tactile learners so it is a multi-sensory learning experience.
Find this book in: Counting Books / Best Books for a 1-Year-Old / Interactive Books for Kids
Plot
This adorable finger puppet book is interactive and fun. The repetition in this classic rhyme encourages language development and as children get older, they may start babbling along while you read.
Why Jackie loves it
The finger puppet encourages hand-eye coordination while they interact with the finger puppet on this book.
Find this book in: Counting Books / Interactive Books For Kids / Books for a 1-year-old / Books for Newborns
Plot
In this counting book for a 1-year-old, adorable dogs count with barks causing a cacophony of noise.
Why Jackie loves it
Sandra Boyton makes lots of appearances on our baby lists because she GETS IT! She makes educational books for babies that are as cute as they are informative.
Find this book in: Counting Books / Best Books for a 1-Year-Old
Learning with Llama Llama: Numbers by Anna Dewdney
Get your little one ready for preschool by teaching numbers with Llama Llama. Your toddler will love the cute illustrations and you’ll love that they will be learning numbers 1-10.
Counting books for Preschoolers
Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons by James Dean
Pete the Cat is back with his cool coat and his 4 groovy buttons. That is until he loses one and only has 3. As the story progresses, your child will count in reverse and learn subtraction at the same time. It’s the perfect preschool book to introduce math concepts.
One Duck Stuck: A Mucky Ducky Counting Book by Phyllis Root
One Duck Stuck is one of the most popular counting books for good reason! It’s a charming tale about a duck who gets stuck in the mud and needs lots of friends to help him get unstuck. Filled with onomatopoeia and alliteration, this is a great story to enhance verbal skills as well.
1-2-3 Peas by Keith Baker
This charming story is one of the few counting books for toddlers that goes higher than 10! Count along with this onomatopoeia-filled story featuring everyone’s favorite peas.
Counting Books for Kids
Place Value by David A. Adler
This book does such a good job of teaching children about place values. It breaks it down for little ones in an easy-to-understand manner that is perfect for beginning mathematicians!
The Crayons’ Book of Numbers by Drew Daywalt and Oliver Jeffers
The crayons are back in one of our favorite counting books for toddlers. Duncan has lost his crayons so you’ll be collecting them and counting along the way. It’s such a charming addition to any toddler’s bookshelf!
Count on Me
Author: Miguel Tanco
Illustrator: Miguel Tanco
Year: 2019
Genre: Picture Book
Age: 3 – 7
Plot
In a home with a musician, painter, and etymologist, one little girl explains that her passion is math. She outlines finding shapes and solving word problems, as she uses math throughout her day. The end of the book features her math journal, which is cleverly placed through the illustrations. In the journal, you can see all the math that she has pointed out explained.
Why Kirsten loves it
I bought this story for my math-obsessed son. While it’s not technically a counting book, it’s a great story to show what happens when you take the building blocks of math (numbers, counting, etc) and apply them to harder concepts. I also love that the little mathematician is a girl!
Find this book in: Counting Books
Holiday Counting Books
At the Old Haunted House
Author: Helen Ketteman
Illustrator: Nate Wragg
Year: 2014
Genre: Picture Book
Age: 2 – 5
Plot
At the old haunted house, there are lots of monsters, witches, and other Halloween creatures. When children come and trick-or-treat, they find out the creatures are friendly and welcoming.
Why Jackie loves it
This book is fun for everyone. It’s a great story to embrace the holiday season while also teaching your child about counting!
Find this book in: Halloween Picture Books / Counting Books
Mr. Pumpkin’s Tea Party
Author: Erin Barker
Illustrator: Erin Barker
Year: 2019
Genre: Picture Book
Age: 3 – 5
Plot
Mr. Pumpkin is having a tea party and all his spooky friends are coming with items to feed each other and decorate the table. This Halloween picture book is a counting book too as it counts up from 1 to 20.
Why Kirsten loves it
I love that this book can help your little one with their counting skills while also getting them in the spooky spirit of the season!
Find this book in: Halloween Books for Kids / Counting Books
Hanukkah: A Counting Book by Emily Sper
In this Hanukkah book for preschoolers, your child will learn to count to eight in Hebrew, English and Yiddish. Be sure to add this to your counting books collection.
Five More Sleeps ’til Christmas by Jimmy Fallon
As a child counts down the sleeps until Christmas, he talks about how hard it is to fall asleep when he’s excited.
This is one of our favorite holiday counting books. You can add it to a book advent calendar for the Holiday season.
Dream Snow by Eric Carle
Eric Carle at his finest. I adore Carle’s straightforward, colorful style of illustration. The story features a farmer wanting snow for the holiday and is perfect for little ones learning to count!
If your toddler loves The Very Hungry Caterpillar, they will love this story too!
For more holiday books, check out our Holiday Hub
Counting Toys
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