Reading Together Disponible en español

Find and Talk About Math in Picture Books

Turn reading time into math learning time! Suggestions for finding and talking about the math in storybooks.

When reading a book about numbers, notice and talk about objects in the pictures. Ask children to:

  • Count | How many are there?
  • Compare | Are there more of this object or more of that object?
  • Predict | If one animal leaves, how many are left?

When reading a book about patterns, notice and talk about patterns that repeat or grow. Ask children to:

  • Name | What patterns do you see?
  • Predict | If the pattern continues, what will come next?

When reading a book about shapes, notice and talk about examples of shapes and their properties. Ask children to:

  • Name | What shape is this? How do you know?
  • Describe | How many sides does this shape have?
  • Combine | If we put these two shapes together,
    what new shape can we make?

When reading a book about size or measurement, notice and talk about the height, length, width, and weight of different things in the story. Ask children to:

  • Describe | What do you notice about the animal’s size?
  • Compare | Which one is the tallest? Which one is the widest?

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