Teaching maths doesn’t have to rely solely on formulas and drills. By blending stories with practical activities, educators can transform maths lessons into engaging, memorable experiences while supporting the Australian Curriculum. In this article, we’ll explore how children’s books and creative activities can enhance counting, connecting number names, numerals, and quantities up to 10 (AC9MFN01, ACMNA001, and ACMNA002) while fostering a love for stories.
Why Teach Maths Through Storytelling?
Storytelling creates an immersive learning experience by connecting abstract mathematical concepts to familiar and engaging scenarios that represent real-world problems. Counting, a fundamental aspect of the Australian Curriculum, involves understanding concepts like numbers, sequences, and quantities. Stories provide a narrative framework to make these ideas tangible, relatable, and fun for students. Let’s dive into three books that can bring maths to life in your classroom.
Book 1: One Is a Snail, Ten Is a Crab by April Pulley Sayre and Jeffrey Sayre
This delightful and imaginative book introduces young readers to counting and other maths concepts such as repeated addition, grouping, and arrays to represent numbers. However, in this article, we’ll focus on basic counting at the Foundation level. By using the number of feet on various animals, the story encourages children to explore basic counting with feet. How awesome is that? With its vibrant illustrations and humorous scenarios, this book engages young learners while fostering critical thinking and problem-solving skills in an enjoyable way.There are heaps of activities that can be done around this book, and one of my favourites for counting specifically is asking the kids to count the number of animal feet and then match them with a numeral (between 1 and 10). You can see the activity in detail below and download our learning materials for free.
Book 2: Ten Little Dinosaurs by Mike Brownlow
This engaging and playful book introduces children to counting through the adventures of ten little dinosaurs. Perfect for young learners at the Foundation level, the story takes readers on a delightful journey where the dinosaurs encounter exciting challenges, encouraging basic counting in a fun and memorable way. The rhythmic text and vibrant illustrations captivate young minds, making it a fantastic tool to nurture early maths skills.One activity I love to do with this book is asking kids to count the dinosaurs on each page and identify the number left as the story progresses, or explicitly teach them counting backwards through the number that is one less. It’s a simple yet effective way to connect storytelling with subtraction and sequencing! You can find the activity in our resource hub here.
Book 3: Bears on Wheels by Stan and Jan Berenstain
This charming and imaginative story introduces children to counting and simple maths concepts through the hilarious adventures of bears balancing on wheels. The quirky bear antics and bold illustrations captivate children, while the story effortlessly reinforces counting skills at the Foundation level.One of my favourite activities with this book is using counting bears and wheels to bring the story to life. As the bears hop on and off, I ask kids to predict, “What happens next?” or “How many bears will be left?” It’s always a delight to see their excitement as they actively count along, matching the story’s numbers to their own little models. You can also explore other ideas for counting activities here.
Teaching maths through storytelling bridges the gap between abstract concepts and practical understanding. Books like One Is a Snail, Ten Is a Crab, Ten Little Dinosaurs, and Bears on Wheels make learning maths enjoyable and relatable. Paired with interactive activities, they inspire curiosity and confidence in young learners. By integrating these resources into your lessons, you’re not only teaching maths but also nurturing creativity and critical thinking.
Ready to transform your maths lessons? Start with a story!
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