Early maths through picture books
Use storybooks to ask counting, comparison, shape and pattern questions.
Quick answer
You can use picture books to teach maths by asking fun questions about counting, shapes, patterns, and comparisons while reading together.Learning outcome
By the end of this page, you will know how to use picture books to teach maths concepts like counting, shapes, patterns, and comparisons through simple questions and activities. Success signs:- You can ask questions about numbers and shapes while reading a story
- You can spot patterns in the pictures or story
- You can help your child count objects in the book
- You can make maths fun and exciting with picture books
Why this matters
Picture books help children learn maths in a natural, playful way. When you read stories together, you’re not just telling a tale – you're also building important maths skills. Counting objects in a story helps with number sense. Seeing shapes in the pictures builds spatial awareness. Spotting patterns helps with problem-solving. These skills are the foundation for all future maths learning. Reading picture books with maths questions makes learning feel like play, not work.How it works
Using picture books for maths is simple. First, pick a story with lots of pictures or objects to count. Then, ask questions during reading time. You can ask how many of something there are, what shape something is, or if there are more or fewer of something. Try asking questions like “How many apples are there?” or “What shape is the house?” You can also use the story to create patterns or act out simple maths problems. The key is to keep it light, fun, and part of the story.Examples you can see
Let’s imagine reading a story about a farm. The book shows a barn with 5 cows and 3 chickens. You can ask, “How many animals are in the barn?” The answer is 8. You can also ask, “Are there more cows or more chickens?” This helps with comparing numbers. Another example: a story about a party with 6 balloons. You can ask, “If 2 balloons pop, how many are left?” This introduces subtraction in a real-life way. You can also point out shapes in the pictures – like a round cake or a square table – to teach about shapes. If you read a story with repeating pictures or words, like a story about a cat that jumps on 3 different roofs, you can make a pattern with the roofs. You can say, “First the cat jumps on a red roof, then a blue roof, then a red roof again. What colour will the cat jump on next?”Try it as a mini adventure
Adventure: The Maths Explorer’s Book Hunt You are a maths explorer looking for numbers, shapes, and patterns in picture books. Your mission is to find 3 different things in a story and ask questions about them. 1st time: Look at the cover of the book and count how many animals are on it. 2nd time: Find a shape in the story. What shape is it? 3rd time: Look for a pattern. What is repeating? 4th time: Ask a friend or parent a question about what you found. 5th time: Write or draw what you found.Common mistakes
- Mistake: Not asking questions while reading. Why it happens: Parents think children will learn maths without help. Fix: Ask questions like “How many?” or “What shape?” to help children think about maths.
- Mistake: Asking too many questions at once. Why it happens: Parents want to teach everything at once. Fix: Ask one question at a time and let the child answer before moving on.
- Mistake: Only asking simple counting questions. Why it happens: Parents think counting is all you need. Fix: Ask about shapes, patterns, and comparisons too.
- Mistake: Not making it fun or playful. Why it happens: Parents feel pressure to teach “proper” maths. Fix: Make it a game or pretend play. Say, “Let’s pretend we’re counting the stars!”
Parent and carer guide
Reading picture books with maths questions is a great way to help your child learn. Here’s how to do it in 5-10 minutes: 1. Pick a story that has lots of pictures or objects. 2. Read the story together, but pause to ask questions. 3. Ask simple questions like “How many?” or “What shape?” 4. Let your child answer, and praise their efforts. 5. If they get stuck, help them by asking a simpler question or using your hands to count. Remember, it’s not about getting the right answer – it’s about enjoying the story and thinking about maths. Keep it light and fun. You can also make up your own questions if the book doesn’t have many to ask.Practice questions
- How many trees are in the story?
- What shape is the house?
- Are there more red flowers or blue flowers?
- How many shoes are on the page?
- What pattern do you see?
- Count the trees in the story.
- Look at the picture and name the shape.
- Compare the flowers and say which is more.
- Count the shoes.
- Look for repeating pictures or words.
FAQ
Can I use any picture book for maths?
Yes! Any book with pictures or objects can be used for maths questions. Books with animals, food, or toys are great for counting. Books with patterns or shapes are perfect for learning about shapes and patterns.
What if my child doesn’t like maths questions during reading?
Start with just one question and make it fun. Say, “Let’s pretend we’re looking for treasure!” or “What shape is that?” Keep it playful and not like a test.
How often should I do maths with picture books?
Try to do it every day or at least a few times a week. Even 5 minutes of maths questions during reading helps build skills. The more you do it, the more your child will enjoy it.
What if I don’t know the answer to a question?
That’s okay! Ask your child what they think, or say, “Let’s count together!” You can even make up a fun answer like, “The number is 7, and it’s hiding behind a flower!”
Are there any books you recommend for maths?
Books like “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” for counting, “Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?” for patterns, and “Shapes, Shapes, Shapes” for shapes are great choices. You can also use any story with lots of pictures or objects to count.