As a parent and educator finding ways to make learning fun is key to sparking curiosity and a lifelong love for knowledge. Living math books are an engaging way to do just that—they combine captivating stories with foundational math concepts, creating opportunities for hands-on learning and exploration. Here are 10 of my favorite living math books for kindergartners, perfect for inspiring young learners!
1. The Doorbell Rang by Pat Hutchins
This classic story teaches sharing and division through the charming scenario of a plate of cookies being shared with an ever-growing group of visitors. explore math concepts like fractions and division.
2. Ten Black Dots by Donald Crews
In this creative book, children learn counting and number recognition as black dots transform into various objects like balloons, marbles, and seeds. The simple yet imaginative illustrations encourage exploration of numbers in the world around us.
3. Ten on a Twig by Lo Cole
A rhyming story that introduces subtraction as ten colorful birds sit on a twig and fly away one by one.
4. The Greedy Triangle by Marilyn Burns
This engaging story introduces geometry as a triangle decides it wants more sides and transforms into other shapes. It's a fun way to explore shapes, their attributes, and where we see them in everyday life.
5. Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr. and Eric Carle
Although primarily a book about colors and animals, this rhythmic story is a great way to practice sequencing, patterns, and prediction. Kids love the repetitive structure and vibrant illustrations!
6. The Napping House by Audrey Wood
like "brown bear, brown bear"This cumulative tale introduces sequencing, patterns, and predictions as more characters pile onto a bed in a napping house.
7. Inch by Inch by Leo Lionni
In this charming story, a clever inchworm measures the necks, tails, and legs of various animals. It’s an engaging introduction to measurement and units, encouraging children to think about size and comparison.
8. Color Farm by Lois Ehlert
This bold and bright book uses simple geometric shapes to create animals. It’s an excellent introduction to shapes, colors, and spatial awareness, inspiring children to create their own art using basic forms.
9. Fish Eyes: A Book You Can Count On by Lois Ehlert
This vibrant underwater-themed book introduces addition through colorful fish and their spots. It’s a simple and engaging way to help kids visualize combining numbers.
10. Mouse Count by Ellen Stoll Walsh
This story about a snake collecting and then losing mice introduces addition and subtraction in a playful, interactive way. It’s excellent for teaching counting and basic arithmetic concepts.
Each of these books goes beyond traditional math instruction by engaging children through stories and visuals that captivate their imagination. From counting cookies to exploring shapes, and measuring inchworms, these stories weave math into everyday life, making it relatable and fun.
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