Back
 
number books Print this page
[JavaScript users only]

  • You can look at number books with your child. There are many counting books and number books to choose from.

  • You can also make your own number scrap book at home.

  • Number books give your child the chance to count pictures of things, talk about numbers, say what number comes next and compare numbers of things in pictures.

Looking at number books

Count the pictures on each page. Look at the number and show your child how it tells you how many things there are. Count the pictures on the page in a different order. Show how you still end up saying the same number.

Trace over the number with your finger. Can your child to do the same? Show your child where you start to write the number. You can make up chants for writing the numbers, such as,

9

'All the way round, up and down' for 9

 9

 

Compare the ways numbers are written in different books. See if you can see lots of different designs for a number.

Some numbers vary more than others. It's quite surprising how the shapes of numbers can alter.

 looking at numbers

threes


Some threes have straight tops. Some are very curly.

Some have smaller curves at the top. Some just give a hint of the shape we know. Digital numbers are made with short lines.

  fours

Some fours are open at the top. Some are joined. A digital 4 doesn't cross at all.

nines

Some nines are very curly. Some nines have a very straight stick.

You can look at the shapes of numbers and see what numbers look like other numbers.

For example, 2s and 5s, and 6s and 9s are similar.

Some books, like Where's Wally?, have lots of pictures to count. You and your child can count up to 100 and more.

You can say the numbers and your child can copy you.

You can stop counting sometimes and see if he can carry on from where you stopped.

counting things

Useful questions

  • What is that number?

  • Can you find the number that shows your age?

  • Where is the number that shows how many fingers you have?

  • Can you see our door number on this page?

  • Which is the number that goes with the rhyme?

  • What is the number after this one?

  • What is the number on the next page? What is the next number going to be?

Making number books

You will need:

  • scissors

  • glue or paste

  • a scrap book

  • some old magazines or catalogues

  • old birthday cards

  • crayons or felt pens.

Look for pictures in magazines that you can cut out. Look for numbers.

Children's birthday cards usually have numbers on them. Cut out the numbers and stick them in the scrap book.

Find the same number of pictures and stick those on too.

You could collect lots of different ways of writing the same number, and stick those on the same page.

Help your child stick the numbers on the right way up. Help her to say what the number is.

What to do

  • Cut out and stick pictures of pairs of eyes.
    Count them in twos.
    Look for other pairs of things.

  • Cut out and stick pictures of hands showing five fingers. Count them in fives or tens.

hands
hands

  • Make a book of personal numbers. Put in your telephone number, the ages of people in the family, the
    front door number, shoe sizes, sock sizes, hat sizes, height, weight...

  • Make a book with a different number on each page. Collect lots of different ways of writing the same number.

  • Make a book that just has twos in it. Cut out and stick two things on each page, such as a pair of gloves, a pair of socks, twins, a bike with two wheels.

Count the things in pairs.

counting in pairs

- How many pairs are there?
- How many things are there altogether?

  • Make a book of ten things. On each page have two kinds of things, ten altogether. You could have pictures of hearts and crosses, or cats and dogs, or trucks and cars.

symbols

On one page have pictures of one cat and nine dogs.

On another page, have five aeroplanes and five helicopters.
Talk about adding the numbers to make ten. You don't need to write any sums - it's better to leave this until your child is older.

  • Make a book of very large numbers.

 

 

What will your child be learning?

  • Counting pictures of things
    This is harder than counting things you can move.

  • Recognising numbers in lots of different forms

  • Talking about numbers
    They can say what numbers they know and like.

  • Say what number comes next
    children can learn to count by seeing the order of the numbers.

  • 2 4 6 _ _ _

  • Comparing quantities of things in pictures
    They can say there is one more here, or lots more, or that five is made up of four and one, or two and three.

 

Back to top of page