ByBethany
Are you looking for the perfect counting book for toddlers or preschoolers? 1, 2, 3, Animals! was written to engage young minds while providing a solid early math foundation.
One of my favorite ways to introduce, explore and review math concepts is by reading picture books with my kids. This is a non-threatening way to see math, and it provides something new and different from the regular math routine. In addition, picture books can show math in real life and provide useful visuals to help the brain make sense of concepts that are still abstract for kids. And so, I am thrilled to announce that after years of reading math picture books, I have had the privilege to write and publish my very own! This book, called 1, 2, 3, Animals! was written to introduce our youngest learners to a variety of math skills to build a solid foundation.
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About the book, 1, 2, 3, Animals! A Counting Book for Toddlers
In writing this story, I had several goals in mind:
- Provide a fun, colorful book about animals that young kids would enjoy whether they learned any math or not
- Create something different from other counting books by the variety of subitizing visuals and number representations on each page
- Include a brief introduction to essential early math concepts for parents, teachers and caregivers, helping them to feel confident introducing math to children
And so, the story includes simple, rhyming language, and bright, colorful illustrations to keep young kids’ interest.
1, 2, 3, Animals! also includes both the numeral and written word for each number on each page, as well as multiple opportunities to count the quantity.
There are also subitizing visuals to encourage ‘seeing’ the numbers, rather than counting one by one. It is also unique, in that it counts forwards to 10 and then backwards from 10.
Lastly, the book includes a brief letter explaining the math concepts and a variety of ways parents or teachers can expand on the following math skills with their kids, either while reading or after reading the story.
Math Concepts to Learn & Explore:
- Subitizing (seeing and knowing a quantity without counting)
- Recognizing numbers 1-10
- Counting to 10
- Counting Backwards from 10
- One to One Correspondence
Other Skills to Practice as You Read:
In addition to exploring early math skills, this book will also provide opportunities for literacy skills as well:
- Recognizing & naming animals
- Early reading skills and sight word recognition
- Exploring inference (drawing a conclusion about the story based on clues in the text or pictures)
Ways to Extend the Math Learning with 1, 2, 3, Animals!
There are so many simple ways to can learn and explore along with this book, and many are included in the introduction letter. But here are a few additional ideas for you:
- Combine reading & counting with a fun snack-grab a box of animal crackers to enjoy along with the book. Give your child a handful of cookies and have them count the cookies.
- Combine reading and movement-On subsequent readings, pause on each page and ask your child to move like that animal (for example, Can you stomp 3 times like an elephant?)
- Combine reading & crafting-do a quick search for a craft involving one of the animals in the story (ask your child which is their favorite!). Then create one of the animals after reading.
- More get up and move counting practice-on a subsequent reading, pause on each page and ask your child to find that number of things somewhere around the room (for example, can you find 4 of something around you?)
Pre-Order BONUSES with 1, 2, 3, Animals!
Ready to pre-order a copy for yourself or a friend? I’m excited to share that you can receive BONUS freebies to use along with the book to help your child build some of these foundational math skills!
As a thank you for pre-ordering before the official release date on April 21, 2020, you can receive the following bonuses:
- A set of coloring pages featuring animals from the book (a great way to keep little ones occupied while you read aloud!)
- My set of dot cards to use with 10 different math games (help kids build subitizing skills, counting skills, plus addition & subtraction skills when they’re ready)
If you have already ordered your copy, you can fill out this proof of purchase form here to request your bonuses.
If not, learn more about the book and order a copy HERE. Then fill out the form above so I can send you your bonuses!
I will get your bonuses to you ASAP, so you can begin enjoying the pages and games while you wait for the book to arrive!
*Please note: this is ONLY valid for pre-orders, meaning purchases made before the book is released April 21.*
