Finding the Math in (Almost) Any Picture Book: Tips for Families
- Math Happiness Project
- Apr 24
- 3 min read
For both of us, settling in to read a book with our children is one of our favorite things to do. We love the “reading” part of reading with our kids, but since we specialize in math education, it’s hard for us not to notice all of the many math opportunities when we are reading.
Even books that aren’t “math books” are often full of opportunities to talk about math through numbers, patterns, comparisons, and more.
We collected some of our favorite strategies for you to use from time to time when reading with your children. Some of the strategies might work best with younger children, while others may be a better fit for older ones. You don’t need to use every tip—choose the ones that match your child’s age, interests, the book, and what feels natural during story time.
And as a bonus: many of these ideas also boost your child’s reading comprehension! Asking questions, noticing details, and talking about what’s happening in a story helps kids better understand and remember what they read (We may specialize in math education nowadays, but we both started out as elementary school teachers 😊 ).
1. Spot Numbers in the Story
Many stories include numbers without being “math books.” Pay attention to quantities, page numbers, ages, or anything with a number attached.
Ask: “How old is the character?” “What number do you see on the house?”
Talk about what the numbers mean in the context of the story.
Example: “The birthday cake has 6 candles—how old is she turning?” or “There’s a #5 on that race car. What do you think it means?” This helps your child notice and think about the different ways we see and use numbers in our world.
2. Look for Sizes and Amounts, Estimate!
Use illustrations or story moments as a springboard to build number sense.
Count items on a page together. Ask: “How many animals are on this page?”
Estimate, then check: “How many do you think there are?”
Talk about which groups are “about the same” or “more than” others.
Talk about: How many more or fewer, what comes next, or how things compare.
Example: In a book about animals at a zoo, you might ask: “How many ducks do you think are in the pond?” → “Let’s count them!” “If there are 3 lions and 5 zebras, how many animals is that altogether?”
3. Notice Patterns or Repetition
Stories with repeated phrases, actions, or sequences are great for exploring patterns.
Ask: “What comes next?” or “Do you notice a pattern?”
Example: In books like “Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed" you can ask, "What do you think will happen next?" “What is happening to the number of monkeys on each new page?"
4. Compare and Describe
Use stories to talk about size, shape, length, weight, speed, or other comparisons.
Ask: “Which is taller?” “Which looks heavier?” “Which one came first?”
Example: In a story about building a treehouse, ask:“Whose ladder is the longest?” or “Which treehouse is higher?”
5. Explore Spatial Relationships & Language
Words like above, below, behind, inside, next help younger children build spatial awareness.
Ask: “Where is the cat hiding?” or “Can you find what’s under the bed?”
Example: Try acting out the story afterward using toys to reinforce spatial ideas saying, “Your book is on the couch. Now your book is under the table” as you move the book.
Remember: Math is more than numbers and calculations!
When kids talk about patterns, compare sizes, notice order, or explain their thinking—they're doing math. Even storytime can be a chance to grow their confidence and curiosity!
Want all of this in handout form to print and keep with you? You can grab our downloadable version right here!
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