Storytime: Numbers and Counting

Books

Eggs 1 2 3 by Janet Halfmann

The Water Hole by Graeme Base

1-2-3 Peas by Keith Baker

Ones and Twos by Marthe Jocelyn and Nell Jocelyn

7 Ate 9: the Untold Story by Tara Lazar

Goodnight Numbers by Danica McKellar

As usual, I've gotten way behind on my posts. One day, maybe I'll catch up. I wanted to at least get one storytime post up during February though! I did this storytime quite a while ago, but counting is a theme that can be used any time of year. There are a wealth of books, songs, and rhymes that involve counting, so it's a great theme for a storytime! I especially liked Eggs 1 2 3 because it is a nonfiction book with information about different animals and the types of eggs they lay. The kids can guess what the animal is before you turn the page. The platypus one definitely stumped them!

For a small selection of the numerous counting songs and rhymes that are out there, click read more.

Songs and Rhymes

Action Song: “Counting and Jumping”

Jump Jump Jump Jump
Jumping’s so much fun

But let’s stop jumping,

While we count to one.

Jump Jump Jump Jump

Jumping’s great to do,

We’ll stop our jumping,

While we count to two.

Jump Jump Jump Jump

Jumping high are we.
But we'll stop jumping,
While we count to three.

Jump Jump Jump Jump

Jumping even more.
But we'll stop jumping,
While we count to four.

Jump Jump Jump Jump

Jumping while we jive,

But let’s stop jumping,

While we count to five

Jump Jump Jump Jump

Just like pogo sticks.
But let's stop jumping
While we count to six.

Jump Jump Jump Jump

Jumping to the heavens.

We stop our jumping,

While we count to seven.

Jump Jump Jump Jump

Jumping then we wait.
We stop our jumping
While we count to eight.

Jump Jump Jump Jump

Jumping is so fine!

We’ll stop our jumping,

While we count to nine.

Jump Jump Jump Jump

Jumping once again.
But we'll be finished
Once we count to ten.

Source: Jim Gill with additional lyrics by me

Action/Transition Rhyme: “Counting and Stretching”

Touch the floor and count to four

1-2-3-4

Stretch up high and count to five

1-2-3-4-5

Now let’s sit and count to six

1-2-3-4-5-6

Source: written by me

Flannelboards and Fingerplays

Flannelboard: “Down in the Garden”

Down around the corner in my garden so fine,

There are five little pea pods all on a vine.

Along comes a rabbit who wants something to munch.

He takes one pea pod and eats it for lunch!

Verses: Count down to one.

Source: written by me

Almost any of my flannelboards would really work for this theme since so many of them are counting to five or down from five. I specifically chose this one because it was one of the few that I actually put the numbers on the pieces and because it's a good way to add a puppet into the storytime. I use a cute rabbit puppet to take the peas off the board when I do this flannel. I'm trying to incorperate more puppets into my storytimes because the kids love them!

Finger Play: “Five Green and Speckled Frogs”

Five green and speckled frogs

Sat on a speckled log

Eating some most delicious bugs

Yum, yum!

One jumped into the pool

Where it was nice and cool

Then there were four green speckled frogs

Glub, glub!

Verses: Count down from 5 to 1

Source: Jbrary