Counting in bedtime stories: easy number talk for ages 2 to 6

Many parents think early maths means worksheets. For a child of two to six, it mostly means talking about numbers in everyday moments. Story time is one of the best of those moments. The child is calm, close to you, and looking at pictures full of things to count.

This article shares what research says about number talk, and a few easy ways to use it at bedtime.

Why number talk matters

A team led by Susan Levine followed 44 young children and their parents in a study on number knowledge. Parents were recorded at home during five visits, when the children were between 14 and 30 months old. The amount of number talk differed hugely from family to family. Some parents used only a handful of number words in total. Others used hundreds.

The parents who used more number words had children who, at about four years old, better understood what number words mean. This held even after the researchers took other kinds of parent talk into account.

This was a small study and it shows a link, not proof of cause. But the message is friendly: you do not need a programme. You need to say numbers out loud, often, about real things.

What “knowing a number” really means

Reciting “one, two, three, four, five” is like singing a song. It is a good start, but it is not the whole skill. The big step is understanding that the last number you say tells you how many things there are.

That is why counting real objects, one at a time, with a finger, matters more than counting fast. A page of a story is perfect for it. The things sit still, and you can point to each one.

Easy ways to count during a story

Try one or two of these. You do not need all of them.

1. Point and count. On a busy page, count the birds, the stars or the cups together. Touch each one as you say the number.
2. Say the total. After counting, say it again: “Four ducks. There are four ducks.”
3. Count down. Bedtime is a natural countdown. “Ten more minutes. Nine. Eight.” Ask your child what number comes next. Stanford’s family maths team has a guide for reading a bedtime counting story that uses this idea.
4. Add or take away. If three mice are in the story and one runs away, ask “How many are left now?” Stanford’s early maths group also notes that stories where things are added or taken away help children meet early adding and subtracting.
5. Compare. Use size words and number words together: “Which pile has more? Which tree is taller?”
6. Ask your child to count for you. “Can you check if the bear has enough cookies for everyone?”

Choosing or making stories with numbers in them

Stanford’s guide to choosing storybooks for early maths offers handy advice. Pick books with art your child enjoys. Look for pictures where the objects are clearly spaced out, so they are easy to count. Books that show both the numeral and the number word are a plus.

You can also invent the story yourself. A small tale about a hedgehog who gathers five apples for a winter party already holds counting, adding and sharing. Say the numbers slowly and let your child fill in the gaps.

Where TaleHop fits in

Children count most eagerly when the story is about someone they care about. TaleHop makes illustrated stories from an idea you type in, in English, Spanish or Russian. You can ask for an original character your child has helped dream up, and for a story that gives that character things to count: seven stepping stones across a stream, or three sleepy owls on a branch.

You get a print-ready A5 booklet, so you can point at the pictures and count together, and coloring books if your child likes to draw what they counted.

Small moments add up. A few numbers on each page, said warmly, are plenty.

This article gives general ideas for families and is not professional advice. If you have worries about your child’s development, talk with your child’s teacher or doctor.