8 Best Counting and Number Books for Preschoolers
Tales with Mom
June 7, 2026 6 min read
The best way to teach a preschooler numbers is to make counting feel like play, and a good number book does exactly that. These eight build real number sense through rhythm, repetition, and things to point at, and several come with a free Mom read-aloud you can count along to right now.
What makes a good counting book
The best counting books invite touching, not just reciting. Look for:
- Clear, countable objects on every page.
- Numbers shown as both the word and the numeral.
- A satisfying rhythm, and a range that stops at ten for the youngest.
Bonus points for books that count back down too, which quietly teaches that numbers work both ways.
1. Dinosaur Number Learning Game by Jane Yolen & Mark Teague
Counting with a roar. Repetition and friendly dino artwork make numbers one to ten feel like a game instead of a lesson.
2. Chicka Chicka 1, 2, 3 by Bill Martin Jr. & Michael Sampson
Chicka Chicka 1, 2, 3
The numbers race up an apple tree in this bouncy companion to Chicka Chicka Boom Boom. Irresistible rhythm for counting out loud together.
3. Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes by Mem Fox & Helen Oxenbury
Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes
A gentle, global celebration of babies that doubles as a first counting book. Perfect for the very youngest counters.
4. Count the Monkeys by Mac Barnett
Count the Monkeys
An interactive, rule-breaking counting book where the monkeys keep getting chased off the page. Big laughs with sneaky learning underneath.
5. 1, 2, 3 to the Zoo by Eric Carle
1, 2, 3 to the Zoo
Eric Carle's wordless train counts animals car by car. Wordless means your child does the counting and the talking.
6. Ten Black Dots by Donald Crews
Ten Black Dots
What can you make with ten black dots? A clever, minimalist counting book that sparks creativity along with the numbers.
7. Mouse Count by Ellen Stoll Walsh
Mouse Count
A hungry snake counts ten mice into a jar, and the mice count their way back out. Counting up and back down in one sweet story.
8. Anno's Counting Book by Mitsumasa Anno
Anno's Counting Book
A wordless, quietly mathematical book where a village grows number by number through the seasons. Rich enough to revisit for years.
Where to start
For an easy first counting win, start with the Dinosaur Number Learning Game. Then turn any of these into real practice with our guide to teaching numbers 1 to 10.
