Dinosaur Number Learning Game: Read-Aloud, Summary & Counting Activities
Tales with Mom
June 7, 2026 4 min read
The Dinosaur Number Learning Game is the counting tale from Jane Yolen and Mark Teague's beloved dinosaur series, where giant, friendly dinosaurs count from one to ten. It is one of the easiest ways to make numbers feel like a game, and you can watch Mom's full version free right here.
Watch the read-aloud
Press play for the full read-aloud, with bright animation and Mom's sing-song counting voice.
What happens in the story
The dinosaurs count their way from one to ten, with sing-song repetition and big, bold artwork that gives every number its own clear moment. There is no rush and no pressure, just a gentle, rhythmic march through the numbers that invites your child to chime in and shout the next one out loud. That join-in quality is exactly what makes it such a good first counting book.
What your child is really learning
A great counting book does far more than teach the words one through ten. While you simply enjoy the story together, your child is quietly building the real foundations of early math:
- Number sense: a gut-level feel for what numbers actually mean.
- One-to-one correspondence: the key idea that each number matches exactly one thing.
- Number order: which number comes next, and which one came before.
- Math vocabulary: words like more, less, and next, soaked up naturally in context.
Talk about it
Turn the last page into a cozy conversation. There are no wrong answers:
- How high can we count together?
- Which dinosaur was your favorite? What number was it on?
- Can you find two of something in this room? How about three?
- What number do you think comes after five?
Turn it into real counting practice
The book plants the numbers. These quick, no-prep games help them stick:
- Touch and count: tap each dinosaur on the page as you say its number, so counting lands on something real.
- Count the real world: stairs, grapes, buttons, blocks, and goodnight hugs.
- Pause and ask “how many now?” before turning the page.
- Count up to ten, then back down to one, to show numbers work both ways.
- Let your child be the teacher and count to you. Getting it a little wrong is part of learning.
How to read it for the most learning
You do not need to drill. Read slowly, point as you count, and leave a beat of silence so your child can fill in the next number. Praise the effort and the careful touching-as-you-count, not the speed or getting every number right. And reread it often, because repetition is how young children truly lock numbers in.
A little about the series
Jane Yolen and Mark Teague's How Do Dinosaurs books have charmed families for over twenty years, pairing enormous, expressive dinosaurs with gentle lessons and a wink of humor. The oversized art is part of the magic: it makes every number big enough for the littlest learner to grab onto.
Keep the learning going
Add colors to the mix with the How Do Dinosaurs Learn Colors? read-aloud, see our full guide to teaching numbers 1 to 10, or browse the best counting and number books for preschoolers.
