Best Preschool Math Books for Early Learning
If you’re looking for preschool math books, you’re in the right place! Math is everywhere, and the best way to introduce it is through math activities for preschoolers and picture books that make learning fun and relatable. Picture books bring math concepts like numbers, shapes, and patterns to life with colorful illustrations and engaging stories, helping preschoolers build early math skills in a way that feels natural.
With the right books, kids can explore math concepts while also improving their vocabulary and problem-solving skills. Whether it’s counting, sorting, or recognizing patterns, these books make math a fun part of everyday life.
A strong start in math begins early, and preschool math books help introduce numbers, shapes, and patterns in a fun way. Preschoolers love to learn through stories, and math concepts is no exception!
But reading alone isn’t enough. Hands-on math activities for preschool help children apply what they learn. Simple activities like sorting by color, making patterns, or counting snacks help make math a part of every day life. These activities build confidence and problem-solving skills while keeping learning fun.
Read this: 72 of the Best Math Picture Books for Kids
Combining picture books with hands-on math activities makes early math learning both fun and effective. We are so excited to share some of our favorite math books and activities with you, while helping to bring numbers to life for your young learners!
Counting Books (Building Number Sense)
Preschool counting books are a wonderful addition (pun intended!) to early math learning. These books teach more than just counting; they help kids understand how numbers relate to objects and introduce simple addition all through fun stories.
Skills Targeted by Counting Books:
- Number recognition and sequencing
- Counting objects and one-to-one correspondence
- Counting forward and backward
- Understanding quantity and sets
- Early addition and subtraction concepts
Preschool Math Counting Books
- Mackay, Frances (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 30 Pages – 08/06/2024 (Publication Date) – Frances Mackay (Publisher)
- Counting Cows By Jackson Woody
- Jackson, Woody (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- Ann, Kim (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 31 Pages – 05/31/2024 (Publication Date) – Lucky Four Press (Publisher)
- Pallotta, Jerry (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 10 Pages – 05/02/2017 (Publication Date) – Charlesbridge (Publisher)
Comparing and Sorting Books (Building Early Classification Skills)
Comparing and sorting books make it fun to spot differences and similarities, especially when navigating playful illustrations. These books teach key skills like recognizing patterns and organizing information in a fun and immersive way.
Skills Targeted by Comparing and Sorting Books:
- Identifying similarities and differences
- Grouping objects by size, color, shape, or type
- Recognizing patterns in everyday objects
- Understanding concepts of more, less, equal, bigger, and smaller
Preschool Comparing and Sorting Books
- Pluckrose, Henry (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 32 Pages – 09/01/2018 (Publication Date) – Children’s Press (Publisher)
- Used Book in Good Condition
- Steffora, Tracey (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- Hardcover Book
- Packer, Neil (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- Used Book in Good Condition
- Bracken, Beth (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- Reid, Margarette S. (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 24 Pages – 05/01/1995 (Publication Date) – Puffin Books (Publisher)
Measurement Books (Understanding Size, Length, and Weight Concepts)
Measurement books make abstract measurement concepts more tangible through playful storytelling and real-world examples. After reading, children can practice measuring their toys, pouring water into different-sized cups, or using a simple balance scale to compare objects.
Skills Targeted by Measurement Books:
- Introducing vocabulary like tall/short, heavy/light, big/small
- Exploring non-standard units of measurement (using hands, blocks, or toys to measure objects).
- Learning about basic comparisons in weight, height, and volume.
Preschool Measurement Books
- Lionni, Leo (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 32 Pages – 03/06/2018 (Publication Date) – Dragonfly Books (Publisher)
- Sweeney, Joan (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 32 Pages – 08/20/2019 (Publication Date) – Dragonfly Books (Publisher)
- Hardcover Book
- Fiedler, Heidi (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
Graphing & Organizing Books (Introduction to Data Collection & Representation)
Graphing and data collection are super fun hands-on learning opportunities for preschoolers! Your little ones will delight in books that share about these fun topics, and will help them apply data analysis to their own lives.
Skill Targeted by Graphing & Organizing Books:
- Categorizing and organizing information (e.g., sorting toys or favorite foods).
- Introducing simple bar graphs or pictographs.
- Learning to compare and interpret basic visual data.
Preschool Graphing & Organizing Books
- Leedy, Loreen (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 32 Pages – 09/01/2006 (Publication Date) – Holiday House (Publisher)
- This award-winning series by Stuart J. Murphy teaches math through stories and visual models|63…
- Murphy, Stuart J. (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- Aber, Linda Williams (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 32 Pages – 01/01/2000 (Publication Date) – Astra Publishing House (Publisher)
- Roy, Jennifer Rozines (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 32 Pages – 01/30/2007 (Publication Date) – Benchmark Books (Publisher)
Patterning Books (Recognizing and Creating Sequences)
Patterns are all around us, and discovering them in picture books will make them extra special for your preschoolers. Whether your kiddos are clapping out rhythm patterns, using manipulatives to build sequences, or spotting patterns in their favorite stories, they will quickly learn that patterns are a part of our daily lives.
Skills Targeted by Patterning Books:
- Recognizing and extending repeating patterns (AB, ABC, AAB, etc.)
- Identifying patterns in numbers, shapes, and colors
- Developing prediction and problem-solving skills
- Strengthening visual discrimination and attention to detail
Preschool Math Patterning Books
- Konkol, Lisa (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 32 Pages – 04/21/2025 (Publication Date) – Baa Baa Books, LLC (Publisher)
- Hardcover Book
- Hesselberth, Joyce (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- Hardcover Book
- Rusch, Elizabeth (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- McGrath, Barbara Barbieri (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 32 Pages – 02/01/2013 (Publication Date) – Charlesbridge (Publisher)
Color Books (Early Visual Discrimination & Categorization)
With bright pictures and simple words, color books are excellent tools for teaching young children about the variety of colors in our world. They can also improve observation skills by encouraging your preschoolers to notice colors in their surroundings.
Skills Targeted by Color Books
- Recognizing and naming basic colors
- Understanding how colors can be mixed to create new ones
- Sorting and grouping objects by color
Preschool Math Color Books
- Hardcover Book
- Chung, Arree (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- Leo Lionni (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 32 Pages – 01/01/1997 (Publication Date) – Dragonfly Books (Publisher)
- Walsh, Ellen Stoll (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 32 Pages – 03/27/1995 (Publication Date) – Clarion Books (Publisher)
- Hardcover Book
- Reynolds, Peter H. (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- What color is a bluebird?
- Easy to answer, but even easier when you have the color to match it with.
- Children will love solving color puzzles featuring Eric Carle’s artwork.
Shape Books (Developing Spatial Awareness & Geometry Skills)
Shape books use colorful pictures and stories to help kids recognize shapes, see patterns, and understand how things fit together. Combining these books with activities like tracing shapes or finding them in everyday objects helps make learning fun and relevant!
Skills Targeted by Shape Books
- Identifying common shapes like circles, squares, triangles, and rectangles.
- Exploring how shapes fit together (basic spatial reasoning).
- Recognizing shapes in the environment (e.g., a clock as a circle, a book as a rectangle).
Preschool Math Shape Books
- Walsh, Ellen Stoll (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 40 Pages – 09/12/2017 (Publication Date) – Clarion Books (Publisher)
- Hardcover Book
- Danielson, Christopher (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- Blevins, Wiley (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 24 Pages – 08/01/2018 (Publication Date) – Rocking Chair Kids ― Red Chair Press (Publisher)
- Kraegel, Kenneth (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 30 Pages – 09/08/2020 (Publication Date) – Candlewick (Publisher)
- Parents caregivers preschool teachers and librarians seeking kids’ books that offer a fun way to…
- Thong, Roseanne (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- Hardcover Book
- Miranda, Anne (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
Don’t books just make everything better? We absolutely LOVE when we find fun stories that also help teach important skills to our preschoolers. It is definitely win-win!
Math Lesson Plans for Preschool
Need some math lesson plans to pari with all these amazing picture books? Try some of our preschool math lesson plans!
- Counting Preschool Math Lesson Plans
- Comparing and Sorting Preschool Math Lesson Plans
- Measurement Preschool Math Lesson Plans
- Graphing Preschool Math Lesson Plans
- Patterns Preschool Math Lesson Plans
- Shapes Preschool Math Lesson Plans
- Addition and Subtraction Preschool Math Lesson Plans
I’m Sarah, an educator turned stay-at-home-mama of five! I’m the owner and creator of Stay At Home Educator, a website about intentional teaching and purposeful learning in the early childhood years. I’ve taught a range of levels, from preschool to college and a little bit of everything in between. Right now my focus is teaching my children and running a preschool from my home. Credentials include: Bachelors in Art, Masters in Curriculum and Instruction.
