World Book Day is a fantastic opportunity to inspire a love of reading and storytelling in young children. But did you know that books and their beloved characters can also help develop key maths skills? At Edx Education, we believe in the power of play-based learning, and World Book Day is the perfect time to bring stories to life through engaging, hands-on activities.
Incorporating favourite book characters into play allows children to connect with learning in a meaningful way, making numbers, shapes, and problem-solving fun and accessible. Let’s explore some creative ways to blend storytelling and maths with classic children’s books!
1. The Very Hungry Caterpillar & Early Maths Fun
Eric Carle’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar is a firm favourite in homes and classrooms alike. This beautifully illustrated book is perfect for introducing children to counting, sequencing, and simple addition and subtraction.
Hands-on Activities:
- Counting with Linking Cubes: Recreate the caterpillar’s journey by stacking coloured Linking Cubes to represent the different foods he eats each day. Children can count, compare, and even build patterns!
- Sorting Bug Counters: Use Bug Counters to sort and group different types of insects. Ask questions like, “Can you find three ladybirds?” or “How many butterflies do we have?”
- Number Matching: Create number cards with images from the book and encourage children to match them to the correct number of counters or cubes.
These activities not only build early numeracy skills but also help reinforce the story’s themes of growth, transformation, and healthy eating.
2. Elmer the Elephant & Colourful Pattern Play
David McKee’s Elmer the Elephant is a vibrant story about celebrating differences, and it’s a great way to introduce young children to patterns, colours, and shapes.
Hands-on Activities:
- Pattern Block Creations: Encourage children to use Pattern Blocks or Rainbow Pebbles® to create their own Elmer designs. This strengthens shape recognition and pattern formation.
- Sorting by Colour: Use coloured counters or cubes to sort by shades, just like Elmer’s patchwork! Ask, “Can you find all the red pieces?” or “Can you make a rainbow like Elmer?”
- Symmetry Fun: Fold a piece of paper in half and encourage children to paint one side, then fold it to reveal a symmetrical design—just like Elmer’s bright patterns!
These playful activities help little learners explore early maths concepts while reinforcing the story’s message of uniqueness and inclusion.
3. The Gruffalo & Exploring Size and Measurement
Julia Donaldson’s The Gruffalo is another much-loved classic, full of adventure and imagination. This story is a fantastic way to introduce size comparisons, positional language, and measurement to young children.
Hands-on Activities:
- Measuring Gruffalo’s Footprints: Cut out different sized footprints and ask children to measure them using Linking Cubes or a ruler. “Which footprint is the biggest? How many cubes long is it?”
- Ordering Creatures by Size: Print out pictures of the Gruffalo, the mouse, the snake, and the fox. Have children arrange them from smallest to largest to reinforce size comparison skills.
- Gruffalo Number Hunt: Hide number cards or objects around the room and go on a ‘forest hunt’ to find them, just like the mouse in the story!
By making maths part of an exciting adventure, children are more engaged, building confidence in their numerical skills while having fun.
Bringing Storytelling & Play-Based Learning Together
By integrating beloved book characters into everyday play, children develop key early maths skills while strengthening their love of stories. Whether using Linking Cubes, Bug Counters, Rainbow Pebbles®, or other Edx Education resources, these activities support play-based learning that is both meaningful and memorable.
Why not celebrate World Book Day this year by combining books and play at home or in the classroom? Listen to more ideas on our podcast Play, Learn & Create with Edx Education, and explore our free downloadable resources to make learning through play even easier!
Happy World Book Day – and happy learning! 📚🎲