Abstract: Early numeracy is a crucial skill for children to develop, yet many parents are not sure how to best include math in their daily routines. One strategy that seems promising is learning through storybooks; however, existing literature fails to address whether commonly recommended number books are as effective as they seem. Prior research has found that the labeling of quantities (e.g., “There are four apples on the table!”) is the most common type of number content in children’s books. Few books include labeling and counting the same set, which is the optimal number input for learning to conceptualize quantities. If storybooks do not contain the type of number content that is most effective for numerical development, how might adults supplement them constructively? We examined whether prompting parents to engage in number talk during storybook reading actually increased their use of number-relevant content, such as tandem counting and encouraging labeling. We also examined whether the type of number content presented in the storybook (e.g., implicit vs. explicit number content) affected parent-child talk. Results showed that while books about number may not specifically include optimal number input, they do inspire significantly more number talk, as does priming parents to think about math before reading. These findings suggest that if parents wish to engage in more math-centered conversation, number books are an effective way to weave these discussions into their daily routine.
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