Oh how we love book-making in preschool (and my kindergarten students loved it too)! Homemade emergent readers help teach children important early skills, and they’re very meaningful to the kids. This free printable apple counting book has been used by a variety of students over my years as a teacher.
Related: Apple Pie Sensory Play
Free Printable Apple Counting Book
As I mentioned above, I’ve used some version of this printable emergent reader with both preschool and kindergarten children. It’s a fun way to extend an apple theme and work on early literacy skills.
Here’s how to make the book
Print out a copy of the book (you can grab a copy at the end of this post). Fold each page in half along the black lines, making sure the pictures are facing out. Place the pages in the correct order, with the folded sides facing to the right. Staple along the left-hand side of the book.
Typing it out seems to take longer than actually making the book does! Here’s a short video that shows you what I mean:
Using the apple counting book with children
Then it’s time to bring the kiddos in to work on their apple counting books. I like to do this in small groups or one-on-one.
Explain to the children that they’ll be making their very own book about apples in an apple tree. It will be a counting book, and they’ll get to be the book’s illustrators.
Read the first page to the kids, pointing to each word as you say it aloud. Have the children use a washable ink pad to make a fingerprint apple on the first apple tree.
Then go ahead and let them color in the apple trees. Proceed with the rest of the pages in the same way. Toy apples and buttons are another idea for apple counting.
Depending on the kids, this apple book might take a day or two to complete. Some children can spend a long time coloring, while others aren’t too keen on it.
I don’t force the children to make the book look “just so.” If they’d rather just add the apple fingerprints and read the book with me, that’s great. I’ve found that those children who don’t want to color the book at first often go back and add illustrations later.
Once the books are done, kids can place them in their book boxes. That way, they can read and reread the book throughout the school year.
Related: Apples Up On Top Names
Benefits of This Apple-Themed Free Printable Book
Here are some of the early math and literacy skills that can be taught and practiced using this apple counting book:
- Left-to-right, top to bottom progression
- Print conveys meaning
- Number recognition
- One-to-one correspondence
- High frequency words
Apple Theme Preschool Lesson Plans
Save time and get right to the playful learning with a week’s worth of apple lesson plans already done for you! Read below the image to see what comes with the printable plans.
This set includes active hands-on learning ideas, book suggestions, and the following printables:
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- Apple Number Cards (0-35)
- “Counting Apples” emergent reader
- “I See Apples” emergent reader
- Apple Letters (uppercase and lowercase in both red and green)
- Apple Life Cycle Cards (in color and b/w)
- Label the Apple Diagram (in color and b/w) with labeling cards
- Apple Pattern Cards
- Put the Apples on the Tree Game Mat
- Editable cover and pages for a class apple book
Get Your Preschool Apple Lesson Plans
Preschool Apple Lesson Plans for Classroom Teachers
Apple Preschool Lesson Plans for Home Preschool Families
You can also find us on Teachers Pay Teachers
25 More Ideas for Your Apple Theme
FROM LEFT TO RIGHT:
Letter Matching Apple Tree Activity // Mom Inspired Life
Apple Lacing Fine Motor Bag // Coffee Cups and Crayons
Kindergarten Math Activity: Apple Matching Game // Schooling a Monkey
Bobbing for Apples Fine Motor Activity // Stir the Wonder
Write and Wipe Math Cards | Bobbing for Apples // Science Kiddo
Apple Life Cycle Printable Book // Stay at Home Educator
Number Match Apples // A Dab of Glue Will Do
Apple Life Cycle Hat // The STEM Laboratory
Fine Motor Strengthening Apple Activity // Sugar Aunts
Apple Tree Counting Puzzles // The Kindergarten Connection
Shape Matching Game // Life Over Cs
Oatmeal Apple Crisp: A Recipe for Kids // Liz’s Early Learning Spot
Apple Addition Write and Wipe Cards // Playdough to Plato
Johnny Appleseed Apple Coverall Games // Recipe for Teaching
Apple Play Dough Surprise Activity // Play & Learn Every Day
Balancing Apples Up on Top // Sara J Creations
Apple Seed Counting Busy Bag // Powerful Mothering
Alphabet Apple Puzzles // The Letters of Literacy
Apple Subitizing Cards // The Simplified Classroom
Editable Apple Sight Word Game // DIY Farm Wife
Apple Tree Busy Box // Teach Me Mommy
Apple Ten Frames // Still Playing School
Tracing Letters Printable Apples // Modern Preschool
CVC Spelling Mats // Fairy Poppins
Apple Color Matching Activity // Frogs Snails and Puppy Dog Tails
Grab Your Free Printable Apple Counting Book
This free printable is available to members of Fun-A-Day’s free email community. If you’d like to join, we’d love to have you (and you’ll get the emergent reader as a free gift). Click on the button below to get it sent to your email. If you’re already a member, clicking on the button won’t add you twice!
If you can’t see the clickable button, you can access the freebie through this link.
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