Integrate this free printable apple counting book into your next kindergarten, pre-k, or preschool apple theme. It’s a fun and engaging way to explore early math and literacy skills with your students.
The counting apples printable book is low-prep, so you can have it ready this week. And I love how it can be used with a variety of materials, in a multitude of ways. This lets you make adjustments based on your own preferences, as well as the interests and needs of your students.
You don’t have to use the counting apples book just during a dedicated apple unit either. It works well within a fruit or nutrition theme, or as part of your fall activities for preschoolers and kindergarten kids.
Related: Printable Books
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.
Be sure to request your own copy of the printable book at the very bottom of this post.
Apple Counting Book
I’ve used some version of this counting apples emergent reader with both preschool and kindergarten children. Each time, we’ve done things a little differently based on kids’ needs and input. And each time, the children have definitely enjoyed themselves!
How to Make the Counting Apples Book
First, grab the materials you need to prep the book. And don’t forget any items you’d like to use with it. Here are some ideas (I may get commissions for purchases made through links in this post):
- Printer
- Stapler
- Crayons
- Markers
- Washable ink pad
- Apple stickers
- Red, yellow, and green manipulatives (buttons, glass gems, etc.)
- Play dough
Once you have the materials you’d like to use, it’s time to prep the books themselves. Here’s what to do:
- Request a copy of the apple counting book at the bottom of this post.
- Print the book, making as many copies as you need.
- 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:
You can also cut the pages apart and then staple them. I just prefer the print, fold, staple method.
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.
Depending on the kids, the apple counting 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 place them in their book boxes. That way, they can read and reread the book throughout the school year.
Other Ways to Use the Printable Book
You can use the apple counting book printable in more than one way! The main way, as a book the kids make using crayons and their fingerprints, is already described above. Here are a few other possibilities:
- Let the children use something else to make the apples on each page. Dot stamps or apple stickers would work well, too.
- Cut the pages apart into individual mini mats. Laminate them and let the children use playdough or loose parts (like glass gems or buttons) to make the appropriate number of apples for each page.
- Encourage your students to extend their counting apples book. They can make pages for higher numbers as they learn more.
- Pair the pages with an apple-themed sensory writing tray. Students use the printable as visual cues for practicing numbers or the words I and see.
I love when printables can be used so many different ways!
Benefits of This Apple-Themed Free Printable Book
Here are some of the early learning skills kids explore and practice with the apple counting book:
- Left-to-right, top to bottom progression
- Print conveys meaning
- Number recognition
- One-to-one correspondence
- High frequency words
- Fine motor skills
- Basic book handling
Have you ever made counting apples printable book with your students? Be sure to let me know what they think about this one. Remember, you can request your own copy at the very bottom of this post.
More Apple Math Activities for Preschool
If the apple counting book was a hit with your students, be sure to check out these activities next:
Apple Theme Preschool Lesson Plans
Let Preschool Teacher 101 save you a ton of time with fully-developed, done-for-you early childhood resources. We have over 100 comprehensive lesson plan sets, differentiated math activities, dramatic play resources, songs, skill-based digital activities, writing journal prompts, STEM activities and more. And be sure to check out The Pack, our membership for preschool and kindergarten teachers.
Our apple lesson plans correlate well with the apple counting book. The lesson plan set comes with a weekly overview, detailed daily lesson plans, book suggestions, editable weekly templates and related printables:
- “I See Apples” color word emergent reader
- Apple Letters
- “We Like Apples” editable class book cover and page template
- Apple Number Cards 0-35
- “Counting Apples” emergent reader 1-10 (three variations)
- Apple Theme Word Cards
- 0-10 Apple Matching Number Cards with numbers, words and sets
- Apple Sorting Prompt Cards
- Shape Mats
- Apple Dice Game
- Life Cycle Cards (multiple versions)
- Apple Pattern Cards
- My Apple Science Journal
- Label the Apple Diagram
- Apple Taste Test Voting Cards and Class Graph Pieces
- Taste Test Results Tally Sheet
- How to Make Applesauce Sequencing Activity and Recording Sheet
- Real Apple Photographs
- Match the Apples Visual Discrimination Game
You can also find us on Teachers Pay Teachers.
More Apple Activities for Kids
If your students enjoyed the apple counting book, be sure to check out even more apple-themed activities for kids!
- Letter Matching Apple Tree Activity from Fun Learning for Kids
- Apple Lacing Fine Motor Bag from Coffee Cups and Crayons
- Kindergarten Math Activity: Apple Matching Game from Steamsational
- Bobbing for Apples Fine Motor Activity from Stir the Wonder
- Write and Wipe Math Cards | Bobbing for Apples from Science Kiddo
- Apple Life Cycle Printable Book from Stay at Home Educator
- Apple Life Cycle Hat from The STEM Laboratory
- Fine Motor Strengthening Apple Activity from The OT Toolbox
- Apple Tree Counting Puzzles from The Kindergarten Connection
- Shape Matching Game from Life Over Cs
- Apple Number Match from A Dab of Glue Will Do
- Oatmeal Apple Crisp: A Recipe for Kids from Liz’s Early Learning Spot
- Apple Addition Write and Wipe Cards from Playdough to Plato
- Johnny Appleseed Apple Coverall Games from Recipe for Teaching
- Apple Play Dough Surprise Activity from Play & Learn Every Day
- Balancing Apples Up on Top from Sara J Creations
- Apple Seed Counting Busy Bag from Powerful Mothering
- Alphabet Apple Puzzles from The Kindergarten Connection
- Apple Subitizing Cards from The Simplified Classroom
- Apple Tree Busy Box from Teach Me Mommy
- Apple Ten Frames from Still Playing School
- Tracing Letters Printable Apples from Modern Preschool
- CVC Spelling Mats from Fairy Poppins
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). Enter your information in the form below to get it sent to your email. If you’re already a member, doing so won’t add you twice!
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Originally published August 2016.
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