Storytime is more than just reading words on a page—it’s a golden opportunity to nurture curiosity, build early numeracy skills, and strengthen your bond with your child. By engaging in meaningful conversations during storytelling, you help your little one develop critical thinking, problem-solving, and a love for learning.

One powerful way to enhance storytime is by using the S.T.E.P.S. Framework for Numeracy Storytelling. This simple yet effective approach helps parents guide their children through stories while making real-life connections with Maths concepts.

The S.T.E.P.S. Framework: Making Storytime More Engaging

The S.T.E.P.S. Framework offers five interactive ways to explore numeracy in stories:

S - See (Math in the Story & Illustrations)

Encourage your child to observe math concepts in the book’s illustrations and text.

*Image from Curious Little Critters Maths Adventures storybook - Flitter, Flutter, Jitters*

🔹 Example Prompt: Can you see the symmetrical patterns on the butterfly? (see image above)
🔹 Real-Life Link: What else in our environment has symmetry? Maybe a leaf, a flower, or even our faces!

✨ Why it matters: Observing Maths in pictures helps children develop spatial awareness and visual reasoning.

T - Think (Critical Thinking & Reasoning)

Ask questions that encourage your child to reason through observations and connect ideas.

*Image from Curious Little Critters Maths Adventures storybook - Just Like Magic!*

🔹 Example Prompt: Why did Blossom give small-sized bowls to her little brothers and a medium-sized bowl to herself? (see image above)
🔹 Real-Life Link: Which bowl size would you pick for Mummy/Daddy and which for yourself? Why?

✨ Why it matters: These discussions build logical thinking and decision-making skills.

E - Explore (Hands-On Learning)

Use objects, fingers, or drawings to help children visualize and interact with mathematical concepts.

*Image from Curious Little Critters Maths Adventures storybook - The Perfect Birthday*

🔹 Example Prompt: Let’s count the number of balloons they blew by tracing the dotted number sequence! (see image above)
🔹 Real-Life Link: We have some jam tarts in the fridge. Would you like to decide who gets which one?

✨ Why it matters: Hands-on activities strengthen one-to-one correspondence and counting skills.

P - Play (Extend to Real-Life Scenarios)

Extend Maths ideas from the story to imaginative play moments.

🔹 Example Prompt: Let’s pretend we’re helping Rummy with her grocery shopping! Shall we count the number of ingredients on her list? (see image above)
🔹 Real-Life Link: Let’s create our own grocery list of 10 items for the supermarket!

✨ Why it matters: Imaginative play helps children apply maths in real life in a fun and engaging way.

S - Solve (Problem-Solving in Context)

Encourage children to solve real-life problems by using numeracy skills to find solutions.

*Image from Curious Little Critters Maths Adventures storybook - One Tough Ball*

🔹 Example Prompt: If you had 6 lollipops and shared them with a friend, how many would you each get? (see image above)
🔹 Real-Life Link: Shall we share 10 grapes from the fruit bowl? How many would be left for Daddy when he comes home?

✨ Why it matters: Simple problem-solving activities help kids develop confidence in Maths and logical thinking.

Why Conversations Matter in Storytelling

By using the S.T.E.P.S. Framework, you transform storytime into a rich learning experience where your child:
✔ Develops early numeracy skills naturally
✔ Builds confidence in problem-solving
✔ Strengthens logical and critical thinking
✔ Enjoys meaningful, engaging conversations with you

So the next time you read with your child, pause, ask, and explore together. Those little moments of discussion will spark curiosity, deepen understanding, and make learning Maths a joyful adventure!

Which S.T.E.P.S. prompt will you try at your next storytime?

Discover the full collection of Curious Little Critters Maths Adventures storybooks here.

The Magic of Conversations During Storytime: Engaging Your Child with the S.T.E.P.S. Framework