SnackPack Studios iconSnackPack StudiosFree illustrated reader
Counting story · Free

Cereal-Swimmer
and the Number-Line Lagoon

A six-page lagoon adventure about counting on, missing numbers and making ten, with a question on every page.

Ages 4–6Number lines and addition within 10Read together
Begin the story
Five bubbles float above the first lagoon stones as Cereal-Swimmer watches and purple Octo-Pop reaches up to count.
Page 1 of 6 · Bubbles by the Path

A rolling wave has scattered the lagoon stepping stones and separated a school of little fish. Cereal-Swimmer finds a trail of bubbles beside the first stone. Octo-Pop taps each bubble while they count the starting place on their watery number line.

Try it: Count the bubbles.

  • 4
  • 5
  • 6
Show the answer

5. Five bubbles float by the first stone.

Five orange fish and two blue fish join above stones marked 5, 6 and 7 as Cereal-Swimmer hops forward.
Page 2 of 6 · A Hop Forward

Two fish peek from behind the next stepping stones and join the group already waiting. Cereal-Swimmer starts from the number they have reached and hops forward twice. Counting on saves the friends from beginning the whole bubble trail again.

Try it: Five and two more make how many?

  • 6
  • 7
  • 8
Show the answer

7. Five and two make seven.

Stones marked 2, 3 and 5 remain visible while foam hides the stone between 3 and 5; Octo-Pop steadies the rope.
Page 3 of 6 · The Hidden Stone

Another wave washes over the path and hides one numbered stone beneath foamy water. The stones on either side remain visible, so Octo-Pop holds the line steady while Cereal-Swimmer follows the forward sequence to identify the covered number.

Try it: Which number is missing?

  • 3
  • 4
  • 6
Show the answer

4. Four belongs between three and five.

Seven fish follow right-pointing stone arrows, but the fourth fish faces left as Cereal-Swimmer and Octo-Pop pause.
Page 4 of 6 · A School in a Tangle

The rescued fish follow arrows painted along the stones, but the school suddenly bunches into a silvery knot. Cereal-Swimmer checks which way each fish is facing. One swimmer is not following the forward direction and must turn to rejoin the line.

Try it: Which fish is out of order?

  • The backward fish
  • The first fish
  • The striped fish
Show the answer

The backward fish. The backward fish was breaking the direction pattern.

Seven fish hover over the first seven of ten stones numbered 1 to 10, leaving three places empty by the lagoon gate.
Page 5 of 6 · Spaces by the Gate

Seven fish reach the old lagoon gate, but its number line has more spaces to fill before it will open. Octo-Pop gathers the remaining swimmers while Cereal-Swimmer counts forward from seven to discover the missing part needed to reach ten.

Try it: Seven needs how many more to make ten?

  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
Show the answer

3. Seven and three make ten.

Stones 7, 8 and 9 lead to an empty final space while the friends and seven fish wait beside the coral garden.
Page 6 of 6 · The Last Number

The fish settle beside the restored stones, and the coral garden glows beyond the gate. One final space remains after seven, eight, nine. Cereal-Swimmer and Octo-Pop must name the number that completes the line and brings the whole school home.

Try it: Which number finishes the line?

  • 9
  • 10
  • 11
Show the answer

10. Ten completes the lagoon line.

The end · Great counting

How can you add two to five without starting again at one?

Talk about the answer

Start at five and count two more steps: six, seven. The number line helps you keep your place.

You hopped forward, counted on, and brought every little fish safely back to the lagoon. SnackPack 123 Counting has more number stories, counting games and ten-frames.

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