Play, music and stories are an indispensable part of childhood, which is the most important period in a child's development. A child learns about their environment spontaneously through play, so play and learning are mutually intertwined. A counting rhyme as a type, a form of musical activity that appeared as a result of spontaneous children's musical creativity, unites music, speech and play. In addition to the numerous benefits and advantages that a story provides in the child's development, this paper explains the role of a story as an inspirational tool in the context of counting rhyme activities. Also, an emphasis is put on the significance of preparing preschool teachers for telling stories while working with children. The paper describes different types of counting rhymes and their classification, their examples as well as examples of counting rhymes incorporated into a story. The method of using a story as an inspirational tool for counting rhyme activities is also shown. As an example of good practice, the methods of implementation of the above-mentioned contents in preschool education are additionally described. It is concluded that a story and a counting rhyme, regardless of the modern development of technology, still retain their value in the context of children's play and musical activities in preschool education. Musical activities that include a counting rhyme and a story are the main component of an integrated approach to preschool education. Their implementation in the educational practice of working with children contributes to the development of children's musical potential, has a positive effect on their emotional development, the development of their speech, auditory perception and memory, and on the development of the child's complete personality.