Skip Counting by 5 Game

This skip counting by 5 game helps first and second graders count in fives by playing: race cars, pop balloons, flip memory cards or sprint through true and false sentences. Each question shows three numbers in a count by 5s, such as 35, 40, 45, and asks what comes next, so children practice the pattern that leads to the 5 times table, nickels and the clock. It is free, needs no sign-up, works on phones and tablets, and comes with a printable hundred chart that colors every fifth number.

Skip counting by 5 game: see how it plays

The game below has four modes, and every question asks what comes next when counting by 5s. The printable chart colors the multiples of 5 on a hundred chart, with ones that end in 0 in blue and ones that end in 5 in orange, and the pictures show Answer Race, Balloon Pop and Memory Match on this page.

How the skip counting by 5 game works

• Answer Race: every right answer moves your car forward, and you race three computer cars to the finish flag. The first to 15 wins, and wrong taps cost time, not places.
• Balloon Pop: answers float up on balloons, and you pop the right one before it drifts off the top. The question shows three numbers in the count, and the balloons hold possible next numbers within 10 of the right answer. The game speeds up as your score climbs, and three misses ends the round.
• Memory Match: twelve face-down cards hide six counting patterns such as 70, 75, 80, ? and their six answers. Flip two at a time and match each one to its answer in as few moves as you can.
• True or False: sixty seconds on the clock. Decide whether each sentence, such as 25, 30, 35, ? = 40, is right or wrong. A streak of five or more scores double.

What comes next number pattern: how the game builds its questions

In the skip counting by 5 game each question begins at a multiple of 5 from 0 to 80, so there are 17 starting points and 17 different questions, each a what comes next number pattern puzzle, and the missing number is always one of the multiples of 5 from 15 to 95. Starting from 0 makes the first question “0, 5, 10, ?”, and starting from 80 gives “80, 85, 90, ?”. That covers every step in the count to 100 at least once.

Count by 5 to 100: the numbers, nickels and clock

Counting by fives matches three things children meet every day: coins, the clock and fingers. Here are the first twelve steps with the real-life links, and the pattern continues up to 100:

After 60 the pattern keeps alternating. The numbers 65 to 100 are 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95 and 100, and every second one ends in 0. Children who notice this can say a count by fives without thinking, which is the goal of the skip counting by 5 game.

Count by 5s to 100: the pattern in the ones digit

The ones digit of a count by 5 alternates between 5 and 0, so 5 and 0 repeat forever: 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30. This is the quickest test for a multiple of 5, and it explains why the numbers in the hundred chart line up in two columns, the fifth and the tenth. A child who sees that 85 ends in 5 knows that 90 comes next, which also ends in 0.

Skip counting game: skip counting by 5 and the 5 times table

Skip counting is the first step to multiplication: counting five hands gives 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, so 5 × 5 = 25. Children who can skip count by fives can write the whole 5 times table by counting up, and the table’s pattern (ending in 5 or 0) matches the count. Wikipedia’s multiple article explains the idea. Once counting by 5 is smooth, move on to the mixed times tables game and the rounding game.

Hundred chart multiples of 5 and a skip counting by 5 chart

The skip counting by 5 chart above is a hundred chart with the multiples of 5 colored. The hundred chart multiples of 5 make two clear columns, one for numbers that end in 5 and one for numbers that end in 0, so children see the pattern before they say it. Print the chart, color the squares as you count, and then play the skip counting by 5 game to check the pattern from memory. The skip counting game is a quick warm-up before a lesson on money or time.

Ways to practice counting by 5s

• Clap and count: clap on every fifth beat while counting to 50.
• Nickel jar: drop a nickel in a jar for each chore and count the total in fives.
• Clock walk: point to the numbers on a clock and say 5, 10, 15 up to 60.
• Hand prints: trace hands on paper and count the fingers by fives.
• Hundred chart: print a hundreds chart, color every fifth square, then read the colored squares aloud.

Where skip counting by 5 fits at school

The Common Core grade 2 number and operations in base ten standards name skip counting. Read our skip counting for kids guide for more ways to practice, and use our printable worksheets for written work.

Skip counting by 5 game: frequently asked questions

What is skip counting by 5?

It means counting 5, 10, 15, 20 and so on, adding 5 each time. It is the same as the multiples of 5, and the skip counting by 5 game practices exactly this.

What grade learns counting by 5s and what comes next in a number pattern?

Kindergarten and grade 1 count by fives, and grade 2 uses it with money, clocks and place value.

How do I know a number is in the skip counting by 5 game?

Look at the ones digit. If it ends in 0 or 5, the number is in the count.

How high does the game count?

In the skip counting by 5 game the starting number is 0 to 80, and the answers are 15 to 95.

Is the skip counting by 5 game free, and do kids need an account?

Yes, it is free, and no account is needed. Best scores are saved only in the browser on this device.

Does it work on phones and tablets?

Yes. Every game is built for touch first and also works with a mouse on a computer.

More learning games

• Tens and ones
• Counting coins
• Telling time
• Mixed times tables
• All learning games