Skip Counting Worksheets

Print a skip counting chart by 2s, 5s, 10s or any step.

What is skip counting?

Skip counting means counting forward by the same amount each time: 5, 10, 15, 20. It is faster than counting by ones, it shows patterns in numbers, and it is the first step towards the times tables: counting by 5s five times lands on 25, which is 5 × 5.

What is on this page

• Counting by 2s, 5s and 10s in number sequences with gaps.
• Counting by 10s from any number, like 23, 33, 43, which shows that only the tens digit changes.
• Counting by 100s within 1,000 (Common Core 2.NBT.A.2).
• Counting back by 2s, 5s and 10s.
• Hundreds charts to color: shading every 2nd, 5th or 10th number shows the pattern.
• Number lines with hops of the same size.

Skip counting worksheets: what is in the set

There are 8 skip counting worksheets on this page, and every one has an answer key except for any cut-out games. The sequences go from 2s, 5s and 10s to 100s, then backwards, and the last sets use number lines and hundreds charts to show the patterns.

Skip counting: the sequences children learn

When children are doing skip counting, they count forward by the same amount each time. This table shows the six steps that children learn, with the first numbers of each sequence and the number of hops from 0 to 100:

Counting by 2s takes 50 hops to 100, and counting by 10s takes only 10, which is why 10s are learned first. Grade 2 children skip count by 5s, 10s and 100s within 1,000 (2.NBT.A.2), as described by the Common Core standards for grade 2 number and operations in base ten.

Skip counting by 2s 5s and 10s: patterns in the ones digit

Skip counting by 2s 5s and 10s is easy to learn because the ones digit follows a pattern. The table shows the ones digits of the first ten numbers in each count. A child who knows the pattern can check a sequence without counting:

The 5s alternate between 5 and 0, the 10s are always 0, and the 2s repeat 2, 4, 6, 8, 0. Counting by 3s and 4s has longer patterns, and the 3s use every digit before they repeat.

Counting by 5s worksheet: from hops to multiplication

A counting by 5s worksheet is a first look at multiplication. Counting by 5s four times lands on 20, which is 4 × 5. Each hop is one group, and the landing number is the product:

This is why skip counting is a good start for the times tables worksheets. A child who can count by 5s, 2s and 10s has already learned most of three times tables.

Counting by 10s worksheet: starting from any number

A counting by 10s worksheet that starts from a number such as 23 shows that adding 10 changes only the tens digit. This is a key idea of place value, and it makes mental addition faster. Here are five sequences:

Skip counting by 100s

Skip counting by 100s works the same way: only the hundreds digit changes. It extends place value to 1,000 and is used for rounding and for adding hundreds:

Skip counting on a hundreds chart

When children color the numbers they land on, skip counting makes a pattern on the chart. The three coloring worksheets on this page show the 2s, 5s and 3s. This table shows how many numbers are shaded and what the pattern looks like:

The 3s pattern is the one that surprises children, since it makes a diagonal that moves one square to the left in each row. The hundreds chart tool can shade any step.

Counting back by 2s, 5s and 10s

Counting back is the opposite of skip counting forward, and it is the first step to subtraction by counting down. These four sequences show the idea:

Skip counting word problems

Skip counting is used to solve problems about equal groups. Ask children to count by the size of each group and to say what they have counted:

Games and activities for skip counting

Children learn skip counting best when they play with it. These games use things that are found at home or in a classroom:

• Clap and say: clap on every number but say the 5s aloud: 1, 2, 3, 4, FIVE
• Skip counting stairs: count by 2s as you climb the stairs, and by 10s on the landing
• Hop and count: hop along a number line on the floor by 5s or 10s
• Counting coins: count nickels by 5s and dimes by 10s
• Pass the number: players take turns to say the next number in a count by 3s or 4s
• Bingo by 10s: call numbers in tens and let children cover them on a card

Extra support and extra challenge with skip counting

For children who need more support: start with 10s, then 5s, then 2s. Use a hundreds chart so the child can see the pattern, and say each number aloud while pointing. Do not start counting by 3s or 4s until the others are secure.

For children who need more challenge: ask the child to count by 25s, to count by 7s using a hundreds chart and to continue a sequence from any number, such as 14, 19, 24, 29. The questions about the next number in a sequence also work well as a challenge.

How to tell that a child is ready to move on from skip counting

1. The child counts by 10s from any number to 100 without a chart.
2. The child counts by 5s and 2s to 100.
3. The child counts by 100s to 1,000.
4. The child can use skip counting to find 6 × 5 and 4 × 3.

When all four are true, the child is ready for the times tables worksheets and for hundreds charts to 120 and beyond.

A five-day plan for skip counting

Most children need about a week of short sessions for skip counting. This plan follows the order of the worksheets on this page:

When the plan is complete, move on to the multiplication worksheets. The whole sequence is on the counting worksheets page.

Read the guide: Skip Counting for Kids: How to Teach It, With Charts and Songs, for the ideas and steps behind this page.