Skip Counting for Kids: By 2s, 5s, 10s and More

Quick answer

Skip counting means counting forward by the same number each time: 2, 4, 6, 8 or 5, 10, 15, 20. Teach it in this order: 10s, then 5s, then 2s, then 3s and 4s. Use real objects, a hundred chart and a number line. Kindergartners count to 100 by tens, 2nd graders skip-count by 5s, 10s and 100s, and 3rd graders use it to learn multiplication.

Key takeaways

Start with 10s, 5s and 2s: their patterns are easy to see and hear.
Count real things in groups (pairs of socks, nickels, fingers) before reciting numbers.
On a hundred chart, 10s make one column, 5s make two and 2s make every other column.
Skip counting is the bridge to multiplication: 5, 10, 15, 20 is four 5s, or 4 × 5 = 20.

Skip counting is counting by a number other than 1: 2, 4, 6, 8, or 5, 10, 15, 20. It looks like a simple chant, but it's one of the most useful skills in early math. It speeds up counting, helps with money and time, and leads straight into multiplication. Here's how to teach it, from first counts to times tables.

Why skip counting matters

Young children count everything by ones. Skip counting is the first time they treat a group as one thing to count: one pair, one hand, one ten. That shift is the bridge from counting to multiplication.

Counting big piles faster. Counting 40 crayons by 2s takes half as many counts.
Money and time. Nickels go 5, 10, 15; dimes go 10, 20, 30; the minute marks on a clock go by 5s.
Odd and even. 2nd graders tell whether a group is odd or even by pairing objects or counting them by 2s.
Place value. Counting by 10s and 100s shows how our number system is built.
Multiplication. 3, 6, 9, 12 is the 3 times table in disguise.

What to expect by grade

Here is what the Common Core State Standards, used by most U.S. states, expect. Your state or school may differ.

Grade	Counting and skip-counting goals
Kindergarten	Counts to 100 by ones and by tens (K.CC.A.1); counts forward from any number, not just from 1 (K.CC.A.2).
1st grade	Counts to 120 starting at any number below 120 (1.NBT.A.1); finds 10 more or 10 less than a two-digit number without counting (1.NBT.C.5).
2nd grade	Counts within 1000 and skip-counts by 5s, 10s and 100s (2.NBT.A.2); tells odd from even by pairing or counting by 2s (2.OA.C.3); uses repeated addition with arrays (2.OA.C.4).
3rd grade	Multiplies and divides fluently within 100 using strategies, and knows all one-digit products from memory by the end of the year (3.OA.C.7); finds and explains patterns in the multiplication table (3.OA.D.9).

Plenty of children start counting pairs by 2s or hands by 5s earlier, with real objects. That's great. For the full checklists, see our kindergarten and 2nd grade skills guides.

The best order to teach skip counting

10s: 10, 20, 30… Ten fingers, and the pattern is easy to hear: one ten, two tens, three tens.
5s: 5, 10, 15… One hand, one nickel, one jump on the clock. The ones digit takes turns: 5, 0, 5, 0.
2s: 2, 4, 6… Pairs of everything. These are the even numbers.
100s: 100, 200, 300… A 2nd-grade goal, and easy once 1s and 10s are solid.
3s and 4s: Their patterns are harder to hear, so they need more practice. Great preparation for 3rd grade.
6s through 9s: Part of learning the times tables in 3rd grade.

How to teach skip counting, step by step

1. Count real things in groups

Start with objects your child can touch. Line up pairs of socks and count them together, touching each pair: “2, 4, 6, 8, 10.”

5 pairs of socks: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10

2. Whisper, then shout

Count by ones, but whisper the in-between numbers and say the landing numbers loudly: “one, two, three, four, FIVE, six, seven, eight, nine, TEN.” Each day, whisper the in-between numbers more quietly until they disappear. Kids hear the pattern without memorizing a list.

3. Jump along a number line

A number line shows that every jump is the same size. Draw one on paper or chalk one on the sidewalk and jump along it.

Counting by 5s: six jumps of 5 land on 30

Counting by 2s: ten jumps of 2 land on 20

4. Find the patterns on a hundred chart

A hundred chart (the numbers 1 to 100 in rows of ten) turns skip counting into a picture. Here are the first five rows, with counting by 5s in bold:

Hundred chart, rows 1 to 50: counting by 5s (bold) makes two straight columns
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20
21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	29	30
31	32	33	34	35	36	37	38	39	40
41	42	43	44	45	46	47	48	49	50

Give your child a printed hundred chart and a crayon, and color the numbers you land on. Each count makes its own picture:

By 10s: one straight column down the right side.
By 5s: two straight columns, the 5s and the 10s.
By 2s: every other column, like stripes. These are the even numbers.
By 3s and by 9s: slanted, diagonal lines.

5. Start from other numbers

Once counting from zero is easy, start somewhere else. Count by 10s from 23: 23, 33, 43, 53. The ones digit stays the same while the tens go up by one, which is exactly the place-value idea behind “10 more.” Then try counting backward: 50, 45, 40, 35.

Counting by 10s from 23: 33, 43, 53

Everyday ideas and movement games

Skip counting sticks best when it's out loud, in the body and part of the day.

2s: socks while folding laundry, shoes by the door, eyes around the dinner table.
3s: wheels on tricycles, sides on triangles.
4s: legs on chairs, wheels on toy cars.
5s: fingers on hands, nickels in a jar, minutes on a clock.
10s: everyone's fingers, dimes, bundles of 10 straws.

From skip counting to multiplication

Here's the big payoff. When your child counts “5, 10, 15, 20,” ask: “How many 5s did you count?” Have them raise a finger for each count. Four fingers, four 5s: that's 4 × 5 = 20.

Four groups of 5: 5, 10, 15, 20, so 4 × 5 = 20

In 3rd grade, skip counting is a useful way into each new times table, but it's a bridge, not the finish line. Counting up to 7 × 8 by 7s takes a while, so children also learn faster strategies and, by the end of the year, recall the facts directly. Our guide to teaching multiplication and our plan for the fastest way to learn times tables pick up from here, and every page in our times tables 1–12 section starts with a skip-counting strip for that table.

Common mistakes (and how to help)

Losing track of the count. Point to a hundred chart or number line while counting, so your child can see where they are.
Skipping or repeating a number, like 5, 10, 20. Slow down and use whisper-shout counting to check.
Reciting without meaning. If your child can chant 2, 4, 6 but can't count pairs of socks that way, go back to objects.
Only counting from zero. Practice starting points like 30 (by 5s) or 7 (by 10s).

Practice problems

Fill in the missing number, then try the word problems.

Skip counting practice (with answers)

10, 20, 30, ?, 50
5, 10, 15, ?, 25
2, 4, 6, ?, 10
3, 6, 9, ?, 15
4, 8, 12, ?, 20
100, 200, 300, ?
25, 30, 35, ?
23, 33, 43, ?
50, 45, 40, ?
6 pairs of socks: how many socks?
7 nickels: how many cents?

Ready for the next step? Print a multiplication chart and look for the same skip-counting patterns in its rows.

Frequently asked questions

What is skip counting?

Skip counting is counting forward (or backward) by a number other than 1, such as 2, 4, 6, 8 or 10, 20, 30. Each number you say is a multiple of the number you count by. It helps children count groups of objects faster, count money, tell time, and later learn multiplication facts.

What age should kids learn skip counting?

Under the Common Core, kindergartners (ages 5–6) count to 100 by ones and by tens, and 2nd graders (ages 7–8) skip-count by 5s, 10s and 100s. Many children count pairs by 2s or hands by 5s earlier, using real objects. In 3rd grade (ages 8–9), skip counting becomes one route to multiplication facts.

What order should you teach skip counting in?

Start with 10s, because they match fingers and place value. Then 5s (one hand, nickels, the clock), then 2s (pairs). After that, 100s in 2nd grade, and 3s and 4s as children get ready for multiplication. Save 6s, 7s, 8s and 9s for 3rd grade.

How do I teach skip counting by 2s?

Use pairs: socks, shoes, mittens or eyes. Count them out loud by 2s while touching each pair. Then try “whisper, shout”: whisper 1, 3, 5 and say 2, 4, 6 out loud. On a hundred chart, color every number you land on to see the every-other-column stripes.

Is skip counting the same as multiplication?

Not quite, but it's closely related. Skip counting lists multiples: 5, 10, 15, 20. Multiplication tells you how many groups you counted: four 5s, or 4 × 5 = 20. Skip counting is a great bridge to the times tables, but by the end of 3rd grade children should recall one-digit products directly.

How can I make skip counting fun?

Add movement and real objects. Hop on a hopscotch grid saying 5, 10, 15, toss a ball back and forth saying the next number, or climb stairs counting by 2s. Count nickels into a jar, count socks while folding laundry, or count fingers around the dinner table by 10s.

Sources

Written by The Mathing Team for parents and teachers. Grade expectations follow the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics; your state or school may sequence skills a little differently.