Skip Counting For Kids To Improve Math Skills

It is important to teach children how to count. But, what’s the next step after learning to count? It’s skip counting! Skip counting is an important mathematical concept that kids must know about. This concept can also help kids when they learn addition and subtraction. We have covered some basic information on skip counting for children below, along with solved examples. Let’s read!

What Is Skip Counting?

Let’s take a look at the meaning of skip counting for children.

Skip counting is counting where we skip certain numbers while counting. For example, when we skip count by 3, we start from 0, and we skip the next few numbers and go to the third number, which will be 3.

Skip counting also means adding or subtracting a particular number each time from the previous number. For example, if we are to skip count by 100, we would count as 100, 200, 300, 400 . . . and so on. Here, each number in this sequence is 100 more than the previous number.

Why Should Your Child Learn Skip Counting?

Your child is ready to learn to skip counting when they have mastered the basics of counting and 1-to-1 correspondence. Learning skip counting helps children build a solid foundation of number sense. It also helps them to recognise patterns while counting numbers. Here are some other benefits of learning skip counting for kids:

• Skip counting is ideal for studying multiplication times tables.
• Skip counting can speed up your kid’s ability to count objects.
• Skip counting develops the understanding of number patterns and concepts.
• Skip counting increases the familiarity with how numbers work and how to use them.

What Are The Types Of Skip Counting?

Let’s take a look at types of skip counting for kids.

1. Forward Skip Counting

It is when we add or count in the forward direction of the given number. For example, when we have to skip count by 5, it will look like this:

• 0 + 5 = 5
• 5 + 5 = 10
• 10 + 5 = 15
• 15 + 5 = 20

2. Backward Skip Counting

It is when we subtract or count in the backward direction of the given number. For example, if we start from 20 and do backwards skip counting by 5, it will look like this:

• 20 – 5 = 15
• 15 – 5 = 10
• 10 – 5 = 5
• 5 – 5 = 0

How To Skip Count With Different Numbers?

In this section, we will look at how to skip count from the given number.

Counting By 2

Here we will be adding 2 to the previous number.
So, if we will start counting from 0, skip counting by 2 will look like this:

• 0 + 2 = 2
• 2 + 2 = 4
• 4 + 2 = 6
• 6 + 2 = 8
• 8 + 2 = 10 … and so on.

Counting By 3

Here we will be adding 3 to the previous number.
So, if we will start counting from 0, skip counting by 3 will look like this:

• 0 + 3 = 3
• 3 + 3 = 6
• 6 + 3 = 9
• 9 + 3 = 12
• 12 + 3 = 15 … and so on.

Counting By 4

Here we will be adding 4 to the previous number.
So, if we will start counting from 0, skip counting by 4 will look like this:

• 0 + 4 = 4
• 4 + 4 = 8
• 8 + 4 = 12
• 12 + 4 = 16
• 16 + 4 = 20 … and so on.

Counting By 5

Here we will be adding 5 to the previous number.
So, if we will start counting from 0, skip counting by 5 will look like this:

• 0 + 5 = 5
• 5 + 5 = 10
• 10 + 5 = 15
• 15 + 5 = 20
• 20 + 5 = 25 … and so on.

Counting By 10

Here we will be adding 10 to the previous number.
So, if we will start counting from 0, skip counting by 10 will look like this:

• 0 + 10 = 10
• 10 + 10 = 20
• 20 + 10 = 30
• 30 + 10 = 40
• 40 + 10 = 50 … and so on.

Counting By 25

Here we will be adding 25 to the previous number.
So, if we will start counting from 0, skip counting by 25 will look like this:

• 0 + 25 = 25
• 25 + 25 = 50
• 50 + 25 = 75
• 75 + 25 = 100
• 100 + 25 = 125 … and so on.

Counting By 50

Here we will be adding 50 to the previous number.
So, if we will start counting from 0, skip counting by 50 will look like this:

• 0 + 50 = 50
• 100 + 50 = 150
• 150 + 50 = 200
• 200 + 50 = 250
• 250 + 50 = 300 … and so on.

Counting By 100

Here we will be adding 100 to the previous number.
So, if we will start counting from 0, skip counting by 100 will look like this:

• 0 + 100 = 100
• 100 + 100 = 200
• 200 + 100 = 300
• 300 + 100 = 400
• 400 + 100 = 500 … and so on.

What Are The Best Ways To Teach Skip Counting?

1. Question Your Child

Ask your child questions like “Skip count by 5’s” or “Skip count to 100 by 20’s”.

2. Learn With Number Charts

One of the best ways to teach children to skip count. You can start teaching them how to skip count by 2 first and then increase the skip counting level gradually.

3. Count With A Calculator

This is a fun way for kids to learn to skip count.

Show your child how to change the beginning number by continuing to press the equal sign. Make sure your child says the next number before pressing the button!

4. Skip Counting Puzzles

There are various puzzles available in the market that can help your child learn to skip count in a playful way.

Activities That Will Help Your Child To Learn Skip Counting

Here are some fun skip counting games and activities that will help to teach your child to learn to skip count.

1. Stand & Sit Game

Ask your child to skip count by 3 and stand on every third number.

2. Complete The Skip Counting

On a paper, write skip counting by 5 – 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 and so on. Now, delete a few numbers from this and ask your child to fill in the blank spaces.

3. Skip Counting Poem

Teach your child to skip count with the help of poems and songs, such as those given below:

2 Pound Cat

A 2-pound cat,
What’s up with that?
I hope my cat’s not getting fat…

A 4-pound cat,
What’s up with that?
I hope my cat’s not getting fat…

A 6-pound cat,
What’s up with that?
I hope my cat’s not getting fat…

An 8-pound cat,
What’s up with that?
What’s up with that!
What’s up with that!

A 10-pound cat,
What’s up with that?
I KNOW my cat is really fat,
I KNOW my cat is really fat,
Made a hole right where she sat…

Terrified Twins

2 terrified twins, tweeted on twitter,
We’re trapped on the top of a tree!

Another 2 twins climbed quickly to help them,
Now there was one more than 3!

2 twins at the bottom wanted to help,
And climbed to the tree-top so high,

Now how many twins were stuck in the tree?
Hanging so close to the sky?

Then 2 older twins, saw the 6 twins,
Stuck in the branches like fruits,
And helped those twins down,
One at a time,
They led them right down to the roots!
How many twins were safe at the bottom,
What was the total amount?
6 twins from the top and a pair that had saved them,
Make 4 pairs of twins we should count…
Whenever I’m counting things like 2 twins,
What is the math that I use?
If things come in pairs like twins on a tree,
I’ll choose to use counting by 2’s…

4. Add The Paper Pins

Take a paper plate and write skip counting by 5 on it. Do leave some space between the numbers. Ask your child to add in the correct number of paper pins to reach the required number. For example, between 0 and 5, they have to add 4 paper pins to reach the number 5.

5. Learn With Building Blocks

Ask your child to skip count to 15 by 3 by making towers with building blocks. Here they have to make 5 towers with 3 building blocks in each tower to reach the number 15.

6. Arrange The Popsicle Sticks

Take a few popsicle sticks and write skip counting to 40 by 4 on them. So, you will have popsicle sticks with the numbers 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28, 32, 36 and 40. Now, mix these sticks and ask your child to arrange the sticks by following the correct pattern.

7. Fill The Sheet

Ask your child to write the skip counting by 2, 5, and 10, starting with 0.

8. Hop & Count

Ask your child to do skip counting by 5. Make sure they hop on each number. You can also ask your child to change the leg on every hop to make the game more interesting.

Solved Examples Of Skip Counting

Below are some skip counting examples for kids.

1. If you had to count 10 apples, which of the following counting methods would help you count them all faster?
Skip counting by 1
Skip counting by 2

Solution: Skip counting by 2.

2. Skip count to 20 by 5.

Solution: 5, 10, 15, 20

3. Which number do you need to add to the series of numbers if you want to skip count by 10?

Solution: To perform a skip count by 10, we will keep adding 10 to the previous number.

Practice Questions For Kids

1. Fill in the Missing Numbers:  2, ____, 6,____, 10

a. 4 & 8
b. 3 & 8
c. 4 &7

Answer: a. 4 & 8

2. What are these numbers skip counting by?

30, 33, 36, 39

a. 1
b. 2
c. 3

Answer: c. 3

We hope this article helped your little one to learn skip counting. To know about more such fun mathematical concepts, keep looking at this space.

Also Read:

Tally Marks Table for Children
How to Teach Your Child Basic Counting
Teaching Sequencing Skills for Preschooler Kids