Summary
An example of skip counting, and ideas and resources to help with skip counting.
An example of skip counting is when you count by 5’s when counting nickels. Skip counting is a useful skill for counting objects and money and helping with multiplication. Using literature, songs, games, and skip counting worksheets helps students to skip count efficiently. Being able to quickly and fluently skip count is also an important part of building number sense because it helps students to see patterns with numbers.
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As I was teaching my second graders how to count money, I realized the importance of knowing how to skip count by 5’s, 10s, and 25’s. If students can’t skip count, then counting coins becomes extremely difficult. I had students sit in a circle each morning, and we practiced going around skip counting by different numbers. Now, they were more prepared to count money and had a strong foundation for learning multiplication facts.
What is Skip Counting?
Skip counting deals with counting by a number other than 1 forward or backward. For example, skip count by 2, skip count by 3, skip count by 5, 10, or 100. Skip counting is taught to us in primary classes while learning to count numbers. It helps kids to count objects quickly.
The primary application of skip counting is the multiplication tables or multiples of numbers, where we skip count each number to get its multiple. For example, we have to skip count by 5 to get its multiples, such as 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, etc.
Skip counting is a method of counting numbers by adding a number to the previous number every time. For example, skip counting by 2; we get 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, etc. Hence we get the series of even numbers here.
How to Skip Count
To skip count means to count by skipping through a particular number of places in the counting sequence. For example, when we skip count by 5, we start from 0, skip the following number and go to the fifth number, which will be 5.
To skip count by 5 means to count every fifth number starting from the given number. If we start from 0, we count 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 . . . and so on. We skipped through the numbers in between each time and jumped to the fifth number from our current number.
Skip counting can also mean adding or subtracting a particular number each time from our previous number. For example, if we are to skip count by 10, we would count as 10, 20, 30, 40 . . . and so on. Each number in this sequence is 10 more than the previous number.
Example of Skip Counting
Skip counting by 3 is 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, …
We can also skip count on the number line by simply jumping by a particular number to make a sequence. For example, if we were to skip count by 2, starting at 0, the following number would be 0+2=2, then 2+2=4, then 2 more is 6, and so on.
Similarly, skip counting by 3 will be done by adding 3 to every subsequent number. The resulting series will be as follows: 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30, 33, 36, 39, 42, 45, 48, 51, 54, 57, 60 and so on.
Types of Skip Counting
Forward Skip Counting
When we perform forward skip count, we count or add numbers in the forward direction to a number. So, if we were supposed to skip count by 10, we would follow the pattern below:
- 0+10=10
- 10+10=20
- 20+10=30
- 30+10=40
Backward Skip Counting
When we perform backward skip count, it means subtracting a particular number. For example, if we start from 100, and we do a backward skip count by 10, it would mean subtracting 10 from each new number, and it would become something like 100, 90, 80, 70 . . . and so on.
Why is Skip Counting Important?
Skip counting has a significant application in real life. Suppose we have to count marbles which are in 100s of numbers. Counting one-one marble will consume more time. Hence, if we skip count them by any big number, such as 10 or 20, we can quickly count them.
Did you notice how the result of skip counting by 3 yielded the same answers as the multiplication table of 3?
Skip counting is applied in multiplication tables, where you skip counts to get the answer to a particular multiple. For example, while reading out the multiplication table of 5, if you had to find the multiple of 30, you would skip count by 5 until you reach 30 to determine the multiple, which will be 6.
Learning to “Skip Count” helps you:
- count many things quickly
- learn your multiplication tables
- help to count coins
Skip Counting Helps with Multiplication
Learning to skip count can be a helpful step toward learning to multiply.
Coloring in squares to correspond to skip counting using various whole numbers further allows us to start visualizing multiplication since each colored square represents a multiple of whatever whole number we use to skip count. The first colored square represents the chosen whole number multiplied by 1. Each subsequent colored square represents the next multiple.
Skip Counting Money
When you begin to count money, you will see how important it is for students to be able to skip count by 10’s, 5’s, and 25’s to count dimes, nickels, and quarters.
You can provide them with a hundred chart while counting coins to help them see the connection between skip counting and counting money.
Activities for Skip Counting
On top of just adding (or subtracting) each number in your head, it can also be helpful to visualize skip counting using number lines and tables. Using either allows us to see specific patterns in the numbers.
Skip counting using number lines works better with smaller numbers. The larger the numbers, the more inconvenient it will be to use a number line.
Another way to look at skip counting is through a 120 chart. Students can skip count and color the numbers while skip counting. Then, they can look for patterns.
Skip Counting Math Game
Bizz Buzz Game: The group sits in a circle facing in. In a clockwise direction, students count up from 1. Instead of 7 and all multiples of 7 and all numbers that contain 7, say ‘Buzz’. For example, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, Buzz, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, Buzz, 15, 16, Buzz, 18, … If there is a mistake, start over at 1 with the next student in line. Once it is going well and the group has reached 50 or so, stop them and add ‘Bizz’ to the game. Now, substitute ‘Bizz’ for 5. For example, 1, 2, 3, 4, Bizz, 6, Buzz, 8, 9, Bizz, 11, 12, 13, Buzz, Bizz, 16, Buzz, 18, 19, Bizz, Buzz, 22, … If the number is a multiple of 5 and 7, or has 5 and 7 in it, like 35 or 57 or 70 or 75, say ‘BizzBuzz’! Try for a group record or reaching 100. Click here for another version of the game. Or create your own version depending on what numbers you want to skip count by.
Skip Counting Literature
Engage the students in your class with picture books! Even the most reluctant skip counter will be counting along with these ladybugs. There are several books on the topic, so you can pick a different one to read each day.
- Count on Pablo by Barbara deRubertis
- Lots of Ladybugs– Counting by Fiives by Michael Dahl
- Toasty Toes– Counting by Tens by Michael Dahl
- Eggs and Legs– Counting by Twos by Michael Dahl
Digital Skip Counting Activities
- Skip Counting 5 Worksheets and Digital Slides (and by 10’s and 2’s)– Practice Skip Counting with these Skip Counting 5 Worksheets and Slides, and Skip Counting by 10s and 2’s Worksheets and Slides. There are 180 skip counting slides, and 189 skip counting printable worksheets. You can project the digital slides and fill in the numbers, print the worksheets and use them as a center, or use them as an independent activity. These skip counting math worksheets provide an easy way to practice skip counting.
Creating Skip Counting Anchor Charts
These are simple and helpful for students. I like to take sentence strips and write the first 10 multiples of each number. Another idea is to display small l100 charts with the multiples shaded. Then, we can use these references as we skip count.
Math Skip Counting Worksheets
Skip Counting 2, 5, 10 Worksheets- There are 180 skip counting slides, and 189 skip counting printable worksheets. You can project the digital slides and fill in the numbers, print the worksheets and use them as a center, or use them as an independent activity.
Skip Counting Song
Get students up and moving with this Workout and Count video. They will be happy to be moving around and getting energy out while they practice skip counting!
There are many other songs for skip counting on YouTube to listen to with your class as well! Find more at… Jack Hartmann Kids Music Channel.
Additional Resources to Support Skip Counting:
- How to use Engaging Math Puzzles for Fun to Build Number Sense
- How to use the powerful part-part-whole strategy to improve number sense
Skip Counting
Teaching skip counting can help kids increase their fluency in regular counting and adding, along with boosting their confidence in counting coins. It’s also the basis for multiplication and division and a precursor to developing number sense.
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Being able to quickly and fluently skip count is also an essential part of building number sense because it helps students to see patterns with numbers. Use this example of skip counting and lesson ideas to get started in your classroom.
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