Skip Counting
What Is Skip Counting?
Skip counting means counting by twos, fives, tens — or any number — while skipping the ones in between. For example:
2, 4, 6, 8 — that’s counting by 2s (only even numbers).
10, 20, 30, 40 — that’s counting by 10s (every number ends in 0).
Why Does It Matter for Kids?
Skip counting is a key step toward understanding how numbers are organized — and it lays the foundation for multiplication. When kids learn to count by 2s, 5s, or 10s, they start to notice regular patterns in the number system. For example, counting by 5s always leads to numbers ending in 0 or 5 — no exceptions. But counting by 9s? The last digit keeps changing, and it can land on any number from 0 to 9.. These discoveries help kids build a sense of structure in numbers, which later supports operations like addition, subtraction, and grouping.
Skip counting also reinforces common transitions in number sequences — especially when crossing over tens. Repeating these patterns out loud helps children internalize the rhythm of numbers and makes math feel more intuitive.
Research shows that these early skills are closely tied to later arithmetic success. In the mid-20th century, Jean Piaget observed that the ability to understand sequences and ordering develops between the ages of 5 and 7, forming the basis for more abstract numerical thinking.
Modern studies confirm this: kids who grasp number patterns early tend to do better in mental math, particularly with tasks involving addition and multiplication. Fluency in skip counting — such as by 2s, 4s, or 5s — has been linked to stronger math achievement by third grade. It also helps solidify their understanding of the number line and supports overall numerical literacy.
These skills are closely connected to two important mathematical abilities: subitizing — the ability to instantly recognize the number of objects in a small group without counting — and grouping, or counting objects in sets of 2, 3, or more instead of one by one. Both are essential components in the development of number sense and help children see patterns and structure in quantities, which makes arithmetic easier and more intuitive.
Interested in how kids learn to recognize quantities instantly? Take a look at our article on subitizing!
So, skip counting helps kids memorize sequences of multiples — but it does much more than that. It supports logical thinking, sharpens attention to numerical structure, strengthens number sense, and builds confidence in arithmetic.
How Do We Teach?
Even and Odd
At around age 4 or 5, kids begin to notice the difference between even and odd numbers. We use number lines that only show the even numbers, inviting kids to figure out which “hidden” numbers are missing in between. These playful activities help them start recognizing number patterns on their own.
Counting by 10s
Next, around ages 5 to 6, we introduce counting by 10s all the way to 100: 10, 20, 30, and so on. Kids begin to see that only the first digit changes — a helpful insight when they later learn to read and write two-digit numbers. We use physical objects to support this idea: groups of 10 fireflies that can be added or taken away, or blocks arranged in sets of ten. These visuals help make abstract concepts more concrete.
Moving On to 5s
As children gain confidence, we move on to counting by 5s — 5, 10, 15, 20. At this point, we point out a helpful pattern: numbers in this sequence always end in either 0 or 5. This kind of skip counting prepares kids for learning multiplication, but it also builds an early understanding of divisibility by 2 and 5. Over time, children start to confidently locate multiples on a number line — both counting forward and backward — and apply what they’ve learned to more abstract problems.
Taking It Further
Once counting by 2s, 5s, and 10s becomes second nature, we introduce more challenging tasks:
breaking numbers into equal parts of 2 or 5
finding the missing side of a rectangle when its area and one side are known
identifying numbers that divide evenly by a given amount
Through these kinds of problems, children begin to connect skip counting with real problem-solving — and take the next step in developing their mathematical thinking.
First Steps
Playing with Even Numbers
By ages 4 to 5, many children are already comfortable counting from 1 to 10. That’s the perfect time to introduce a new challenge — asking them to count every second number. For example: instead of saying all the numbers in order, they say only the even ones, and clap or stomp when they reach an odd number. This turns counting into a fun rhythm game that sharpens their focus and helps them spot patterns.
We use number line that shows only the even numbers. Kids are invited to figure out which number is missing between two shown — often, it’s an odd one.
Numbers on the number line
Odd and even numbers on the number line
As they practice, kids gradually memorize the sequence of even numbers and begin to understand something important: when you keep adding 2s, you always land on an even number — never an odd one.
Along the way, they also begin connecting even numbers with the idea of “sharing equally between two people” — an early introduction to the concept of divisibility.
Number line up 100
Skip counting by 2s within 20
Addition Basics
Add objects
Even & odd
Halves and multiples
Halves and multiples
Halves
Deep Understanding
Counting by 10s and 5s
By age 5 or 6, many kids are ready to start counting by tens all the way to 100: 10, 20, 30, and so on. This skill plays an important role in learning how two-digit numbers are formed. One useful milestone at this stage is simply being able to count from 1 to 100 — a big accomplishment for young learners!
But it’s not just about reciting numbers — it’s about understanding them. To make the idea of “tens” more concrete, we use real objects grouped into sets of ten, like stacks of building blocks.
Base ten blocks
Count blocks by tens (10, 20, 30...)
When children add or remove ten fireflies at a time, they notice something interesting: only the first digit of the number changes, while the second one stays the same. This visual pattern helps them grasp place value more intuitively. At this point, they’re ready to play games like the “snake” that eats numbers in jumps of 10 — either forward (each number is 10 more than the last) or backward (10 less than the last).
The next step is counting by 5s. Kids start to recognize that numbers divisible by 5 always end in either 0 or 5. They also learn to tell whether a number is even or odd just by looking at it — and that, too, depends only on the last digit.
Number line up to 100
Skip counting by 10s within 50
Number line & skip counting
Skip counting by 10s
Numbers on the number line
Count in 5s on the number line
Even & odd
AB patterns
Confident Mastery
Playing with Numbers and Divisibility
Once children are comfortable with multiples of 5, they’re ready for more applied tasks — like figuring out the missing side of a rectangle when the total number of squares is known. In essence, this is an early form of division: dividing a given number by 5.
Multiplication up to 6
Multiplication by 5 within 30 (numbers only)
At the same time, kids continue to solve hands-on problems involving the number 2 — like building a total using only twos (which supports the idea of dividing into groups of 2) or splitting a number evenly into two equal parts (an introduction to halving).
Gradually, they begin to explore multiples beyond just 2, 5, and 10. These new patterns emerge naturally through games, visuals, and real-world scenarios.
Kids also practice skip counting by 5s both forward and backward, using number lines to find and mark the numbers that are divisible by 5.
Measurements
Indirect measurements
Equal sets
Making sets
Number line & skip counting
Counting down by 5s
Numbers on the number line
Count in 5s on the number line
Big Ideas
Multiples and divisibility play a big role in math far beyond early counting. Later on, kids will use these ideas to find common denominators when working with fractions — and to solve many kinds of problems involving whole numbers.
Divisibility is also closely tied to the concept of prime numbers, which are at the heart of modern encryption and coding theory.
And here’s something especially elegant: when children realize that adding even numbers never gives an odd result, they’re encountering their very first invariant — a powerful and beautiful idea in mathematics. Invariants appear throughout the subject, from number theory to knot theory, and help us understand what stays the same even when other things change.
