Skip Counting Worksheets

How to use the Skip Counting Worksheet Tool

1. Type a heading in Title on the sheet, or keep the default, Skip Counting.
2. Under Task, choose Fill in the counting pattern or Number before, after, between.
3. Set Count by to the step you want, such as 5s or 10s, or one of the mixed sets.
4. Set Direction to Forward, Backward or Both (mixed rows).
5. Set Start to At 0, At a multiple, or Anywhere.
6. Set Numbers up to, from 20 to 1,000.
7. Set Numbers in each row to 6, 8 or 10, and Blanks in each row to 1, 2, 3 or 4.
8. Under Where the blanks go, choose Anywhere in the row or At the end (what comes next?).
9. Keep Show the counting rule ticked to print the step at the top, or untick it to hide the rule.
10. If your Task is Number before, after, between, set Question to a mix or to one of the three types.
11. Set Columns (2, 3 or 4) and Rows or problems (6 to 30).
12. Keep Include answer key ticked to print the key on its own page after the worksheet.
13. Choose US Letter or A4 as the paper size, then press Print or save as PDF.

The preview updates as soon as you change a setting. The page address stores your settings, so a bookmarked or shared link opens the same sheet. Press New worksheet for different rows with the same settings, or Reset settings to return to the defaults. Each sheet has a worksheet code shown under the buttons.

Why is skip counting important?

Skip counting means counting by a step bigger than 1, such as 2s, 5s or 10s. It helps children see a pattern in numbers instead of counting every single one, and that pattern-spotting supports later work with multiplication, place value and money.

Counting by 3s or 4s from 0 lists the 3 or 4 times table. Children can point to a number in the row and say the fact it belongs to, such as “15 is 5 times 3.” Counting by 5s, 10s and 25s matches the coins children handle when counting nickels, dimes and quarters.

How do you teach skip counting by 2s, 5s and 10s?

Start with rows that begin at 0 or at a multiple of the step, so children can lean on the repeating ending, such as 5, 0, 5, 0 for 5s. Then move to harder rows one change at a time: first rows that cross 100, then counting down, then rows that start anywhere.

Each row is built by adding the step again and again, then checked against the starting number plus the position times the step. A row is used only if both calculations match, so every number on the sheet follows the rule.

Common mistakes have clear fixes:

• Counting on fingers. Some children count five times for each box. Starting at 0 or a multiple lets them see the pattern instead.
• Adding 5 each time. Rows like 7, 12, 17, 22 can lead children to add the step to every box. Use these after the pattern is secure.
• Getting stuck at 100. Counting by 10s from 70 can produce 90, 100, 200. Set Numbers up to 120 or 200 so rows cross a hundred, and look for the row where it happens.
• Counting backward. Going down is noticeably harder. Give a sheet with Direction set to Backward on its own, with Start at 0, so each row ends at 0 and children can check their work.
• Guessing the step. With the rule hidden, a child may see 40, __, 50 and decide the step is 10. Every row shows at least two numbers side by side, so have children find that pair and subtract.

For number before and after, young children often mix up “just before” and “just after.” Pointing along a number line or a hundreds chart while saying the words helps. The between problems also work as a check, because the answer comes after the first number and before the second. Shading a counting pattern on a hundreds chart and then filling in the same pattern on the sheet without the chart builds the same skill.