1. Name and sort the coins
Start by recognising each coin and note by sight and value. Sort a handful into piles. Use real or play money for the country you teach in, the coins differ: US has the penny, nickel, dime and quarter; the UK uses pence up to £2; Australia uses 5c up to $2.
2. Count one coin type by skip counting
Count a pile of one coin by skip counting its value: five 10c coins is 10, 20, 30, 40, 50. This links money straight to skip counting and makes single-coin totals quick.
3. Count mixed coins, biggest first
For mixed coins, teach the strategy of starting with the largest value and counting on. Sort largest to smallest, then count: 50, then +20 is 70, then +5 is 75. Counting on from the big coins keeps the running total manageable.
4. Make change
Making change is counting up from the price to the amount paid. For a $1.30 item paid with $2.00, count on: 1.30 to 1.50 is 20c, then to 2.00 is 50c more, so 70c change. A number line helps.
Free money practice (US, UK or AU)
SproutSheets makes printable counting-coins worksheets for US dollars, British pounds or Australian dollars, with the right coins and a money reference, and answer keys computed in code. Pick your currency and print.