What is skip counting?

Skip counting means counting in steps of the same size, such as 2s, 5s or 10s, rather than one at a time. It builds the times tables, helps with money and telling time, and makes counting large groups faster.

Examples

• Count by 2s: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10.
• Count by 5s: 5, 10, 15, 20, 25.
• Count by 10s: 10, 20, 30, 40, 50.

Quick facts

• Skip counting in equal steps gives the multiples of that number.
• Counting by 2s lands only on even numbers.