Counting Backwards and Skip Counting

Counting Up and Counting Down

You already know how to count up: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Each number is one more than the last. Counting up is like climbing a ladder. Up, up, up!

But what if we go the other way? When we count backwards, we go down. We start big and get smaller. Each number is one less than the last.

Try it with me:

10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1!

That is counting backwards from 10. The numbers get smaller every time.

Blast Off!

Counting backwards is fun because rockets do it! Before a rocket flies, everyone counts down.

5... 4... 3... 2... 1... Blast off! 🚀

When you get to 1, the rocket zooms into the sky. Let's practice. Put your hands together like a rocket. Count down out loud: five, four, three, two, one. Now jump up high and say blast off!

You can count backwards from any number. Here is counting backwards from 5:

5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

And here is counting backwards from 3:

3, 2, 1.

The trick is simple: each time, take one away.

What Is Skip Counting?

Now let's learn a new trick called skip counting. When we skip count, we do not say every number. We jump over some and only say a few. It is like hopping instead of walking.

Skip Counting by 2s

When we skip count by 2s, we hop two numbers each time:

2, 4, 6, 8, 10!

See how we skipped 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9? We jumped right over them. Counting by 2s is great for counting things that come in pairs, like socks, shoes, and eyes.

Imagine 5 pairs of shoes. Instead of counting each shoe one by one, you can count: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10. There are 10 shoes!

Skip Counting by 5s

When we skip count by 5s, we hop five numbers each time:

5, 10, 15, 20, 25!

Your hand is perfect for counting by 5s. One hand has 5 fingers. Two hands have 10 fingers. Hold up your hands and count: 5, 10!

Skip Counting by 10s

When we skip count by 10s, we hop ten numbers each time:

10, 20, 30, 40, 50!

Counting by 10s is super fast. We use it to count big groups, like bags with ten apples each.

A Skip Counting Table

Here is a little chart to help you see the jumps:

Skip by	The numbers
2s	2, 4, 6, 8, 10
5s	5, 10, 15, 20, 25
10s	10, 20, 30, 40, 50

Look at the 5s and the 10s. The number 10 is in both! That is because two jumps of 5 make 10.

Why Skip Counting Helps

Skip counting is a magic helper. If you have lots of things to count, counting one by one takes a long time. Skip counting lets you count fast.

It also gets your brain ready for bigger math later, like times tables. When you can already count 2, 4, 6, 8, you are halfway to learning your 2 times table! You can keep building these number skills with place value and tens and ones and later with your times tables.

Try It Yourself

Here are three games to play:

1. Rocket countdown. Stand up tall. Count backwards from 10 to 1. Crouch down a little for each number. On 1, jump up and shout blast off!
2. Sock pile. Find some socks. Lay them in pairs. Count them by 2s: 2, 4, 6. How many socks are there?
3. Finger fives. Use your hands. Count by 5s as you hold up each hand: 5, 10, 15. Can you and a grown-up reach 25 together?

Great job! You can count up, count down, and skip count. You are a counting star! ⭐