Skip-counting puzzles
key notes :
| 🔷What is Skip Counting? |
Skip counting means counting forward or backward by a number other than 1.
Instead of saying 1, 2, 3… we jump in steps:
- 2, 4, 6, 8… (by 2s)
- 5, 10, 15, 20… (by 5s)
- 10, 20, 30… (by 10s)
Skip counting helps us:
| 🔢 Common Skip-Counting Patterns |
| Skip by | Pattern | Real-Life Use |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12… | Counting pairs (shoes, eyes) |
| 3 | 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18… | Triangle sides, stools |
| 4 | 4, 8, 12, 16, 20… | Car wheels, legs of animals |
| 5 | 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30… | Fingers, coins (₹5) |
| 10 | 10, 20, 30, 40, 50… | ₹10 notes, minutes on a clock |
| 🧩 What Are Skip-Counting Puzzles? |
Skip-counting puzzles are math problems where some numbers in the skip-counting pattern are missing, and you have to figure them out.
| 🧠 Examples of Skip-Counting Puzzles |
🔸 Puzzle 1: Fill in the Blanks
🟨 3, __, 9, __, 15
👉 Count by 3s
✅ Answer: 3, 6, 9, 12, 15
🔸 Puzzle 2: What Comes Next?
🟨 10, 20, 30, ___, ___
👉 Count by 10s
✅ Answer: 40, 50
🔸 Puzzle 3: Missing Middle Number
🟨 4, ___, 12
👉 Count by 4s
✅ Answer: 8
🔸 Puzzle 4: Find the Pattern
🟨 5, 10, 15, __, 25, __
✅ Answer: 20, 30
| 🎨 Visual Example: Skip Counting on a Number Line |
plaintextCopyEditCount by 5s:
0 ---5---10---15---20---25---30
Each jump = 5 units
| ✨ Fun Activities |
- 🔢 Color the Pattern: Color every 3rd number on a number chart
- 🎲 Clap & Count: Clap on each skip count by 4
- 🧩 Skip-Count Maze: Only follow the numbers in 5s to reach the treasure!
- 🪜 Step Jump: Walk up stairs while skip counting by 2s or 10s
| 📝 Practice Time |
✔ Fill in the blanks:
- 6, __, 18, __, 30 → (By 6)
✅ Answer: 12, 24 - __, 35, 40, __, 50 → (By 5)
✅ Answer: 30, 45
✔ What skip counting pattern is this?
👉 8, 12, 16, 20
✅ Skip by 4s
| 🏠 Home Activity |
🔍 Look around your home and make skip-count lists:
- Count pencils in 2s
- Count books in 5s
- Count tiles in 4s
Write the skip-counting pattern in your notebook!
| 🧠 Memory Tip: |
“Skip count like a frog!
Jump, land, jump again – don’t hop one by one!” 🐸
🔴Learn with an example🔴
Bernie started at 30. He skip-counted by tens. Could he have said the number 100?
We know that Bernie started at 30 and skip-counted by tens. We want to find out if he could have said the number 100. Try counting like Bernie. Start at 30 and count by tens until you say 100 or go past it.
30 ➡️ 40 ➡️ 50 ➡️ 60 ➡️ 70 ➡️ 80 ➡️ 90 ➡️ 100
Yes, you say 100. Bernie could have said 100.
Levi began at 10. He skip-counted until he reached 20. Could he have been counting by tens?
We know that Levi started at 10 and skip-counted until he got to 20. We want to find out if he could have been counting by tens. Try counting like Levi. Start at 10 and count by tens until you say 20 or go past it.
10, 20
Yes, you say 20. Levi could have been counting by tens.
Marshall started at 15. He skip-counted by fives. Could he have said the number 45?
We know that Marshall started at 15 and skip-counted by fives. We want to find out if he could have said the number 45. Try counting like Marshall. Start at 15 and count by fives until you say 45 or go past it.
15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45
Yes, you say 45. Marshall could have said 45.
Let’s practice!
