4 free skip counting worksheets
Free printable skip counting worksheets by 2s, 5s and 10s for grade 1 and grade 2, plus a mixed review sheet. Fill in the missing numbers in each sequence. PDF download.
Skip counting is counting forwards in equal jumps: 2, 4, 6, 8 or 5, 10, 15, 20. It is the bridge between counting one at a time and understanding multiplication, and it is the skill behind reading a clock, counting coins and using a hundreds chart. These four worksheets give focused practice with 2s, 5s and 10s, then mix all three so children have to notice the pattern before they fill in the blanks.
What Students Will Practice
- Counting by 2s to 60, by 5s to 100 and by 10s to 200
- Continuing a sequence from starting points other than 2, 5 or 10 (for example 12, 14, 16 or 35, 40, 45)
- Finding a missing number by looking at the numbers on both sides of the gap
- Spotting the pattern in a row before deciding how big each jump is (mixed review)
- Building the number facts that later become the 2, 5 and 10 times tables
These sheets support Common Core 2.NBT.A.2 (count within 1000; skip-count by 5s, 10s and 100s) and the grade 1 expectation of counting by 2s and 10s, which is why the sequences deliberately start from different points rather than always from the beginning.
Skip counting review worksheet (2s, 5s and 10s)
Mixed review: each row counts by 2s, 5s or 10s. Read the label, then fill in the blanks. Free printable PDF.
Skip counting by 10s worksheet
Eight number sequences counting by 10s up to 200 with missing numbers to fill in. Free printable PDF.
Skip counting by 5s worksheet
Eight number sequences counting by 5s with missing numbers to fill in. Free printable PDF.
Skip counting by 2s worksheet
Eight number sequences counting by 2s with missing numbers to fill in. Free printable PDF.
How to Use These Worksheets
Print at 100% on A4 or US Letter paper. Each sheet has eight rows of ten numbers with four blanks per row.
- Say the row before writing. Have your child read the visible numbers aloud, then say the whole sequence including the gaps. Hearing the rhythm (“two, four, six, eight”) often fills the blank before the pencil does.
- Start with 10s, then 5s, then 2s. Counting by 10s is easiest because only the tens digit changes. Fives alternate between 5 and 0 in the ones place. Twos are hardest because the ones digit cycles through five different values.
- Use the neighbours. If a blank sits between 14 and 18, ask “what is two more than 14?” and check it against 18. Teaching this both-sides check makes children self-correct.
- Finish with the mixed review. The label on each row says which jump to use, but ask your child to work it out from the first two numbers before reading the label.
- Connect it to real things. Count pairs of shoes by 2s, fingers on hands by 5s and dimes by 10s. The worksheets stick better when the pattern has been counted on real objects first.
Common Mistakes to Watch For
- Slipping back to counting by 1s: A child writes 15, 16, 17 instead of 15, 20, 25. Cover the row and clap the rhythm of the jump together.
- Losing the pattern across a tens boundary: 28, 30, 32 trips up many children. Practise the crossing spots (18 to 20, 28 to 30, 48 to 50) on their own.
- Only being able to start from 2, 5 or 10: If a row starting at 12 causes trouble, have your child count from 2 out loud until they reach 12, then keep going.
- Mixing up 5s and 10s: Point out that counting by 10s only ever ends in 0, while 5s alternate 5, 0, 5, 0.
Frequently Asked Questions
What grade are these skip counting worksheets for?
Counting by 2s and 10s is usually introduced in kindergarten and first grade, and counting by 5s in first and second grade. The mixed review sheet suits second grade, or any child who is confident with all three patterns.
Why do some rows start at unusual numbers like 14 or 35?
Children often memorise “2, 4, 6, 8” as a chant without understanding the jump. Starting mid-sequence checks that they can apply the pattern from any point, which is what the grade 2 standard asks for and what real counting situations need.
Do the worksheets come with answers?
Each row is a straightforward sequence, so a parent or teacher can check it by counting on from the first number. The mixed review sheet labels every row with its step so checking is quick.
How does skip counting help with multiplication?
Skip counting by 5s gives the 5 times table in order: 5, 10, 15, 20. A child who can skip count fluently can find 5 × 4 by counting four jumps. It is the most reliable early strategy for times tables.
Keep Counting
Before skip counting, children need to count on and back by ones: our missing number worksheets and before and after numbers worksheets cover that. Once the 2s and 10s are fluent, move on to the 3 times table worksheets and 10 times table worksheets, or practise spotting patterns with the repeating patterns worksheets.
