Which numbers can children count by?

2s, 3s, 5s and 10s, or Mixed for a different step on every row.

Do the patterns always start at zero?

No. They start at different multiples, so children have to find the step from the numbers they can see.

Why practise skip counting?

It is the start of multiplication: counting by 5s is the 5 times table.

Skip Counting Worksheets: Count by 2s, 3s, 5s and 10s

From counting to times tables

Skip counting builds the patterns children later need for multiplication and division. When it is fluent, move on to the multiplication worksheets.

In the Australian Curriculum

Year 1Finding how many are in collections to at least 120 by making equal groups and skip counting (AC9M1N03).
Year 2Recalling multiplication facts for twos.
Year 3Recalling multiplication facts for twos, threes, fours, fives and tens.

Version 9.0 ties skip counting to counting real collections in Year 1: shoes in pairs, fingers in fives, bundles of ten paddle-pop sticks. A sheet makes more sense straight after counting something real.

The 3s on this maker look ahead to Year 3, when threes join the facts children are expected to recall. Counting in 10s from numbers like 7 (7, 17, 27) is also good preparation for adding tens mentally.

Summarised in our own words from the Australian Curriculum: Mathematics, Version 9.0 (ACARA).