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Skip Counting
Pick a step — 2, 5, 10 or any number up to 12 — and fill in the missing multiple in each sequence. It's the gentle on-ramp that makes the times tables feel familiar.
How it works
Practise first, read after. Choose a step below and press Begin — you'll see sequences like "7, 14, 21, ▢, 35" with one number hidden, and instant feedback when you answer. Then keep scrolling for why skip counting helps and answers to common questions. Nothing you type is stored.
The skip-counting drill
Skip counting is counting forward in equal steps — 3, 6, 9, 12 (by 3) or 5, 10, 15, 20 (by 5). Because every number you land on is a multiple, skip counting by n is really the n times table in sequence, which is why it is the perfect warm-up before recalling facts at random.
Key takeaways
- Count in equal steps — every stop is a multiple.
- It builds the table's rhythm before random recall.
- Start with 2, 5 and 10 — the clearest patterns.
- Say it out loud to lock the sequence in.
- No account, no data — it runs in the browser.
Why skip counting helps
Before a child can answer "what is 6 × 4?" out of the blue, it helps to have counted "6, 12, 18, 24" many times. Skip counting lays down that sequence as a familiar chant, so the individual facts have somewhere to land. It also surfaces the patterns — counting by 5 always lands on 0 or 5; counting by 10 just adds a zero — which makes the tables feel logical rather than arbitrary.
Tips for skip counting
Count out loud and clap
Saying the numbers aloud, or clapping on each one, adds rhythm and movement that helps young children remember the sequence.
Use a number line or hundreds chart
Hopping along a number line in equal jumps makes the "equal steps" idea visible and concrete before it becomes a mental list.
Mix forwards and backwards
Once counting up is easy, try counting down — 40, 35, 30, 25 — which strengthens recall and quietly previews division.
Frequently asked questions
What is skip counting?
Skip counting means counting forward in equal steps instead of by ones — for example 5, 10, 15, 20 (counting by 5). Each number you land on is a multiple, so skip counting by n builds the n times table.
How does this practice work?
Pick a step — say 7 — and we show a sequence (7, 14, 21, ▢, 35…) with one number hidden. Work out the missing multiple, type it, and press Check for instant feedback. Each round has several sequences.
Why teach skip counting before the times tables?
Skip counting builds the rhythm and patterns of a table before a child has to recall facts at random. Counting "3, 6, 9, 12" out loud lays the track that "4 × 3 = 12" later runs on, so the tables feel familiar rather than brand new.
Which steps are easiest to start with?
Counting by 2, 5 and 10 is the easiest — the patterns are clear (evens, ends in 0 or 5, add a zero). Once those feel automatic, try counting by 3, 4 and then the trickier 6, 7, 8 and 9.
Is it free, and is anything stored?
It is completely free, needs no account, and stores nothing. Sequences are generated in your browser and nothing you type is sent anywhere.
What comes after skip counting?
Once a child can skip count smoothly, move to recalling the facts out of order: practise a single table, then mixed practice, then a timed speed test.
Skip-counting sequences are mathematical (the multiples of n). The "rhythm before recall" approach reflects common early-years and primary-maths teaching.
Last reviewed 2026-06-28