My child can count by 10s but not 5s. How can I help her?


Skip counting is a skill that can help children become more confident in mathematical problem solving and in daily tasks such as counting money. Counting by tens is a great place to start! In many classrooms, children learn to count by fives while looking at a 100 chart. A 100 chart shows the numbers 1 to 100 in ten rows of ten. You can print a 100 chart, then help your child count 1-2-3-4-5 on the chart, coloring every fifth square until all of the multiples of 5 have been colored. Your child can then practice counting by fives by looking at the chart they have colored. Not only will your child get practice in counting by 5s, he/she is also likely to notice interesting patterns on the 100 chart!

Jennie Ito, Ph.D.

Child Development Expert

Jennie Ito is a mother of two and a child development consultant who specializes in children’s play and toys. Before becoming a consultant for LeapFrog, she was an intern at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC, and later worked as a content expert for the Association of Children’s Museum’s “Playing for Keeps” Play Initiative. Jennie earned her doctorate degree in developmental psychology at Queen’s University in Ontario, Canada.