Skip Counting Or Counting In groups
Skip counting can be fun for younger children. It can also build a foundation for future success in math without them even realizing it.
What is skip counting?
Skip counting is also known as counting in groups. It is the method of counting forward by numbers other than 1. To skip count, we keep adding the same number each time to the previous number. The best way to teach skip counting is through the number lines. Let us understand this with an example:
Here, we skip counting by 2 on a number line. So, starting at 0, the next number will be 0+2=2, then, 2+2=4, then 4+2=6, then 6+2=8, and then, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18 and so on.
It is good to practice skip counting by 2s, 3s, 4s, 5s, 6s, 7s, 8s, 9s, 10s.
Why skip counting is important?
– It builds a solid number sense foundation.
– Makes kids recognize patterns in numbers.
– It sets a strong base for multiplication tables as well.
Different ways of teaching:
Teaching skip counting through stories:
Teaching skip counting through games:
a) Skip count hopscotch: Convert the traditional hopscotch into skip counting hopscotch and write numbers using skip counting of 2, skip counting by 3 etc.
b) Let’s Buzz! : Make the students sit in a circle. Students will start counting from 1, one by one. In the first round, you can ask them to skip count by 2s. So 2,4,6,8,10 and so on will be the numbers where the students will have to say “Buzz” instead of number.
