Counting to 100 and Skip Counting – Infants 2 Maths

Hello! Today we are going to count all the way to 100. We will also learn to count in 2s and 5s. Get ready to count out loud!

Counting forward to 100

When we count forward, each number is one more than the number before it.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 …

After 10 comes 11, 12, 13 … all the way up to 100. A hundred chart helps us. Each row has 10 numbers. The numbers in a row go up by one. The numbers in a column go up by ten.

You can start counting from any number. Try starting at 37: 37, 38, 39, 40, 41.

Lots of red scarlet ibis birds resting in green trees over the water
Scarlet ibis birds in the Caroni Swamp, Trinidad. Each red spot is a bird. There are lots and lots! When there are many things, counting in 2s or 5s is quicker. Photo: Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Counting backward

When we count backward, each number is one less. It is like a rocket getting ready to blast off!

10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0 – blast off! 🚀

Try counting back from 64: 64, 63, 62, 61, 60, 59.

Counting in 2s and 5s

Skip counting is a quick way to count. We jump over some numbers.

  • In 2s from 0: 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20
  • In 2s from 1: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19
  • In 5s from 0: 0, 5, 10, 15, 20

Count your shoes in 2s. Count your fingers in 5s. Two hands make 10 fingers!

TRY ITHundred chart and “What comes next?”

Look at the numbers. What number comes next? Tap your answer.

Tap any number on the chart to hear it.

Let’s practise

Try each one. Then tap Show answer to check.

1. What number comes after 29?

Show answer

30. 29 and one more is 30.

2. What number comes before 70?

Show answer

69.

3. Count on: 46, 47, 48, ___

Show answer

49.

4. Count back: 83, 82, 81, ___

Show answer

80.

5. Count in 2s: 8, 10, 12, ___

Show answer

14.

6. Count in 5s: 5, 10, 15, ___

Show answer

20.

7. Count back in 2s: 20, 18, 16, ___

Show answer

14.

Quick check

1. What number comes after 99?

Show answer

100 – one hundred!

2. Count in 2s from 1: 1, 3, 5, ___, ___

Show answer

7, 9.

3. How many fingers are on 4 hands? Count in 5s.

Show answer

5, 10, 15, 20. There are 20 fingers.

Maths words

Say these words with a grown-up. Can you use each one in a sentence?

count forward · count backward · one more · one less · hundred · skip count · next

Try it at home

  • Count the steps as you walk up the stairs. Count back as you walk down.
  • Count pairs of socks in 2s.
  • Do a “rocket count” from 20 back to 0. Jump up at zero!
  • Say the numbers from 50 to 100 while a grown-up points to them on a calendar or a chart.

For parents and teachers

After this lesson, your child should be able to:

  • count forwards and backwards in ones from any number up to 100
  • use a hundred chart to find the next and the previous number
  • count in 2s (from 0 and from 1) and in 5s (from 0) up to 20 and back

Tip: start counting from different numbers (e.g. 47, not always 1). The jump from 29 to 30 or from 69 to 70 is often the tricky part.

Previous: Infants 2 lessons (all subjects)
Next: How Many? Counting to 20

Attributions to media used in this post:

Scarlet ibis (Eudocimus ruber) roosting.jpg – Charles J. Sharp – CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

© 2026 Vedesh Kungebeharry. All rights reserved.