Counting to 100 by tens
In kindergarten, children learn to count by tens from 10 to 100, saying 10, 20, 30, and on up to 100 in order.
By Robert “Bobby” BarnettMath teacher, parent, and founder of Bobby’s Math Club
Try these with your child
These are real questions from our kindergarten practice. Tap the speaker to hear one read aloud, or the light bulb for a hint, and talk about the answer together.
Question 1 of 3
What comes next? 10, 20, 30, 40, __
- 60
- 50
- 41
Why this matters
Counting by tens gives your child a shortcut through the numbers to 100. Ten, twenty, thirty is a short list with a big job, because it organizes everything in between. In 1st grade it helps your child find 10 more than a number and add numbers like 30 + 20, and later it helps with counting dimes and reading bigger numbers. It also makes counting a big pile of things much faster.
If the tens feel shaky, your child can review counting to 100 by ones, where every number in between is said out loud.
Where kids can get stuck
- Counting by tens past ninety to "ten-ty," not yet knowing that one hundred comes after 90.
- Mixing up words that sound alike, such as saying fifteen for fifty or sixteen for sixty while counting by tens.
- Sliding back into counting by ones partway, so 10, 20, 30 turns into 31, 32, 33.
How you can help
- Bundle drinking straws or craft sticks into groups of ten with rubber bands, then count the bundles by tens to see how many there are altogether.
- Count everyone's fingers by tens at the dinner table. Each person holds up both hands, and your child counts 10, 20, 30, and on, one person at a time.
- Walk and count by tens. Take ten steps and say "ten," take ten more and say "twenty," and see whether you reach 100 before the end of the block.
Want a little more? Watch the kid-friendly video below together, or try Bobby's Math Club for free practice that adapts to your child.
Kid-friendly explanation
Questions parents ask
Why is my child learning to count by tens?
Ten, twenty, thirty gives your child landmarks on the way to 100. Knowing that 50 comes after 40 helps them find their place if they lose track while counting by ones. In 1st grade, those landmarks become place value, where your child learns that 50 means five tens.
How do I help my child go from counting by ones to counting by tens?
Counting by tens leaves out all the numbers in between, which can feel strange after so much practice saying every one. Try counting by ones together, saying the numbers that end in zero loudly and whispering the rest. Slowly, the loud numbers become the list of tens. Then drop the whispers and keep only the loud ones.
Is counting by tens the same as skip counting?
Yes. Counting by tens is a kind of skip counting, where your child says every tenth number instead of every number. In kindergarten, tens are the kind your child is expected to learn, because they line up so neatly with how our numbers are built. Counting by fives and by hundreds comes in 2nd grade, using the same idea.
Make learning math fun
Bobby's Math Club turns kindergarten math practice into something fun to do together.
- Free, unlimited practice for every child in your family
- A few minutes a day, at just the right level
- Level-ups, badges, and a cheer for every win
Written by Robert “Bobby” Barnett
Bobby is an award-winning math teacher, the author of Meet Every Learner’s Needs, and the father of two elementary-school math learners. He uses Bobby’s Math Club with his own kids a few times every week. Learn more or contact Bobby.
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Join the clubNote for teachers: This skill is covered by Common Core math standard K.CC.A.1: “Count to 100 by ones and by tens.” Learn how Bobby's Math Club can help your students grow. (Common Core K.CC.1)