Counting is an important sequential mathematical skill that requires saying number words in the correct order, matching a number word with each object while counting a single group of objects, and counting each object once.
Counting forward or backward without changing the number ranges according to a certain rule is called “skip counting” or “rhythmic counting”. In skip counting, there must be a certain order whether forward or backward.
- As we count forward by twos, we increase the numbers by twos.
- As we count forward by threes, we increase the numbers by threes.
- As we count forward by fours, we increase the numbers by fours.
- As we count forward by fives, we increase the numbers by fives.
We can do skip counting for all the numbers. What we should not forget here is that the spaces between the numbers should always be the same, no matter which number we are performing the skip counting process.
When counting by ten rhythmic, we get decimals. Thus, we can perform counting properly, leaving a difference of 10 numbers.