Today is rung 5 of 9 on this topic
Counting to 100, and counting on from anywhere
Can do: Counts to 100 by ones and tens, and can start from 47 without going back to one.
Why it matters
Counting on is the bridge to addition. A child who must restart from one every time will still be counting on fingers in Grade 3.
What it looks like when it's wobbly
Falls apart at the decade boundaries — 29, 30 — or cannot start anywhere except one.
⏱️ Two-minute check
"Start at 47 and keep counting." Then: "Count by tens to 100."
Solid looks like: Gets past 50 from a cold start, and the tens are smooth.
The full activity for this topic · 5 minutes
Count-On Cards
- 1Draw a number card and count on from it, ten numbers, then stop.
- 2Do the tricky decade jumps deliberately: 28, 29, 30 — pause and stress the change.
- 3Count while moving: one number per stair, per jump, per step to the car.
- 4Count backwards from 20 on the way down. Backwards is much harder and worth the time.
- 5Count by tens with fingers held up, ten per hand-flash.
If it's too hard
Count on from a decade — 30, 40 — which are the easiest starting points.
If it's too easy
Count on by twos or fives, or count backwards from 30.
Say this
"You don't have to go back to one. Start where you are and keep going."