Counting to 100 Kindergarten Math

Hey there! I’m back to share instructional strategies and activities to teach primary learners how to rote count to 100. As always, keep reading to receive a free activity for your math centers or small group instruction!

Let’s talk about counting!

Counting is one of the most important, or the most important skill to practice with primary students. Being able to rote count is a skill students need before they can develop cardinality and before they can learn more complex skills such as composing and decomposing numbers and gulp…place value.

Counting refers to knowing what numbers come next in a sequence. It sounds simple, but rote counting can be difficult when learning it for the first time.

Some barriers that keep students from counting successfully:

1. Skipping numbers or saying a number out of order (especially the tricky teen numbers)
2. Unable to count across decades (9 to 10, 19 to 20, 29 to 30, and so on)
3. Unable to count on from a number that’s not 1 (starting at 15 and then saying 16, 17, 18, etc).

Here’s the good news: All of these barriers to rote counting successfully can be addressed with direct, explicit instruction and multiple opportunities using a variety of mediums of practice.

Simple Math Routines to Help Students Rote Count

• Practice counting every day! Have students count by singing, dancing and counting with a friend. There are a TON of free counting videos on YouTube. My students love Jack Hartman’s counting videos. Click here to check out a few of his videos. If your county blocks YouTube videos, you can make up your own dance moves.
• Teach students to notice patterns – Using a 100 chart, have students talk about what they notice about how the numbers are arranged. They may notice that it follows a 0-9 pattern or that each column has the same number. Have students share the patterns they notice, record what they say and share their findings with the class.
• How many days have we been in school? – This is great practice for counting to 100 every day! Students add a straw (or what you use) every day to symbolize how many days they have been in school. Every time they make a 10, they bundle the straws. On the 100th Day of School, throw a math-themed party!
• Calendar Counting – Numbers 1 to 31 are tricky! When teaching kids to rote count, I recommend first focusing on numbers 1 to 31. You can use a calendar daily to practice writing numbers, saying what number comes before and after and counting how many days until a special event. You can also move numbers around in the wrong spot and ask students to find the number that is in the wrong spot.
• Count around the circle – Have them partner count or count around a circle. Each student says the next number. Remember, don’t always start at 1! Use number cards to pick a number, to begin with. If it is the beginning of the year, I will limit the range to numbers 1 to 31.

You can do these daily activities as part of your math routine.

Activities to Teach Students to Count

Here are some activities to give your students additional practice to rote count to 100!

Partner Counting Cards

The best way to learn how to rote count is by counting! This activity could be used in small groups or whole groups. You pick a card, or a student picks a card, and they count on from that number until they reach a target number. This is a great way to differentiate and to extend the number range based on your student’s skill. For example, if a student is working on rote counting to 25, use counting cards to 25.

Missing Number Cards

Students that skip numbers when they count will benefit from missing number counting cards. Students count and write the missing number. Have them explain how they know the number is missing (I.e., they looked at the pattern or know what comes before or after).

Read and Write

Read and Write is a great way to get students to correctly count and write numbers. It’s developmentally appropriate for students at this age to have some letter reversals, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t provide them with experiences to help them correct number formation. For this activity, students pick, read and write the targeted number. They can use the number strip on the top of the page to help them with correct letter formation. It starts at 2 since most students know how to write 1.

Spin and Cover

Spin and Cover is a great way to get students reading numbers up to 100. They spin both spinners, write the number, and cover it on the 100 chart. This is a fun way for students to familiarize themselves with patterns on the 100 chart.

Count on or Back!

What separates your best number counters from your developing number counters? The best number counters know which number comes before and after a target number. They have strong number fluency skills. Students pick a card and write what comes before and after that number. Students can also count back from a given number depending on which writing card you choose.

Puzzles!

Who doesn’t love a great puzzle? Students match the numeral with the picture. This is a fun activity for practicing how to count by tens.

How Many Fingers?

Finger counting is such an important skill at this early age. Why? Your 10 fingers are essentially a ten frame! You can use your fingers to add and subtract and count on! But for now, we will use our fingers to count by tens to 100. Students pick a number card and use the fingers cards to show how many.

Traveling to 100!

This is a great partner game! Students need a token to move around the board game. Students roll the die and move that many places on the board. Then, they say what numbers come before and what number comes after. There are 2 differentiated board games. For students that may need help with counting, you can provide them with a 100 chart.

Roll and Cover

I love to roll and cover games! They’re so simple to explain but have a lot of instructional value. Students roll the die and pick and read a number in that number’s column. After they read it, they cover it. This can be an independent or collaborative game.

What Comes Next?

This is a partner activity. A student picks a card, reads the numbers, and says what comes next. If their answer is correct, move one space. Then, it’s the other player’s turn. The person to reach the finish line first wins.

What’s in Between?

This is a great partner game to build number fluency. A student picks a card, reads the numbers, and says what number is in the middle. If they are right, they move 1 space. Then, it’s the other player’s turn.

What Comes Next?

Students spin the spinner and write the next 3 numbers. This is a great activity for teaching students to count across decades.

What Comes Next?

Remember when I mentioned that students have a hard time counting across decades? Here’s ANOTHER activity to give them independent practice. Students roll a dice and read the numbers in the row and cover the next number using a manipulative. This is an engaging activity independently or with a partner. There’s a game for counting by tens, too!

What’s Missing? Game #2

This is a task card activity. Students pick a task card and write the missing number by counting on from a given number. They record the missing number on a recording sheet.

Write and Wipe

Students pick a card and write the missing numbers on a whiteboard.

Pick and Record

Students pick a card and write the next several numbers on the number line. They can record the answer on a card or a whiteboard.

Giant Counting Cards

Students arrange number cards in order from 1 to 100 or by 10ss to 100. This a great partner activity to rote count to 100.

Worksheets

Students practice writing and reading numbers to 100.

Do you like this resource? You can purchase it here.

Numbers to 100 Math Center Freebie

You can never have too many math center activities. Here’s a freebie from my Numbers to 100 Math Center packet. You can grab this low-prep activity by completing the phone below. 

It will arrive in your inbox and you will receive other exclusive content!

Do you have any activities to teach your students how to rote count to 100? Let me know in the comments section below.

Happy Teaching!
Tee!