They handle 1–20. Good. Next step: 50. But the game changes now — counting to 50 one by one is tedious. They need to learn to group (5 in one, 10 in one) and skip (count in fives, tens). That's where maths becomes strategic, not just chanting.
This article shows how to train grouping and skip-counting at home. At Kluriko this is trained in the Learning Games' maths exercises — but at home with stuff you already have works just as well.
Why 50?
50 is a handy number. Half a hundred. Many concrete things at home come in 50-packs (clothespins, beads, popcorn, paperclips). And it's big enough to force grouping — but not so big they give up.
Skip-counting
Count in tens
"10, 20, 30, 40, 50." Sing it. They learn 5 numbers instead of 50.
Count in fives
"5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50." Sing that too. They learn 10 numbers instead of 50.
Count in twos
"2, 4, 6, 8, 10..." This is multiplication in disguise. The start of the 2-times table.
Count in fives with the clock
A clock's minute markings are 5, 10, 15... 60. They train fives through the clock.
Grouping
Bead groups
Buy 50 beads. They group them in tens. 5 groups. "How many total?" 50.
Popcorn groups
Pour 50 pieces of popcorn. "Put 5 in each pile." They get 10 piles. "How many total?" 50.
Paperclip count
50 clips. Hang them in tens on a pencil. 5 pencils. 50 clips total.
Socks
The laundry comes with 25 pairs of socks = 50 socks. "Count in pairs." 25.
The base-ten system — deepened
In counting to 50 the base-ten system sits properly. They should be able to say:
- "23 is 2 tens and 3 ones."
- "47 is 4 tens and 7 ones."
Show concretely: 2 ten-bundles + 3 loose sticks = 23. They see the structure in the number.
Dice games
Race to 50
Two dice. They roll, add, add to running total. Who reaches 50 first? Trains addition in context.
50-bead jar
They have a jar. For each activity (shoes on, teeth brushed, homework done) they drop a bead in. When it's 50 — a reward. Trains counting over time.
Number tally on the move
On a walk or in the car:
- Count all the red cars you see.
- Count all the white houses.
- Count all the birds.
Goal: 50 or more. Concrete counting in daily life.
Common problems
They lose track at 30. Common. That's where the 11–20 pattern ends and 20–30 begins. Slowness, repetition.
They say 28, 29, 30, 40. They skip over the 30s. Solve: explicitly chant 31, 32, 33, 34...
They can chant 1–50 but can't pick up 33 stones. No one-to-one mapping in the new range. Concrete work.
They tire. Counting to 50 is tiring. 5–10 minutes per session.
Counting timeline for 5–7
Age 5: 1–20 confidently, starting tens to 50.
Age 6: confident 1–50. Understands groups.
Age 7: counts to 100 and beyond.
Number ranges aren't songs — they're understanding
Many 5-year-olds can chant "1, 2, 3... 50" but don't understand what the numbers mean. Counting practice should build understanding, not just chanting.
Check question: "Show me 23 stones." If they pick 23 — they can. If they pick a few and stop — they can chant but not count.
Once 50 sits — move on
They're ready for:
- The 100-grid (see our 100 article)
- Addition under 20
- Subtraction under 10
- Number bonds to 10
50 is not the end — it's the springboard.
Clock and money
50 on a clock: 50 minutes, half an hour + 20.
50 in money: 50 kronor is a 50-note. They learn that numbers have currency.
Both are uses of 50 in reality. Helps them grasp that maths is for something.
How Kluriko helps
Kluriko Learning Games have counting games to 50 and 100 where they train groups, skip-counting and the base-ten system. The visualisation in the game is often clearer than what you can do at home.