Using a Hundreds Chart

A Hundreds Chart is one of the best charts to have in your house. You can certainly make your own, or you can download a free Hundreds Chart here.

We recommend using a Hundreds Chart almost daily with your children, especially around ages 4 to 9. Use plenty of buttons, Legos, raisins, etc., or simply just use your fingers.

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Some Fun Ideas

Suzy, point to the numbers and count to 10.
Sammy, point to the numbers and count to 20.
Suzy, how high can you count?
Sammy, put buttons on all the numbers from 1 to 10 (or 1 to 20, or 1 to whatever).
Suzy, what is 5 and 1 more?
Sammy, what is 4 and 2 more?
Suzy, can you take away 1 from 9?
Sammy, what is 2 less than 7?
Suzy, let’s count by tens. 10, 20, 30, 40…
Sammy, let’s count by fives. 5, 10, 15, 20…
Suzy, let’s count by ten, but let’s start on the number 2.
Sammy, let’s count by 6s… (or 3s… or 7s… or any other number).
Suzy, add 5 to 7. Put a button on that number. Now add 5 to 17, and put a button on that number. Keep going, adding 5 to 27.
Sammy, add 3 to 9. How about 3 to 19? How about 3 to 29? Can you keep going?
Suzy, add 9 to any number you like. Put a button on that number, and I’ll guess what number you started with.
Sammy, can you add 11 to any number?
Suzy, let’s start at 100 and count backwards.
Sammy, let’s start at 100 and count backwards by 10.
Suzy, let’s start at 100 and count backwards by 2, or by 5.
Sammy, let’s start at 20 and count by 2 backwards.
Suzy, subtract 4 from 51. Can you subtract 4 from 41? What do you think the number will be if you subtract 4 from 31?
Sammy, subtract 5 from 53… from 43… from 33… and so on.
Suzy, is that problem on your worksheet too hard? Let’s try figuring it out on the Hundreds Chart!

In our home, we either laminate the chart or insert it into a plastic sheet protector. Our children each have their own chart and keep it close during daily math lessons.

Do you have more ideas? Share them in the comments below!