Year 1 Maths: Count Forward and Backward – Up to 20

Introduction

Hello, young mathematicians! Today, we’re going to learn how to count forward and backward up to 20. This will help us with all kinds of fun activities, like playing games and solving puzzles. Are you ready to start counting?

Counting Forward

When we count forward, we start with a number and say the next number. For example, if we start at 1, we count forward like this:

1, 2, 3, 4, 5…

Key Rules for Counting Forward:

• Start with a number.
• Say the next number by adding 1.
• Keep going until you reach 20!

Example:

If I say “3”, what comes next? Yes! It’s “4”! And after that, we say “5”.

Counting Backward

Now, let’s learn to count backward. When we count backward, we start with a number and say the number before it. For example, if we start at 5, we count backward like this:

5, 4, 3, 2, 1…

Key Rules for Counting Backward:

• Start with a number.
• Say the previous number by taking away 1.
• Keep going until you reach 1!

Example:

If I say “7”, what comes before it? That’s right! It’s “6”! And before that is “5”.

Tips and Tricks

1. Use Fingers: You can use your fingers to help you count! Count forward by raising your fingers, and count backward by putting them down.
2. Counting Songs: Sing counting songs! There are many fun songs that help with counting forward and backward.
3. Visual Aids: Draw a number line! This can help you see the numbers and understand how to count up and down.

Questions

Easy Level Questions

1. What is 1 plus 1?
2. Count forward from 1 to 5.
3. What is 3 plus 1?
4. Count backward from 5 to 1.
5. What comes after 6?
6. Count forward from 2 to 7.
7. What is 4 minus 1?
8. Count backward from 10 to 6.
9. How many numbers are there from 1 to 5?
10. What comes after 9?
11. Count forward from 0 to 5.
12. What is 5 minus 2?
13. What comes before 8?
14. Count backward from 7 to 3.
15. What is 2 plus 2?
16. Count forward from 3 to 8.
17. What comes before 5?
18. Count backward from 6 to 1.
19. What is 1 plus 3?
20. Count forward from 1 to 10.

Medium Level Questions

1. What comes after 12?
2. Count backward from 15 to 10.
3. What is 7 plus 2?
4. Count forward from 5 to 15.
5. What comes before 14?
6. Count backward from 20 to 15.
7. What is 8 minus 3?
8. Count forward from 10 to 20.
9. How many numbers are there from 10 to 15?
10. What comes after 17?
11. Count backward from 18 to 13.
12. What is 6 plus 4?
13. What comes before 13?
14. Count forward from 11 to 16.
15. What is 9 minus 5?
16. Count backward from 19 to 14.
17. What comes after 3?
18. Count forward from 1 to 12.
19. What is 4 plus 5?
20. Count backward from 12 to 7.

Hard Level Questions

1. What comes after 19?
2. Count backward from 20 to 10.
3. What is 15 minus 6?
4. Count forward from 10 to 20 in steps of 2.
5. What comes before 18?
6. Count backward from 17 to 7.
7. What is 13 plus 4?
8. Count forward from 5 to 20 in steps of 3.
9. How many numbers are there from 15 to 20?
10. What comes after 16?
11. Count backward from 20 to 5.
12. What is 14 minus 7?
13. What comes before 15?
14. Count forward from 8 to 20 in steps of 4.
15. What is 11 plus 8?
16. Count backward from 19 to 10.
17. What number comes after 10?
18. Count forward from 3 to 19 in steps of 2.
19. What is 17 minus 9?
20. Count backward from 11 to 1.

Answers and Explanations

Easy Level

1. Counting forward adds 1 to 1.
2. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. These are all the numbers from 1 to 5.
3. We added 1 to 3.
4. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. This is counting backward from 5.
5. After 6 comes 7.
6. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. These are the numbers we counted forward.
7. We took away 1 from 4.
8. 10, 9, 8, 7, 6. These are the numbers we counted backward.
9. There are five numbers from 1 to 5.
10. After 9 comes 10.
11. 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. These are the numbers we counted forward.
12. We took away 2 from 5.
13. Before 8 comes 7.
14. 7, 6, 5, 4, 3. This is counting backward.
15. We added 2 to 2.
16. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. These are the numbers we counted forward.
17. Before 5 comes 4.
18. 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. This is counting backward.
19. We added 3 to 1.
20. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. This is counting forward.

Medium Level

1. After 12 comes 13.
2. 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10. This is counting backward.
3. We added 2 to 7.
4. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. This is counting forward.
5. Before 14 comes 13.
6. 20, 19, 18, 17, 16, 15. This is counting backward.
7. We took away 3 from 8.
8. 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20. This is counting forward.
9. There are five numbers from 10 to 15.
10. After 17 comes 18.
11. 15, 14, 13, 12. This is counting backward.
12. We added 4 to 6.
13. Before 13 comes 12.
14. 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16. This is counting forward.
15. We took away 5 from 9.
16. 19, 18, 17, 16, 15, 14. This is counting backward.
17. After 3 comes 4.
18. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. This is counting forward.
19. We added 5 to 4.
20. 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7. This is counting backward.

Hard Level

1. After 19 comes 20.
2. 20, 19, 18, 17, 16, 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10. This is counting backward.
3. We took away 6 from 15.
4. 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20. This is counting forward in steps of 2.
5. Before 18 comes 17.
6. 17, 16, 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10. This is counting backward.
7. We added 4 to 13.
8. 5, 8, 11, 14, 17, 20. This is counting forward in steps of 3.
9. There are six numbers from 15 to 20.
10. After 16 comes 17.
11. 20, 19, 18, 17, 16, 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10. This is counting backward.
12. We took away 7 from 14.
13. Before 15 comes 14.
14. 8, 12, 16, 20. This is counting forward in steps of 4.
15. We added 8 to 11.
16. 19, 18, 17, 16, 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10. This is counting backward.
17. After 10 comes 11.
18. 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19. This is counting forward in steps of 2.
19. We took away 9 from 17.
20. 10, 9, 8, 7, 6. This is counting backward.

Now you are ready to count forward and backward up to 20! Keep practising, and you will become a counting master!