How to Count 100 Days of School in 4 Easy Ways.

Do you count the days of school with the children in your classroom? Counting 100 days of school is easy with any of these super ideas.

So, you’ve found out you’re teaching Kindergarten next year. Congratulations! That’s awesome! What great fun it will be! However, during the year, you’ve noticed across the playground that Kindergarten is celebrating when the 100th day of school rolls around.

You feel your head get heavy as you wonder. How do teachers keep track of all the days?

You already know your days in Kindergarten are going to be full and busy, so how can you keep up with counting 100 days of school too?

The very first time I taught Kindergarten was in my third year of teaching way back in 1997. Whoa! The 90s sound like a lifetime ago. At my school, counting 100 days of school wasn’t even a ‘thing’.

Fast forward to a few years ago when I was teaching Kindergarten again, and I saw firsthand how important and valuable it was to include this as an activity in our morning routine.

The Benefits of Counting 100 Days of School

• daily practice and routine
• early number sense
• number identification
• number order
• tens frames
• counting sequence
• counting by ones, fives and tens
• tally marks
• grouping
• early addition

Incorporate the counting into your morning work or maths session and you’ll be tracking the days with ease.

So, let out your sigh. Ahhhh. Straighten those shoulders and know help is here to get you sorted and ready to kick it up in Kindergarten.

Don’t Forget – Counting 100 Days of School Should be Easy

1. Tally Marks

Counting the days can be as simple as using your whiteboard and a marker. Add a tally mark for each new day and display it out of reach so your extra helpful, small people can’t add additional tallies when you’re not looking.

2. Paddle Pop Sticks

With a few simple resources, counting the days can be more of a tactile activity. If your classroom is like most classrooms, you have a stash of pop sticks and blu-tac.

Use the blu-tac to display individual sticks on the whiteboard. Once you reach day 10, bundle the ten sticks together and secure with a rubber band. The bundles are lightweight enough, to be blu-tacked to the board too. Each time you reach another group of ten, bundle them again and display for repeated visiting and re-counting.

3. Hundreds Chart

Have you ever had a job in the classroom the kids love to do? Changing the numbers on the 100’s chart is a coveted job. Watch out if somebody has a turn twice in one week! Oh my. Those kiddos are quick to remember.

Depending on the type of 100’s chart you have, roll or turn over a new number each day. Look for patterns and discuss the connections between the numbers as you move closer to the 100th day.

4. Tens Frame Wall Chart

While teaching Kindergarten a couple of years ago, I designed this wall chart – a total timesaver and daily learning tool. Once laminated and attached to the whiteboard, the students add a spot to represent each new day (another classroom job kids hanker to do). Numbered spots can be used to add an extra element of learning to the display.

What Other Teachers Say

Love this so much! It reinforces ten frames, skip counting – all while keeping track of the days at school. Great visual! ~ Amy

What a unique way to count 100 days of school. We just celebrated our 100th day, but I’m planning on using this next year for the 1st 100 days. I love the 10-frame visual for my students with autism to see and practice every day. Thanks! ~ Jean

I love how it gave the option to continue counting after hitting 100 days. The individual number squares really adds to it as well! ~ Madison

This is EXACTLY what I was looking for! I love the color options and how well put together it is. I laminated the title sign and 10 frames, added some velcro circles, and this thing will last me years! My kids are so excited to watch us get closer and closer to 100 days! ~ Alysa

I love this way of counting to the 100th day. It is so good for number sense. ~ Jennifer

I LOVE my 100 days of school display. The colours are neutral and the square dots for the ten frames are ingenious! LOVE LOVE LOVE ~ Ashleigh

Are You Ready to Start Counting 100 Days of School?

Can you imagine Kindergarten’s excitement when the 100th day of school arrives? It’s a big milestone in their year and one worth celebrating. When it rolls around, you’ll be glad you kept track of the days together.

Naturally, some Kindergarteners can become confused when they have to return to Kindergarten on the 101st day. They are pumped and ready for First Grade. Such sweeties! If it happens, take it as an opportunity to continue counting through the year to the last day of school.

A FREEBIE to Help You Start

Download this free classroom sign to print, display and record the days as place value. Includes ‘unit’ and ‘ones’ wording options, black or colour printing and all the numbers you need. Fancy that! A fifth way to count the days. A perfect addition to your daily resources.

And Finally…

If you do decide to count the days, remember to start on the VERY first day of school.

Include counting to 100 days of school as an integral part of your daily routine and you’ll be teaching your Kindergarten students to understand how numbers work in no time. By the time the 100th day of school arrives, they’ll be excited to have come so far through the year. Keeping track of the days will have been a breeze and those early concerns about how to count the days and fit it all in will be a distant memory. Happy counting!