Counting 1 to 100 in English and Hindi

Counting 1 to 100 is a big, exciting milestone, and it is built one small step at a time. On this page your child taps any square on the 1-100 chart and hears that number spoken in English and Hindi, sees it large at the top of the screen, and can switch the digits between 1 2 3 and १ २ ३. Below the game you will find the full list of number names 1 to 100 in words, with Hindi numerals and pronunciation, which you can print.

What your child learns here, and at what age

Children do not learn numbers 1 to 100 in one go, and they should not be expected to. Research on early maths shows that children first learn the meaning of one, two and three, then around three and a half they understand that the last number said tells you "how many". Here is a realistic picture of how counting grows:

India's NIPUN Balvatika goals ask 5-6 year olds to count and read numerals up to 10, and the UK Reception year expects counting beyond 20. So 1 to 100 numbers is a stretch goal for most children under 6, not a test. Reciting to 100 is great fun; real understanding of 1 to 20 matters more.

How to use the 1-100 chart game

• Tap a number. Your child hears it in both languages, for example "twenty-three" and तेईस, and sees the number word with its pronunciation.
• Count with me. Press the big button and the page counts aloud from 1 up to the range you chose, lighting up each square. When it reaches the end, a marble drops into the Goli Jar.
• Choose how far. The 1-10, 1-20, 1-50 and 1-100 buttons change the size of the chart, so a 4-year-old is not faced with 100 squares at once.
• Change the digits. The १ २ ३ button shows Hindi (Devanagari) numerals, useful in Hindi-medium schools.
• Change the language order. The अ+A button in the header plays Hindi first, English first, or only one language. For a Hindi-first version, see Hindi ginti 1 to 100.

In Settings (behind a grown-up check) you can turn on calm motion and calm sound for children who find lights and sounds too much.

How to teach counting 1 to 100 at home

Parents often ask how to teach a child numbers 1 to 100 without drilling. The trick is to teach the pattern, not a hundred separate words. Five to ten minutes a day is plenty.

1. Make 1 to 10 solid first. Count real things: spoons, shoes, grapes. Our counting 1 to 10 game checks "how many?" after each count.
2. Then the teens. Number names 11 to 20 are the tricky part in English (eleven and twelve do not sound like "one-ty one"). Say them slowly while pointing to the chart.
3. Show the columns. On the 1-100 chart every column ends the same way: 3, 13, 23, 33. Ask your child to tap down a column and listen. This is how most children learn how to count 1 to 100 without memorising each word.
4. Count by tens. 10, 20, 30… up the last column. Now 100 feels reachable.
5. Count forward and backward. Once forward counting is easy, count backward from 10 like a rocket launch. Counting 1 to 100 forward and backward comes later, usually in class 1.

Counting in daily life

Count steps as you climb, idlis as you serve them, cars at a red light, or coins in a piggy bank. At the market, let your child count 10 tomatoes into the bag. At the park, count swings, then count pushes on the swing up to 20. Hide-and-seek is a lovely way to recite to 30 or 50 with a purpose.

Number names in Hindi and English

English number names 1 to 100 are regular after 20: twenty-one, twenty-two, and so on. Hindi numbers 1 to 100 are much less regular. इक्कीस (21), बाईस (22) and उनतीस (29, "one less than thirty") each have to be learned. That is why children in Hindi-speaking homes often know 1 to 50 counting in English before 1 to 50 counting in Hindi, and that is fine.

If you want to know how to learn Hindi numbers 1 to 100 easily, teach 1 to 10 in Hindi first, then 11 to 20, and use the word table below this article, where every number has the Hindi word and its pronunciation in Roman letters. The Hindi ginti 1 to 100 order and the English order are the same, so the chart works for both.

Printable 1-100 chart and number names in words

There is no PDF to download, but you do not need one. Print this page from your browser and you get the full table of 1 to 100 numbers in words, with the digit, Hindi numeral, Hindi word, pronunciation and English spelling. Many parents stick it on the fridge as a 1 to 100 numbers chart for kids, or cut out the first half as a 1 to 50 counting chart.

You can turn the printout into a simple numbers for kids worksheet: cover a few numbers with sticky notes and ask "which number is hiding?". This is the same skill as our before and after numbers game. Older children (class 2 and class 3) can use the table to practise the spelling of number names, such as forty, which has no "u".

Interesting facts to share

• From 1 to 100 there are 9 one-digit numbers, 90 two-digit numbers and one three-digit number, 100. Children love hearing that 100 is the first number with three digits.
• Half of the numbers 1 to 100 are even (2, 4, 6…) and half are odd (1, 3, 5…). Even numbers end in 0, 2, 4, 6 or 8. Tapping every other square on the chart makes this easy to see.
• Tambola (housie), played at Diwali parties and kitty parties across India, uses numbers 1 to 90. Calling out numbers for a tambola game is a wonderful family way to practise 1 to 100 numbers.
• Our digits 0-9 came from India. The Devanagari numerals १ २ ३ are cousins of the 1 2 3 used all over the world.

Keep it gentle: tips for every child

Skipping numbers or saying "twenty-ten" is a normal step, not a mistake to correct sharply. Just say the right number back cheerfully and carry on. The games on this site never say "wrong", and every activity ends with a marble in the Goli Jar; tap the jar to count the marbles together, which is counting practice too.

For a child with a speech delay, let them point to numbers while you say them, or clap once per number. Autistic children often enjoy the predictable grid; use calm sound and short turns. In bilingual homes, pick one language for counting first, then add the other. If you are worried about your child's development, talk to your paediatrician.

Screen time: sit with your child, keep sessions to a few minutes, and follow up by counting real things. Under-2s learn numbers better from a grown-up and real objects than from any screen.

When your child is ready for more, try addition for kids with pictures, tables 2 to 10 or patterns. For more ideas see the Parent Corner.