What is a Schulte table?
A Schulte table is a square grid of numbers in random order, usually 5 by 5 with the numbers 1 to 25. You point to or tap each number in order, from 1 to the last, as quickly as you can. It is named after Walter Schulte, the German psychiatrist it is usually credited to, and today it appears in workbooks, classrooms and apps in many countries.
Schulte tables and concentration grids
The two exercises work the same way: find the numbers in order, as fast as you can. The differences are in the details.
- Numbers. A Schulte table starts at 1. The classic concentration grid runs from 00 to 99, with every number written with two digits.
- Shape. A Schulte table is always square: 3×3, 4×4, 5×5 and so on. Concentration grids on this site come in 10, 25, 50 and 100 numbers, in five or ten columns.
- Length. A 5×5 Schulte table is a short exercise, often repeated several times in a row. A full 100-number grid takes much longer and asks for sustained focus.
Neither is better. Many teachers use Schulte tables for quick, repeated rounds and the larger concentration grids as a longer weekly challenge.
How to do a Schulte table
- Look at the whole table before you start.
- Find 1, point to it or tap it, then find 2, and so on to the last number.
- Note your time. If you made a mistake, note that too.
- Do another table. Each one is in a new random order, so you can't memorize where the numbers are.
A common way to practice is to keep your eyes near the center of the table and try to spot numbers without moving your gaze around much. It is harder than it sounds, and it is worth trying once students are comfortable with the basic exercise.
Which size to start with
5×5 (1–25) is the standard size. For younger children or a first attempt, a 3×3 or 4×4 table is a gentler start. Once 5×5 feels easy, 6×6 and 7×7 add more numbers to search through. As with any of these drills, the useful comparison is with your own earlier times, not with someone else's.
The Schulte table page has every size from 3×3 to 7×7 to play online, and printable Schulte tables with 1, 4 or 6 tables per page.