What Is a Schulte Table? How It Works and How to Use It
Updated 2026-11-15
A Schulte table is a grid of numbers in random order. Your job is to find them in order, 1, 2, 3 and so on, as fast as you can. It is simple to explain and harder than it sounds.
Where it comes from
Schulte tables are named after Walter Schulte, a German psychiatrist. They have been used for a long time as an exercise for attention and visual search. The classic version is a 5 by 5 grid with the numbers 1 to 25.
How to practice
- Look at the center of the grid.
- Try to find each number without moving your eyes too much, using your side vision.
- Tap or point to each number in order.
- Time yourself and repeat with a new shuffle.
Most people get noticeably faster within a few sessions as they learn to scan the grid more efficiently.
Tips for faster times
- Don't read row by row. Let your eyes jump to where the next number is likely to be.
- Stay relaxed. Rushing leads to wrong taps, which cost more time than they save.
- Keep sessions short. A few rounds a day works better than a long session.
Play one free online
Our Schulte table is a game called Count Up. It uses 20 numbers so the grid fits a phone screen, and the time limit shrinks each round. If you enjoy it, the memory test and mental math test train different skills in the same quick format.
A note on claims
Schulte tables are a good attention exercise and a fun challenge. They are not a medical treatment, and getting faster at one mostly shows that you are getting faster at that task.
