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Fun ways to practise times tables
Times tables are worth learning by heart. A child who knows that 7 × 8 = 56 without working it out has more attention left for the actual problem, whether that's long multiplication, fractions or a word problem.
Which times tables are learnt when?
In England, the National Curriculum sets out a clear order:
- Year 2: the 2, 5 and 10 times tables.
- Year 3: the 3, 4 and 8 times tables.
- Year 4: all the multiplication tables up to 12 × 12.
Children also learn the matching division facts: if 6 × 7 = 42, then 42 ÷ 7 = 6.
The Year 4 multiplication tables check
Pupils in Year 4 in England take the multiplication tables check (MTC) in the summer term. It's an on-screen check of 25 questions on the tables up to 12 × 12, with six seconds to answer each one. There's no pass mark; it helps schools see which children need more support. Because of the time limit, it rewards instant recall rather than working out.
Ways to practise that children actually enjoy
Start with what they know. 2s, 5s and 10s first. Then point out that multiplication works both ways: if you know 3 × 8, you already know 8 × 3. Once the "easy" tables and their turnarounds are secure, there are far fewer facts left to learn than it seems.
Use patterns. The 9 times table digits always add to 9 (18, 27, 36). The 4 times table is the 2 times table doubled. The 8s are the 4s doubled again.
Keep sessions short. Five minutes a day beats an hour on Sunday, and stopping while it's still fun makes the next session easier to start.
Mix it up. Reciting a table in order is a good start, but children need to recall facts in any order. Quick-fire games, cards and puzzles do this naturally.
Make them hunt for products. Puzzles where children have to find which number is the product of two others make them think about factors, not just answers.
A times-table honeycomb
In Beequation's times-table puzzles, one number is two of the others multiplied together. Try this one:
Show answer
28, because 4 × 7 = 28.And a harder one, from further up the tables:
Show answer
48, because 6 × 8 = 48.Tip: in times-table puzzles, the answer is usually one of the largest numbers. Try dividing it by the smaller numbers to see which ones fit exactly.
The free printable pack includes twelve times-table honeycombs using the 2 to 6 times tables, and Times Garden in Beequation Kids works up from there.
Try a Beequation puzzle
Every honeycomb hides one number made from two others. It's free in your browser, with levels for children aged 5 to 12 and for adults.