Making Times Tables Fun
Children learn in a variety of different ways. Knowing the most effective route can make it easier and
take less effort. Learning experienced through all senses enhances memory and learning. Below are
a range of fun activities to help learn times tables.
Learn through images by using:
Times tables charts (they may be able to visualise them).
Post it notes and flashcards with colourful markers to write out times tables and display in
prominent places.
Use board games, playing cards and memory games to create visual patterns, such as Snap,
Dominoes and Bingo.
Take apart word problems by using pictures, diagrams and tables.
Computer generated times table games.
Learn through talking, chanting or singing :
Chant their times tables as they go up the stairs, out walking or even on a trampoline.
Say their times tables as they skip, dance, bounce a ball or beat a drum. For example, see how far
they can count in 5s while they skip.
Allow them to trace numbers and mathematical symbols (use magnetic numbers, sand, shaving
foam and dough).
Use body parts to help them e.g. The Gypsy method to learn the 9 times tables: hold out all 10
fingers (palms down easier for most). Fold the finger of the number you wish to times by 9, e.g. 9 x
8, the 9th finger from the left will be curled over. Count the number of fingers to the left of the curled
finger, which is 8. Count the number of fingers after the curled finger, which is 1. Therefore, the
answer to 9 x 8 is 72.
Practice songs and rhymes with additional body percussion e.g. clapping.
Times tables CDs, songs which can help the children learn in a fun way. For example tablesdisco.com
Chant times tables in a particular way, such as quietly, slowly and loudly.
Flash cards while reciting.
Singing multiplication songs is a catchy way of learning tables e.g. ‘Schoolhouse Rock’ (30th edition
available at Amazon) has songs for numbers up to 12 or Multiplication Mountain CD at
happalmer.com. They can be played at anytime, perhaps in the car.
Use instruments and music, tapping to a beat promotes counting principals.
Play verbal games, such as Fizz Buzz (example below).
Make up their own times table stories.
Encourage them to make up their own rhymes, the sillier and more bizarre are more memorable.
An example;
Eight times eight is 64, close your mouth and shut the door!
A tree on skates fell on the floor; three times eight is 24
Another example;
Zero is a Hero
When you times by 10
Put your number next to zero
And you’ve timesed by 10
The animals are coming
7x4
Better open the gate
There’s 28!
A 4 x 4 is a mean machine
I’m gonna get one when I’m 16
4 x 4 =16
7 x 7 made with lines
Bend ‘em up and down to make 49.
8x8
I ‘ate (8 times) ‘ate (8) and
Fell on the floor.
Couldn’t get up ‘till I was 64.
Other fun ideas for learning and practising Times Tables for everyone to enjoy
Make and play simple times tables games e.g. cards with questions on one side and the answer on
the other.
Memory game. Make cards with times table questions and answers separately. Lay cards out face
down and match them up.
Real life problems, involve your child in working out real life problems involving mathematics.
Computer generated times tables games e.g. mathszone.co.uk; maths-games.org; echalk
multiplication tables cloud click game.
Use concrete apparatus e.g. buttons, pebbles and sweets etc where necessary.
Fizz Buzz Game-count on, substituting factors of a particular times table with the word fizz e.g. 3 x
table and the factors of a different times table with the word buzz e.g. 5 x table .If the number is a
common factor to both you say fizz buzz. So you would say 1, 2, fizz, 4, buzz, fizz, 7, 8, fizz, buzz, 11,
fizz, 13, 14, fizz, buzz and so on.
Guess my number. Think of a number within an agreed range. Other players pose mathematical
questions (a fixed amount may be set) to help identify the number e.g. is the number a multiple of
5? On receiving a yes response a player may have a guess at the number. Clues may be given.
Countdown. Try and make a target number given a set of numbers and operators.
Have fun practising times tables with your child. A good starting point is to BUILD UPON THE FACTS
THEY ALREADY KNOW e.g. 4 x tables is double the 2 x tables.
REINFORCE FUN FACTS such as all the numbers in the 2 x tables are even. If a number ends in 0, 2, 4,
6 or 8 then it is an even number and a multiple of 2.
If a number is a multiple of 2, it means it can be divided by 2. Practice multiplying numbers by 2. This
is DOUBLING numbers. DOUBLE 4 is the same as saying 4 x 2 = 8.
Dividing a number by 2 is the same as HALVING IT, so 8 divided by 2 = 4.
Have fun practising your Times Tables together.