Times tables are one of the most useful things a child learns in primary school, and one of the most dreaded. The good news is that nobody has to memorise 144 separate facts. Because of patterns and symmetry, the real number is much smaller, and the right order of teaching makes the job feel like a series of small wins.
Understand before you memorise
Before any recall practice, make sure the child knows what multiplication means: equal groups, repeated addition and arrays. Three groups of four is 4 + 4 + 4, and it is also a rectangle of three rows with four dots. Drawing arrays shows why 3 × 4 and 4 × 3 give the same answer, which instantly halves the work. Our array worksheets and repeated addition sheets are designed for this first stage.
The best order to learn the tables
Do not go 1, 2, 3 up to 12. Start with the easiest and build on what is already known:
- ×2, ×10 and ×5. Doubles, adding a zero, and counting by fives all feel natural.
- ×4. It is double the double. Four times seven is double fourteen.
- ×3 and ×6. Six is double three, so one table supports the other.
- ×9. Use the finger trick or the digits-add-to-nine pattern (18, 27, 36, 45…).
- ×11 and ×12. Eleven repeats digits up to 9 × 11. Twelve is ten plus two.
- ×7 and ×8. By now only a few hard facts remain: 7 × 8 = 56, 6 × 7 = 42, 7 × 7 = 49 and 8 × 8 = 64.
Each of our times table pages makes a fresh sheet whenever you ask, so a child can repeat a table until it is secure.
Patterns that do the work
Show children the patterns and they will find the facts themselves. Multiples of five end in 5 or 0. Multiples of ten end in 0. In the nine times table, the tens digit goes up by one while the ones digit goes down by one. Every even-times-table answer is even. The multiplication chart lets a child colour these patterns and see the diagonal symmetry: the chart is a mirror image on either side of the squares.
Practice that works
Aim for five to ten minutes a day. A good session has three parts: a warm-up of facts already known, two or three new or shaky facts, and a quick mixed review. Say the facts aloud as well as writing them; the rhythm of chanting helps many children.
- Flashcards. Sort into “know it”, “nearly” and “not yet”. Practise the last two piles only.
- Timed drills, carefully. A short timer can build speed once accuracy is high, but never use timing with a child who is anxious. Accuracy first, speed second.
- Games. Dice and cards both work: roll two dice and multiply, race a parent to answer, or play a board game where landing on a square means answering a fact.
Connect to real life
Ask multiplication questions in everyday moments: “There are six eggs in each box and we bought four boxes. How many eggs?” Arrays appear in muffin trays, chocolate bars and window panes. When tables connect to real situations, they stop being a chore and become a tool. Word problem practice, such as our multiplication word problems, builds this link.
From tables to division
Division is the same facts read backwards. If 6 × 7 = 42 then 42 ÷ 7 = 6 and 42 ÷ 6 = 7. Teach the fact families together and division becomes a recall skill rather than a separate mountain to climb. The free Multiplication Tables 2–12 workbook and its companion Division Facts Practice book follow exactly this order.
Frequently asked questions
At what age should children know their times tables?
It varies by country. Many systems expect fluency by age nine or ten, but children begin learning the easier tables from about age seven.
What if my child keeps forgetting the same facts?
Isolate those facts, make a mini-flashcard set of three or four, and practise them twice a day for a week while keeping everything else light.
Are timed tests bad for children?
Not always. Short, friendly timing can help motivate once accuracy is high. Avoid them if a child becomes upset; confidence comes first.
