How to Help Your Child Memorize the Multiplication Tables
Fluent times tables make all of later math easier. Here's how to help your child learn multiplication facts - with strategies that stick and make it (almost) fun.
Knowing the multiplication tables cold is one of the biggest gifts you can give a young math student. When times tables are automatic, everything that comes later - division, fractions, algebra - gets dramatically easier. Here's how to help your child memorize them in a way that actually sticks.
Why times tables matter so much
Multiplication facts are the building blocks of nearly all later math. A student who has to stop and figure out 7 x 8 burns time and mental energy that should go toward the harder problem in front of them. Fluent facts free up the brain to focus on real problem-solving.
Understand before memorizing
Before drilling, make sure your child understands what multiplication is - equal groups, or repeated addition (4 x 3 means four groups of three). Understanding the concept makes the facts meaningful instead of random, and gives them a way to figure out any fact they forget.
Learn them in a smart order
- Start with the easy anchors: 2s, 5s, and 10s.
- Use 0s and 1s (they're rules, not memorization).
- Then tackle 3s, 4s, and 6s.
- Save the trickier 7s and 8s for last - by then there are fewer left to learn.
- Remember the commutative property: learn 3 x 7, and you've also got 7 x 3.
Make practice fun and frequent
- Short, daily practice beats long, occasional sessions.
- Play card games, dice games, and multiplication apps.
- Quiz facts during car rides or while waiting in line.
- Use flashcards for the specific facts that aren't automatic yet.
Use tricks and patterns
- 9s: the digits of the answer add up to 9 (9 x 4 = 36, and 3 + 6 = 9).
- 5s: they always end in 0 or 5, and it's half the 10s fact.
- Doubles: 4 x 6 is double 2 x 6.
How iTutorzz helps with elementary math
iTutorzz pairs your child with a patient elementary-math tutor who builds true number sense - not just rote memorizing - and makes practice engaging and pressure-free. From times tables through fractions and word problems, we help young learners across the US and Canada, and your first trial lesson is free.
Fluent times tables make every future math class easier. Keep it short, fun, and frequent - and it'll stick. Want a fun, patient math tutor for your child? Book a free trial lesson, or have us call you.