7 Ways to Learn Times Tables
October 12, 2019
As children progress through school years, they are faced with the task of learning new maths times tables. Building confidence with times tables provides children with an essential tool that improves numeracy skills. You will be pleased to know that learning times tables does not have to be difficult. Take a look at our video above, then read our 7 tips below for times tables advice.
1. Visual Times Tables Activities
Having a tangible representation of times tables can great for children who are visual learners. Activities such as creating arrays can demonstrate the concrete steps involved for multiplication and, later, for division. To illustrate how arrays work, let’s imagine your child is trying to calculate 5 x 2. On a piece of paper, write the numbers 1 to 5 along the top and 1 to 2 going down the left-hand side. Carefully place counters one by one across each row until you have 10 in total. To see an example of this, check out our video above.
2. Times Table Games for Kids
Children love learning when the activity is fun and engaging, so why not try times table games for kids? Educational toys such as wipe-clean flash cards help children master their times tables and are equipped with a wipeable pen, enabling them to be used again and again. Similarly, this times table chart can be wiped clean and has a secret decoder, improving self-checking skills and independent learning. Moreover, curious minds will love this colourful times tables activity pad filled with interesting times table games for kids and a tearaway poster to display. Wonderful games like Magic Maths build upon a variety of numeracy skills, including multiplication, division, addition and subtraction. With magical heat sensitive cards, children will find learning times tables spellbinding! Find even more times tables games, educational toys and primary resources maths here.
3. Maths Times Tables Songs
What better way to learn times tables than with a song? BBC Teach Songmovers series provides amusing sing-a-long videos for children learning times tables. For example, sing and dance to this video for the 6 times table, which encourages movement whilst reinforcing times tables. Equally, children can use their imagination and create their own songs. They could even perform a singing show dedicated entirely to times tables!
4. Free Times Tables Worksheet Resources
Discover fabulous free printable times tables worksheet resources on WordUnited’s Free Resources Hub. For example, colour the pairs of socks using this 2 times table worksheet or practise your 5 times table with this printable times table matching game. Try a times tables worksheet to learn answers in order or mixed up, which can be used for a times table speed test. As shown in our video above, many of these math worksheets can be laminated and used multiple times and in a variety of ways. Plus, they are all free to download; simply search for the resource you have in mind, download to any device and print. Many resources are also differentiated, meaning they are suitable for all abilities.
5. Tricks for Learning Times Tables
It goes without saying that it is best to start with the easier times tables and work your way up. Inevitably, children will eventually get to the more challenging times tables, but do not fear – there are some tricks to make learning them a piece of cake. For example, imagine your child has reached their 9 times table; ask them to hold out their hands in front of them and put down their left pinky, leaving 9 fingers for 1 x 9 (children can also cut out paper hands for this activity). Next, put their second (ring) finger down. To the left of their ring finger, they can see 1 and to the right they can see 8; written down, this would be 18 for 2 x 9. This trick works up to 10 x 9.
6. Times Tables in the Real World
So, your child is learning their times tables but thinking, ‘When will I use this skill in real life?’ As you are going about your day, point out any situation where times tables are applicable and useful to know in the real world. As mentioned on teachwire.net, this could be anything from counting the squares on a chocolate bar to how many tiles are on the ceiling. Seeing how times tables are used in everyday life can make learning seem more appealing and meaningful.
7. Times Tables Quizzes
Quizzing your child to test their knowledge of times tables is important, as you can check if they have accurately remembered them. However, the way in which children are quizzed does not have to be under test-like conditions. Grab daily opportunities such as when you are in the car to quiz children or create entertaining competitions like pretend quiz shows to test their knowledge. An extremely beneficial tip when quizzing children on their times tables is to vary the way in which you ask the questions. For example, learning that 3 lots of 3 is the same as 3 x 3 and 3 + 3 + 3 will help children consolidate a deeper understanding of times tables.
Find more times tables games, educational toys and free math worksheets on WordUnited.com!