Easy ways to learn times tables

easy ways to learn times tables

When helping your child to learn their times tables, you may have found yourself wondering if there’s anything you can do to help make things a little easier. The good news? There are lots of methods that make memorising each multiplication a breeze!

While using fun multiplication methods and learning them in a specific order can help, the following tips and tricks will help your child to memorise even the trickiest of times tables. 


How to learn the 2 times table

To get started with the 2 times table, we recommend using a 10 by 10 grid (you can create your own or download our free grid here).

  • Then, find a counter and jump two squares at a time, chanting ‘two’, ‘four’ and gradually working your way up through the table.
  • After a few rounds, try reciting the table with your child, going further through the table as their instant recall improves. In fact, this technique can be used with all of the times tables!
  • Using a grid to aid your learning will let your child to visually see what happens when you move up through multiples of two, helping them to understand the relationship between each number.

How to learn the 3 times table

The 3 times table can seem a bit tricky, but with a little repetition, patience and practise, it can be mastered in no time.

  • Pointing out rules, such as the fact that all of the answers are odd numbers, can be really helpful. Or, here’s a helpful hint for more experienced tablers: if the sum of a digit is 3, 6 or 9, it’s in the 3 times table.
  • If your child is struggling, you can always use the grid method (as above). Using creative methods or a dedicated multiplications app, such as DoodleTables, can also make memorising them much easier.

How to learn the 4 times table

The number rules your child will have picked up from the 2 times table will come in very handy when learning the 4 times table.

  • While using a number grid, show them visually how they can work out the answers for any multiple of 4 by doubling the answers from the 2 times table. For example, if 5 x 2 is 10, then 5 x 4 must be 20.
  • It’s also useful to bear in mind that all the answers will end in 0, 2, 4, 6 or 8, as all the numbers in the table are even.

How to learn the 5 times table

How to learn the 5 times table

Point out that all answers in the 5 times table will either end in a 5 or a 0. Or, for a more creative approach, the 5 times table has a nice rhythm to it… It can be very catchy to say aloud! Why not make it into a rhythmic chant?

For more experienced tablers: if you know the 10 times table, you can halve answers to give you those for the 5 times table. For example, if 6 x 10 = 60, then 6 x 5 = 30. 


How to learn the 6 times tables

As your child learns the 6 times table, you can highlight number rules.

  • For example, if they were to double an answer from the 3 times table, they’d have an equivalent answer for the 6 times table!
  • Another handy hint is to remind your child that the sum of the digits in every answer is always 3, 6 or 9.

How to learn the 7 times tables

Easy ways to learn the 7 times table

It’s a fact: the 7 times table can seem rather scary. As 7 is a prime number, it doesn’t neatly fit into any of the number rules your child will recognise from other tables.

  • Be patient and try reciting it slowly, encouraging your child to join in. Reassure them that with repetition and practise they’ll be able to master it. After all, they’ve already learned lots of other multiplications!

If they’re really struggling, why not download DoodleTables? It has lots of interactive exercises and games tailored around this notoriously tricky table, helping to make memorising it an enjoyable experience!


How to learn the 8 times table

By building on their understanding of the 2 and 4 times tables, learning the 8 times table should be fairly simple.

  • Here’s a handy hint. Point out that if they know their 4 times table, they can simply double the answers to learn the 8 times table!

How to learn the 9 times table

  • Here’s a handy trick that can help with the 9 times table. Hold up both of your hands and put down the finger for the number you are multiplying by.
  • For example, for 4 x 9, hold down the fourth finger on your left hand. This leaves three fingers before the bent finger, and six after it, meaning the answer is 36!

How to learn the 10 times table

  • For multiples of 10, it’s really useful to understand place value. All you need to do is move one place to the left! And remember: all answers will end in 0
  • If your child knows the 5 times table, they can simply double their answers to find the equivalent for the ten times table.

How to learn the 11 times table

Here’s a helpful trick for learning the 11 times table. Put the number you are multiplying next to itself. So 2 x 11 makes 22, or 3 x 11 is 33!


How to learn the 12 times table

The 12 times table is mostly a matter of practice, but with other tables in the bag, it should be quite easy to learn!


Master your multiplications with DoodleTables

Once you’ve memorised your multiplications, you’re set! Just remember that repetition and practise is key to staying on tip-top form.

DoodleTables can come in very handy for this. Designed to be used for 10 minutes a day, its interactive exercises and games are specifically designed to develop instant recall.

Plus, it even explores number relationships, giving your child key skills they can use in maths more widely!

DoodleTables is available in the App Store, Google Play Store, Amazon Appstore and on our website. Why not download the app and try it for free today!


Looking for more times tables tips? Check out these blogs: 

  1. Creative ways to learn times tables
  2. The best order to learn times tables

 

Related posts

Login

Are you a parent, teacher or student?

Get started for free!

Are you a parent or teacher?

Maths information pack

We ask for your contact info so we can send our info pack directly to your inbox for your convenience

Exam prep information pack

We ask for your contact info so we can send our info pack directly to your inbox for your convenience

Case studies information pack

We ask for your contact info so we can send our info pack directly to your inbox for your convenience

Information pack

We ask for your contact info so that our Education Consultants can get in touch with you and let you know a bit more about Doodle.

Student Login

Which programme would you like to use?

If you’d like to use Doodle’s browser version, please visit this page on a desktop.

To log in to Doodle on this device, you can do so through our apps. You can find out how to download them here: