7 Fun Ways to Help your Child learn their Times Tables and Division Facts!
February 3, 2023
Your child might be starting to learn their times tables this year and you might be wondering how you can help them at home. There are so many fun options out there to help them master this vital skill that children need to learn before they go to secondary school, so here are some of Katie’s tips on what you can do to help make learning their times tables fun!
Make sure they are secure with the basics first
It is generally agreed that you should start with the 2, 5 and 10 times tables as the patterns within these are much easier for children to grasp. When they are young they are introduced to counting in multiples of 2, 5 and 10 first. So once they are secure and accurate with these, then it will become easier for them to see the structure and patterns of the other times tables. Once they have mastered these, children should find it easier to move onto the next ones.
Use a times table multiplication square
You can download these on the internet and print one out. Once you have it ready you can go through it with your child and fill in each individual box together. Display it in a place that they will be able to see on a regular basis and set a time for you both to sit down and have a no pressure, casual run through of particular ones. The more often that they see and practice them, the easier it will become for them to learn them!
Sing!
Most things that children learn at a young age can be taught using songs, which is a great way to get information stuck in their heads and yours! There are some good videos out there that use parodies of famous pop songs to help teach times tables. You can find some here!
Use our Times Table Flashcards
Our superb easy to read flashcards is an excellent way for your child to learn their tables. Each times table is a different colour so a very visual approach to learning their times tables.
Use a deck of playing cards!
A set of playing cards can also be used for all sorts of different learning games and learning the times tables are no different. It is pretty simple… two players draw a card each from the deck. They then flip them over together and the first person to guess the total of the two cards multiplied together gets to put the cards in their winning pile. For example, a 4 of hearts and a 3 of clubs being flipped over… the first person to say 12 keeps the two cards and the person with the most cards at the end of the game is the winner.
Quiz but don’t over quiz!
As with all learning, it is important not to incessantly ask them questions or pressure them too much. The best thing is to test them when there isn’t much going on, like when you are going for a walk or waiting for tea to cook. If they are really struggling to concentrate or not playing ball, wait and do it another time. No pressure!
Reward them
Finally, it is so important that we encourage children with their learning and in order to make them even more enthusiastic, little rewards may help. No matter what the outcome is, whether they get them right or not, reward their efforts! Giving them a little treat even if they have not mastered them will encourage persistence and make it an enjoyable learning experience.
I hope these pointers have helped!
If you haven’t got a set already, please have a look at Katie’s times tables revision cards. In her boxes is a complete set of 144 times table flashcards from the 1x table up to the 12x table and 12 additional cards – listing each complete time table. The flashcards are double-sided with a single times table sum on one side and the answer in the other side. Each times table is a different colour. They are a perfect revision aid for children who are revising their times tables!