Choose a starting point
Ask which times table your child is working on at school. Pick a few facts from that table and let them explain how they would find the answers. You can use paper, counters, or everyday objects; there is no need to begin with a timer.
If you are choosing together, the 2, 5, or 10 times table offers clear counting patterns to explore. Try 2 × 3, 2 × 5, and 2 × 8. Notice which answers come readily and which need working out. Use that as your starting point for the next few questions.
Show what multiplication means
Arrange 12 counters into three groups of four. Count the counters, then write 3 × 4 = 12. Say, “Three groups of four make twelve.” This gives you something concrete to refer to when you ask the same question later.
Try it together
Draw three rows with four dots in each row. Turn the paper so you can see four rows of three dots. The total stays 12: 3 × 4 and 4 × 3 have the same answer.
Ask your child to make a different arrangement, such as two groups of six. Let them count or draw while explaining it. If the numbers are confusing, use a smaller example and return to the original question later.
Use a known fact to work out a new one
When an answer is hard to recall, ask, “Is there a nearby fact you know?” A correct answer can come from reasoning as well as memory. Here are three examples you can work through on paper:
- One more group: if 5 × 7 = 35, then 6 × 7 = 35 + 7 = 42.
- Double the groups: if 2 × 6 = 12, then 4 × 6 is double 12, which is 24.
- One less group: if 10 × 8 = 80, then 9 × 8 = 80 − 8 = 72.
Choose one approach at a time. Ask your child to describe the extra group, the doubled amount, or the group being taken away, rather than just repeat the calculation.
Mix the questions once a table feels familiar
Counting through a table in order is a useful way to spot its pattern. You can then ask a few questions out of order: 3 × 4, 3 × 2, 3 × 7, and 3 × 5. Allow time to work out the answer.
Try reversing a question too: “What is 4 × 3?” For a child who is also working on division, connect the same numbers: 3 × 4 = 12, so 12 ÷ 3 = 4 and 12 ÷ 4 = 3. Follow the methods their teacher uses if they are learning a particular way to write these relationships.
Review one tricky answer
If your child says 6 × 7 = 48, pause and rebuild the answer together. Start from 5 × 7 = 35, add another seven, and arrive at 42. Ask them to say both the calculation and the answer. Bring that question back after a few different questions, and again in your next practice session.
Keep a small note of two or three facts to revisit. You do not need to review an entire table after every round. If the session starts to feel frustrating, finish with a familiar question and choose a smaller set next time.
Use a short game round, then talk about it
In Fruity Math, your child answers the problem on a falling fruit out loud. A correct answer slices it. After a round, you can review missed problems and their answers together.
Try a one-minute multiplication round, choose one missed fact to explain, and return to it in a later round. A timed game is an option when your child is ready for it; you can always spend the next session drawing groups or answering together on paper.
For a step-by-step session you can try today, use our five-minute multiplication practice routine.