People have used times tables for thousands of years. In 2014 it was announced that a multiplication table written on bamboo strips had been discovered in China; it was over 2,000 years old!
Knowing your times tables makes it much easier and quicker to complete calculations and maths problems. You can even use one times table to help learn another – knowing your 3x table will help you to learn your 6x, for example.
Teach your children about the Times Tables using our handy topic guide!
Teaching Ideas
- These Miner Bird Multiplication Tables are differentiated and a good way to work on recalling tables.
- Challenge your children to increase their speed with these sheets.
- This self-marking tables test in an excel spreadsheet is a great resource for children to use independently.
- Get your children moving with Times Table Aerobics.
- Try one of the games ideas in this post.
- Use these PowerPoint Times Tables Tests (with answers) to test your children on their tables.
- These multiplication grids provide the answers and ask the children to fill in the questions, perfect for stretch and challenge.
- Children can play this fun times table game in pairs or teams – all they need is something to draw on and two dice.
- This challenging activity from NRICH needs reasoning as well as times tables facts to complete, while this one encourages children to look for patterns in the times tables.
Resources
- Our Times Tables Pack contains audio quizzes, worksheets and resources to help your children learn their times tables.
- The Tricky Tables Pack has more resources for those tricky tables – x6, x7, x8, x9 and x 12.
- Make an instant display with our Times Table Display Numbers, or our Space Multiplication Charts.
- Multiplication squares are always useful; download and print our plain and striped versions.
- These colourful Multiplication Dials are a useful alternative way to visualise tables.
Times Table Facts
- The first known multiplication tables were created by the Babylonians about 4,000 years ago, and recorded on clay tablets.
- When two numbers are multiplied together, the answer is called the product. For example, in 2 x 2 = 4, 4 is the product.
- Whenever a number is multiplied by zero, the product is zero.
- A factor is a number that divides exactly into another number, for example the factors of 8 are 1, 2, 4 and 8. 8 can be found in the 1, 2, 4 and 8 times tables. (8 x1=8, 4 x 2=8, 2 x 4=8, 1 x 8=8)
- A multiple is a number that can be divided by another number exactly. 8 is a multiple of 1, 2, 4 and 8. (8÷1=8, 8÷2=4, 8÷4=2, 8÷8=1)
Videos
4 Times Table Song
This cover of “I’m Still Standing” will help children learn their four times table.
Running time: 3:10
Multiply by 7 in Minutes
Learn your 7x table with the Sergeant!
Running time: 2:44
8 Times Table Song
Learn your eights with this fun cover of “Rolling in the Deep”.
Running time: 3:10
How Old Am I In Months?
Percy Parker has a collection of times tables videos on this channel.
Running time: 4:14
Year 3 Rolling Numbers
Can your children join in with these fun chanted times tables?
Running time: 4:20
Times table trick using your hands
Try this trick for working out some of the most difficult to remember facts in the 6x, 7x, 8x and 9x tables.
Running time: 5:02
Books
Times Tables Ages 7-11
The Terrific Times Tables Book
Times Tables Activity Book for Ages 7-9
Links
- Try the BBC Supermovers Times Tables Collection for tables with dance routines.
- Hit the Button is a popular way to quickly recall times tables facts.
- This web page allows you to show all of the times table facts up to 10 x 10 laid out as an array.
- This archery game allows you to select exactly which tables you want to practice.
- Visit this site for lots of times tables games.
Are you teaching your children about other topics? Explore our full collection of guides!
