Memorizing multiplication facts is so important for kids to be successful. We use math facts everyday in our lives. Imagine going shopping and needing to count individual hot dogs, or need to take the time to pull out your calculator to figure out how many packages of hotdogs you need to buy. If our kiddos don’t memorize their multiplication facts, as they get older, math will get more and more difficult for them.
Internalizing math facts will benefit students as they get older. I have been tutoring 4th and 5th grade the last couple of years, and I have noticed that students are struggling with other concepts because they don’t have their multiplication facts memorized. Students are having to create tables and draw pictures to figure out the answer to a multiplication fact so they can divide, add and subtract fractions with unlike denominators, find area and volume of shapes, multiply 2 and 3 digit numbers, and the list goes on!
Taking 15 minutes a day to practice math facts is all that is needed. Make practicing fun, and find games to practice. Once your child memorizes their facts, don’t stop practicing. Take it from a voice of experience, even if a kid memorizes their facts, they will forget them if they stop practicing. I will be sharing different ways for kids to practice their facts, so they can memorize them.
Online Multiplication Fact Practice
There are so many different online sites that provide practice for kids, but my absolute favorite is timestables.com. This website has many ways to practice. For each individual set of facts there are games, speed tests, and a 5 step plan for students to follow. Students could also earn rewards for their practice, and diplomas for passing the timed portions. When working on the timed section, you can click on more than one fact and make it cumulative. I liked this website, because it was easy for students to practice and it was self checking. Students could move at their own pace, and I could also log in as a teacher and see their progress!
Flash Cards
Many years ago, when I first started teaching, my principal showed me a way to teach the kids to study. Let’s say a child is learning their two’s. First they lay all the flashcards out in order, answer side up. Students practice counting by 2’s. After they think they can count by 2’s, they turn the cards over to the side without the answers. Looking at the multiplication fact, they again count by 2’s. Once students are fluent at that, they mix up the cards, but keep them in a line and say the answers. Students keep practicing this way until they have their facts memorized.
On my freebie page there is a free template to create your own flashcards. I created in using Google Slides. The cards should be printed on cardstock two sided. I usually print each page on a different color. Each student gets their first set hole punched and on a 2″ binder ring. As students master a set, they earn their next set to put on their binder ring.
Multiplication War
My favorite game to play is simple and requires no prep work! Multiplication war is a fun way for kids to practice their facts. All you need is a deck of cards. Remove any Kings and Jokers. Queens are twelve, and Jacks are eleven. Two people play against each other by passing out all the cards equally between the both of them.
Once all the flashcards are passed out, each person flips over a card at the same time. The first person to say the correct answer gets, both cards. If they say it at the same time, then there is a war. If there is a war, each person lays face down 3 cards then at the same time put down one more card face up. The first person to say the correct answer gets all the cards. The game continues until one person has all the cards.
War can also be played between an adult and a child that is just learning their facts. The adult should give the child 3-4 seconds to say the correct answer, If they do, then the child gets the card. If not, then the adult gets the card. If the child says the answer at the same time that the 3-4 seconds is up then declare a war.