How to Learn Times Tables Fast: 7 Tips for Parents
Knowing times tables by heart is one of the most useful math skills a child can have. Quick recall makes division, fractions, area, percentages and algebra far easier, because children can put their energy into the new idea instead of counting on their fingers. Here is a calm, step-by-step approach that works for most kids.
1. Learn the tables in a smart order
Not all tables are equally hard. Start with the easy patterns and build up. This order gives early wins and reuses what your child already knows:
| Stage | Tables | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10×, 2×, 5× | Clear patterns: add a zero, double, and numbers ending in 0 or 5. |
| 2 | 4×, 8×, 3× | 4× is double the 2×; 8× is double the 4×. |
| 3 | 11×, 9×, 6× | 11× has a pattern to 9×11; the 9× digits always add to 9. |
| 4 | 7×, 12× | By now, most of these facts are already known from other tables. |
2. Remember that every fact counts twice
3 × 7 is the same as 7 × 3. Once children understand this (it's called the commutative property), the 144 facts on a 12×12 grid shrink to 78 unique facts. And once they know the 2, 5 and 10 tables, there are only about 36 facts left to learn.
3. Understand before memorizing
Show that 4 × 3 means “4 groups of 3” using LEGO bricks, coins or drawings. Children who understand what multiplication means can work out a fact they've forgotten instead of guessing.
4. Skip count out loud
Counting in 3s (3, 6, 9, 12…) is the bridge to knowing 3× facts. Say the sequences in the car, while walking or as a clapping game. Our Number Patterns game practices skip counting too.
5. Practice little and often
Five to ten minutes a day beats an hour on the weekend. Short, frequent practice is how facts move into long-term memory. A quick round of the Times Tables Challenge takes about two minutes.
6. Move from picking to typing
Multiple-choice answers are great for building confidence. Once your child is getting three stars, switch to typing mode. Recalling an answer from memory, without seeing options, builds much stronger fluency.
7. Connect multiplication and division
Every times table fact gives two division facts: 6 × 7 = 42 means 42 ÷ 6 = 7 and 42 ÷ 7 = 6. Practicing them together with our Division Dash game strengthens both.
Handy tricks for tricky tables
- 9×: the tens digit is one less than the number you're multiplying, and the digits add to 9 (9 × 7 = 63, and 6 + 3 = 9).
- 4×: double, then double again.
- 6×: 5× the number, plus one more of that number (6 × 7 = 35 + 7 = 42).
- 8×: double three times (8 × 6: 12, 24, 48).
- 12×: 10× plus 2× (12 × 7 = 70 + 14 = 84).
When should children know their times tables?
Most curricula introduce the 2, 5 and 10 tables around 2nd Grade, and expect children to know all tables to 10× or 12× by about 4th Grade, around age 9 to 10. Every child learns at their own pace. Steady progress matters more than speed.
Frequently asked questions
What is the fastest way to learn times tables?
Learn them in order from easiest (10, 2, 5) to hardest (7, 12), use the fact that 3×7 equals 7×3, and practice for a few minutes every day with quick games or flash cards.
Which times tables should be learned first?
Start with the 10, 2 and 5 times tables, then 4, 8 and 3, then 11, 9 and 6, and finally 7 and 12.
How long does it take to learn times tables?
With five to ten minutes of practice a day, many children learn one table every one to two weeks, so all tables in a few months.