Times tables tricks that actually help
Nobody learns the times tables in one go. A few clever tricks make the job much smaller, and a few minutes of practice a day does the rest.
Your child knows more than they think
From 1 × 1 to 10 × 10 there are 100 sums. But 6 × 7 and 7 × 6 have the same answer, so there are only 55 different pairs to remember. The 1, 2, 5 and 10 times tables usually come quickly, and they already cover more than half of the work.
A trick for each table
2 times table: double it. 4 times table: double, then double again, so 4 × 7 is 7, 14, 28. 5 times table: half of the 10 times table, so 5 × 8 is half of 80. 9 times table: ten times minus one time, so 9 × 6 is 60 − 6 = 54.
Fingers help with the 9 times table too: hold up ten fingers and fold down the sixth one for 9 × 6. There are 5 fingers on the left and 4 on the right: 54. You will find more tricks on the pages for the 4 times table, the 6 times table and the 9 times table.
Short and often works best
A few minutes a day does more than one long session a week. A game of Pet Rocket takes two minutes: two rounds of one minute.
With the Times Tables Coach in the Moon Pass, the sums your child still gets wrong come back more often, and the ones they already know come back less.
What is free and what does the Moon Pass add?
Free, no account needed
- Every times table and division fact from 1 to 10
- Pick all tables, the 6 to 9 times tables or your own choice
- 20 pets to choose from, 4 more to unlock by playing, and badges
- A summary after every round and a simple daily view for parents
- Teacher links that set up the game for a whole class
Moon Pass (€9 per year)
- Times Tables Coach: the sums your child still gets wrong come back more often
- The 11 and 12 times tables, also in the worksheets and teacher links
- Full statistics: 14-day chart, accuracy per table, every round and the hardest sums
- Printable worksheets with an answer page, including one with your child’s hard sums
- Several children, each with their own statistics
- A printable times tables diploma
- The bonus game Learn the clock
The tables
Keep practising
Frequently asked questions
What is the fastest way to learn the times tables?
Start with the easy tables (1, 2, 5 and 10), swap the numbers round when it helps (3 × 8 is 8 × 3) and then practise a little every day. Quick recall comes from repetition, not from one long cramming session.
Which times table is the hardest?
For many children it is the 6, 7 and 8 times tables, with sums like 7 × 8 and 6 × 7. Once the other tables are known, only a handful of these are left.
Does my child need to know them by heart?
Yes, in the end. Understanding comes first, but then the answers need to come quickly, so your child can use them in bigger calculations and in division.