Fun multiplication games help your child learn their times tables fast.

Memorizing the multiplication tables is something each child should accomplish by the end of third grade but it can be a real hurdle for some kids. Here are a few multiplication games that make learning math facts more fun.

Tricks and Tips

 

First, show your child or student how many of the multiplication facts he already knows:

Times One

Multiply a number by one and you get the same number.

Times Zero

Multiply any number by zero and you get zero.

Times Two
If your student knows their addition doubles (2+2, 3+3, 4+4, etc.) then the ‘times two’ facts should be simple too: just explain that multiplying a number by two is the same as adding it to itself.

Fives and Tens

If the child can count by fives and tens, then the ‘times five’ and ‘times ten’ facts are no problem.

Times Nine

There’s a pretty fun trick for the ‘times nine’ facts. Here’s an example using 9 x 6:

Hold up both hands with fingers extended. Since you are multiplying 9 by 6, count over to the sixth finger from the left. How many fingers are on the left of the finger that is held down? Five. How many fingers are on the right of that finger? Four. The answer? 9 x 6 = 54.

Try it again with 9 x 3. Hold down the third finger from the left. Two fingers to the left, seven to the right: 9 x 3 = 27. It works every time!

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Multiplication Games

The best way to memorize the multiplication tables is repetition. You can always go with the old standby of flashcards but kids often find drilling this way boring. Try one of these games instead:

Multiplication Bingo

 

Bingo is a fun way to drill any information that students have to memorize. You can print out a blank Bingo card here at DLTK‘s craft Web site (when asked to choose a theme, scroll down and choose blank). Fill the spaces on the Bingo card with the answers to the multiplication facts your student needs to drill.

When playing the game call out a math problem such as ‘5×4.’ Your student should then place a marker on the answer, 20. You can play for a regular Bingo (five answers in a horizontal, vertical, or diagonal row) or a Blackout (all answers on the card are covered).

Multiplication War

For this game, you’ll need two players and a standard deck of playing cards with the jacks, queens and kings removed. Deal the entire deck between the two players. Each player lays down two cards and multiplies them. The player whose answer is the highest wins that round plus all the cards from that round.

If there is a tie each player lays down three cards face down, then one face up. The highest face up card wins the round and the cards. The game ends when one player has won the entire deck. If you wish to end the game sooner, each player simply counts their cards; the one with the most cards wins.

Fun Multiplication Games Online

 

If your student likes playing computer games, there are some great sites that help kids drill their math facts:

Multiplication.com
Gamequarium
Cool Math 4 Kids
Multiplication for Kids

Try some of these fun multiplication games with your kids; they’ll have their times tables down in no time.