Learning Times Tables

Where to start and how to learn your multiplication tables.

A foundation for nearly all maths
A life skill, great for getting value for money in shops, budgeting and even cooking too
Maths becomes easier and quicker
Useful for faster division
Being speedy with multiplication saves time for all the other questions in maths tests
Succeed in the Multiplication Tables Check, a “Key stage 2” Test taken in June of Year 4

Where to Start

Before learning times tables, learn number Bonds to 5, 10 and 20
Start with the two times table. It’s easier to understand these multiples and get to grips with halving and doubling. Children find it easy to count on which builds confidence for the rest
Print out a 100 Square and colour in all multiples of a times table. See the pattern and understand the increments better. Stick your number square up on the wall
Learn each times table in smaller chunks, work with multipliers from 1-6 and 7-12, then combine all 12 together

Download and print a Times Tables Chart. Get learning and hang one up!

Print a Times Table Chart

Colour in a 100 Square for each times table. Can you find a pattern?

Print a 100 Square

Practice Number Bonds to 10 and 20 before learning times tables

Number Bonds to 10 Worksheets

How to Learn Times Table

Reciting times tables in order enables brain cells to grow and make connections. When this gets boring, remember it’s one of many tools to recall times tables.

Everyone learns differently, this is how Times Table Bug combines some of these methods :-

Print out a number square and colour in multiples of a times table. Find a pattern, stick it up on the wall!
Recite multiplication tables when you can, it’s best with someone else.
Right down times table in order, cover up some to see if they can be remembered?
Practice learning tables in manageable chunks, with multipliers (groups) of 1-6, then 7-12
Online tests and times table games are also a popular way to get started, their repetitive nature help us to remember. Printed worksheets can build on that, with more complex sums and the space to work out.
Move onto multiplication worksheets, learning in different ways helps to re-enforce facts, this is your ultimate aim; to apply your new knowledge.

Eric Kandel won the Nobel Prize in 2000 for his work on learning & memory of people and animals! He discovered that with repetition our brains convert short term memories into long term memory.
Read more about Eric’s work on memory

Your first worksheet: practice the two times table (after learning number bonds)

Print Times Table Worksheets

Learn squares and square roots with your multiplication tables

Square and Square Root Worksheets

Apply multiplication knowledge with Long multiplication

Long Multiplication Worksheets

Learning by School Year

A guide to when schools in England target times tables and typical expectations. The main objective is to learn all the multiplication tables by the end of year 4 and to succeed with the Multiplication Tables Check.

Year 1 (5-6 years old): Learn number bonds to 20. Prepare for times tables by counting in multiples 2, 5 and 10 (a Number Square is great to get started)
Year 2 (6-7 years): Recall and use multiplication facts for 2, 5 and 10 (also recognise odd and even numbers)
Year 3 (7-8 years): Recall, use multiplication and division facts for the 3, 4 and 8 multiplication tables.
Year 4 (8-9 years): Recall multiplication and division facts for all tables up to 12 x 12, ready for the KS2 (Key stage 2) Multiplication Tables Check
Year 5 (9-10 years): Apply all multiplication tables and division facts and use them confidently for larger calculations (like long multiplication). Multiply numbers up to 4 digits by a two digit number, Divide 4 digit numbers by a one digit number. Multiply and divide numbers by 10, 100 and 1000.
Year 6 (10-11 years) Multiply and divide numbers up to 4 digits by a two digit number. Understand Square and cube numbers.

Number Bonds are a great way to learn how numbers work together and how they can be made in different ways. (e.g. number bonds of 20 include 5+15, 1+19 and 10+10)

Re-Enforce and Apply

Reinforce learning with reverse operations. That’s division (5 x 4, can be reinforced by dividing 20 by 4 or 20 by 5)
Learn to swap quickly between different multiplication tables with mixed tables, division, powers and square root
Apply knowledge with long multiplication and division
Understand and apply worded questions that use multiplication. (e.g. how many pencils do I have if there are 5 boxes with 4 pencils in each box?)

Advantages of Printed Worksheets

Scribble down, workout, count-on and draw number lines
Easily go back to previous questions
Prepare for written school tests and exams which come after primary school
At secondary school children will need to learn to write at speed with a pencil or pen
Take a break from screen time
Learn by correcting mistakes after marking

Advantage of Online Games

Repetitive games help to memorise tables in the early stages.
They can be fun and addictive, remember to take a screen break and alternative between different learning methods.

Working at Speed

Speed isn’t everything at first. Remember, accuracy before speed. Take your time to get it correct and speed up in your own time
Have time to think about it. Use fingers to help count on, paper to calculate or write tables down
We’re aiming for about six seconds per answer for the year 4 multiplication check. With some help from Times Table Bug, many children can far exceed that target. Don’t start off with too many questions and aim for spending around 5 minutes on a worksheet

Don’t Miss Out on a Great Way to Learn Times Tables

Use a “clean” website and worksheets with no pop-up adverts, inappropriate links, junk or distractions.

Times Table Bug Worksheets are Free. Add “Speed Answer Sheets” if you want to mark them really quick.

Print a Worksheet in Seconds