How to Help Your Child Memorize Multiplication Tables in 3 Simple Steps

Ask a child to sit down and memorize their times tables, and the reaction is usually somewhere between a sigh and a negotiation.

However, here is the thing: times tables are one of the few parts of math where understanding only gets you so far. At some point, 7 x 8 just has to be 56, instantly and without thinking, because that fluency is what frees up the mental space for everything harder that follows.

But just because it’s unavoidable doesn’t mean we can’t be smart about how we approach this problem. 

To make things as smooth as possible, our tutors have laid out a 3-step plan for learning the times tables, going from the easiest to the hardest numbers. Having worked with kids of all different ages and backgrounds, this is the approach that has given us the best results, and we are happy to share it with you today.

Step 1: Start With the Tables That Have Clear Patterns

While there’s nothing wrong with teaching the times tables by starting at 1 and just going up, we take a slightly different approach.

Namely, for step 1, we just want to go through all the easy examples. This is to help your child build up their confidence and also make the times tables seem a lot more approachable.

The 1s, 2s, 5s, and 10s

Start with the 1s. The principle here is simple enough to explain in one sentence: any number multiplied by 1 is just that number. No need to spend a lot of time on this one.

For the remaining three, skip counting with a physical beat does most of the work. Count aloud together while clapping once per number for a few minutes each day. 

So for the 5s, you both clap and count: 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, one clap per number, all the way to 50. 

It might feel a bit silly at first, but the physical component is what makes it work. 

Attaching a movement to a number sequence gives the memory two anchors instead of one, and after enough repetition, the rhythm itself starts to prompt the next number before your child has even consciously thought of it.

A good order to work through these tables is:

• 10s first. The pattern is the easiest and builds momentum quickly.

• 2s next. Counting in twos feels natural for most children as it’s a low number.

• 5s last. These take a little longer but are still very predictable, as the number always ends with a 5 or 0.

Once each sequence feels solid, it is time to test whether the knowledge is actually automatic or just sequential. 

Ask your child: "If you were counting in 5s and did 7 claps, what number would you land on?" The answer is 35, which means 5 x 7 = 35. 

With a bit of practice, these tables should click into place pretty quickly.

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The 9s

While this might seem like an odd jump, the 9s times tables are among the easier ones to learn. This is because students have two different ways of quickly getting to the answer.

For younger learners, you can teach them the finger trick. It goes like this:

1. Hold up all ten fingers and fold down the finger that matches the number being multiplied. For 9 x 7, fold down the seventh finger from the left (their right index finger). 

2. The fingers to the left give the tens digit, and the fingers to the right give the units digit. So, from the right index finger, we have 6 fingers to the left and three fingers to the right, which gets us 63!

This once again ties a physical element to the memorization process, which children can reliably count on. 

But there’s also another way to go about it. This time, we’re relying on place value.

Every answer in the 9s table has digits that add up to 9: 18 (1+8), 27 (2+7), 36 (3+6), 45 (4+5). And the tens digit is always one less than the number being multiplied.

So, you can walk your student through the thinking process. 

For 9 x 7: the tens digit is one less than 7, so it is 6. Since 6 and 3 make 9, the units digit is 3. The answer is therefore 63. 

With either strategy, they now have a way to quickly check their answer and self-correct, which helps speed up the memorization process.

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Step 2: Use What They Already Know to Tackle the Middle Tables

With the first step done, your student is already more than halfway there. At this stage, we’re going to cover the numbers that build off of what they’ve just learned.

The 3s and 6s

To start learning the 3s times tables, ask your student: if you already know 2 x 7 = 14, what would you need to do to find 3 x 7? 

That’s right. Just add one more 7. 

So 3 x 7 = 14 + 7 = 21.

Go through the 3s like this until the process feels easy. This is also a good time to check some of the earlier tables, such as 3x9 or 3x5.

Once the 3s feel reliable, move on to the 6s.

The idea is similar, but this time we’re doubling the result. So, 6 x 7 is just 3 x 7 added to itself: 21 + 21 = 42. 

A good warm-up for the 6s is to write the 3s and 6s tables side by side and ask your child to spot the relationship across each row before going over the 6s in isolation.

The 4s and 8s

With both the 4s and the 8s, we’re going to rely on the same principle as with the 6s.

In other words, for 4s, just go over the 2s and then double it; 4 x 7 is just 2 x 7 added to itself: 14 + 14 = 28. 

Write the 4s table, ask your child to write the matching 2s answer next to it, then add it to itself. Keep the 2s answer visible on the page while they do the addition, so they are not holding two things in their head at once.

The 8s extend that chain one step further. 8 x 6 is just 4 x 6 doubled: 24 + 24 = 48. 

Follow the same written exercise: 8s table on the left, matching 4s answer next to it, then add. Once the connection feels natural, move to mental retrieval practice.

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Step 3: Finish With Memory Hooks for the Tables That Resist Patterns

After working through everything above, the only table remaining is the 7s. Here, the most reliable approach is to anchor each answer to a nearby table that your child already knows confidently. 

• For 7 x 6, if they know 6 x 6 = 36, they just add one more 6 to get 42. 

• Alternatively, if they know 7 x 5 = 35 from the 5s, they add one more 7 to get 42. 

Work through each unfamiliar 7s table this way together, then move to retrieval practice over three or four short sessions spread across different days.

At this point, you’ve gone over everything. And while the 7s are the most common perpetrator in our experience, other tables might still prove difficult to remember.

In these cases, you can work with your student to come up with a rhyme or a mnemonic to help them remember. The most popular one is:

• 7 x 8 = 56. Say this sequence aloud: five, six, seven, eight. The consecutive numbers 5, 6, 7, 8 map directly to 56 = 7 x 8. 

But at Mathnasium, we also like to help our students come up with their own rhymes to remember particularly difficult times tables. For example:

• 7 × 7 has four straight lines, which will equal 49.

• I know now, and you do too, that 6 × 7 is 42.

We suggest getting creative with this one and allowing your child to take charge. Even if the rhyme doesn’t make sense to you, if it helps them remember, it’s doing its job.

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In Mathnasium Learning Centers, personalized instruction meets each student where they are and builds from there.

How Mathnasium Helps Students Build Multiplication Fluency

Mathnasium is a math-only learning center dedicated to helping K-12 students learn and master math at every level, including the foundational fluency that makes every stage of math that follows more accessible.

If your child could use some extra support, we're here to help. Our proprietary approach, the Mathnasium Method™, is personalized to meet students where they are on their math journey and build from there, so sessions are always targeted at what actually needs work.

Every student starts with a diagnostic assessment that tells us about their skill level, knowledge gaps, and academic goals. From there, our tutors follow a personalized learning plan, working face-to-face in a caring and fun group environment. 

Sessions are built around understanding rather than surface-level memorization, with dedicated time for independent practice so skills become truly automatic.

Because we focus exclusively on math, everything we do is built around how students best absorb and retain mathematical concepts.

And the results speak for themselves:

• 94% of parents report an improvement in their child's math skills and understanding

• 93% of parents report an improved attitude toward math after attending Mathnasium

• 90% of students saw an improvement in their school grades

With over 1,100 centers, we bring the Mathnasium Method™ close to your community.

Families based in the Cincinnati area choose Mathnasium of Hyde Park for a reason. We’re proud to be:

• Winner of Cincy Magazine’s 2025 Family’s Choice Award for Tutoring/Learning Center

• Winner of CityBeat’s Best of Cincinnati 2025 for Best Tutoring Center

If your child is struggling with their times tables, our team of specially trained tutors is here to help, not just to build multiplication skills but to transform how they think and feel about math.

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